Ann Arbor City Council met in Larcom City Hall Tuesday night to discuss amendments to the city’s housing code, approve grant application funding for the Pauline-Runnymede path and hear from community members about fair hiring practices.
The meeting began with updates from the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority, presented by Chief Executive Officer Matthew Carpenter. Carpenter discussed a current study exploring corridor improvements, such as highway decongestion on roadway U.S. Route 23, which is being conducted by the Michigan Department of Transportation. According to Carpenter, one option to improve the freeway could be establishing more park-and-ride lots. These lots allow individuals to park their cars outside of the city and commute by bus for no cost during the day.
“You may be familiar with the smaller lots we have here in Ann Arbor, perhaps at Pioneer or at US-23 and Plymouth — those have about 200 stalls,” Carpenter said. “… That all comes back to inspiration that we took from your transportation master plan, the A2Zero Plan, about reducing (vehicle miles traveled) and keeping roads safer by pulling as many cars as possible off of the freeways.”
During the meeting, members approved a development agreement for 333 E. William Street. Chicago-based developer Core Spaces plans to utilize the property for student-targeted high-rise apartments that will be located next to the downtown district library. The building is expected to have 15-17 stories, including 190-210 apartments. The agreement also included a requirement that the developer contribute funding toward improving parks downtown.
A resolution to appropriate funds to design grant applications for the Pauline-Runnymede path located at the Walden Village Condominiums was unanimously approved. While Walden Village is legally responsible for maintenance of the path, it has allowed the path to fall into poor condition.
Councilmember Dharma Akmon, D-Ward 4, said these improvements were in the public interest due to the volume of people who use it daily.
“It functions largely as public infrastructure,” Akmon said. “In fact, it’s so valuable to residents that I hear stories of people taking their own equipment out there to maintain the path … so I think we all have an interest in maintaining this path.”
City Council also discussed proposed improvements to strengthen Ann Arbor’s Fair Chance Hiring practices. Fair hiring practices intend to prevent hiring discrimination against those who were formerly incarcerated. Unanimously approved, the resolution called for a review of city jobs to determine which positions require a criminal background check and which may not. It also called for research into additional best practices the city could take under consideration.
In support of the resolution, Councilmember Cynthia Harrison, D-Ward 1, said fair hiring practices are important in the face of over-policing in Washtenaw County. Harrison referred to a recent report from the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office which found that people of Color were more likely than their white counterparts to be targeted for warrants relating to the same crimes.
“This kind of policing doesn’t just cause trouble at the moment,” Harrison said. “This is a systemic failure that perpetuates cycles of disadvantage and discrimination. … Our resolution is about making things right, helping those affected to rebuild.”
Ann Arbor resident Arthur Thomas commented on the importance of second chances from employers as someone who was formerly incarcerated.
“I started working for the city of Ann Arbor in parks and recreation and it changed my life. … Giving people a second chance to earn a decent living is something that we all should be pushing for,” Thomas said. “The system is going to let people out of prison, and they’re going to come here. And if you don’t give them a good job they’re going to go right back to doing what they were doing in the beginning.”
City Council then discussed a proposed update to the city’s housing code, Chapter 105, in order to improve the early leasing ordinance intended to protect tenants. Several councilmembers described concerned emails from community members who have faced pressure from landlords to renew their lease soon after its start, or face potential rent increases the following year. The ordinance updates aim to guarantee tenants 180 days before they are asked about renewing and clarify the information landlords must provide in a written renewal offer, such as any changes in terms or conditions of the lease. The updates were passed unanimously and will take effect if it is passed again by City Council during a second reading.
Councilmember Radina, D-Ward 3, said he worked with Harrison, staff attorneys, the renters commission and landlords to make recommendations that would best strengthen current laws.
“Over the last year we’ve repeatedly heard about new tactics being employed by some — not all — landlords seeking to maintain the power imbalance over renters, and admittedly enforcement has been a struggle,” Radina said. “This ordinance amendment is intended to close some of the existing loopholes … strengthen the city’s ability to enforce the law and reestablish tenants’ rights in areas where some landlords have clearly violated the spirit, if not the letter of the law.”
Daily Staff Reporter Amanda Venclovaite Pirani can be reached at amandavp@umich.edu.