Mythbusting

No.

Some residents propose that the City should take over DTE’s infrastructure. This action would cost hundreds of millions of dollars and require a decade of multi-million dollar litigation before it even got started. 

My opponent supports this proposal 100%. 

If we were starting society from the beginning, the electric utility ought to be public, like the water utility. But we’re not starting over. We have to deal with reality. We can’t afford tens of millions of dollars in litigation and a billion dollar buyout that could bankrupt the city. I’m against it. 

I also know that DTE is not a force for good. You deserve energy choice. That’s why I proposed, and the voters approved, the Sustainable Energy Utility. It is an opt-in, 100% renewable, reliable, clean energy, with no new taxes. The SEU adds to DTE, so it won’t bankrupt the city with debt.

Furthermore, the SEU is a reality. On May 18, 2026, we installed solar panels and batteries on the first homes in Ann Arbor. We’re looking to start this year with 100 installations, adding 1,000 more homes in 2027, with the best yet to come!

I’m also standing up to DTE and opposing rate increases. Our efforts over the past five years have, with others, saved ratepayers statewide over $1 billion in electricity costs and more than $150 million in gas costs, while limiting residential electricity rate increases to below DTE’s original requests.

You don’t get real results with a bullhorn at a rally, you get it with hard work.

No, it does not. The plan works to create a more affordable Ann Arbor by allowing the duplexes and triplexes we already see in Ann Arbor, but that have been illegal to build for decades. 

The plan also paves the way for more neighborhood businesses, like Argus, Washtenaw Dairy, and Jefferson Market - because who wouldn’t want a Jefferson Market in their neighborhood?

If you love your single family home, keep it. If you want a new single family home, build it.  The Plan is all about choice.

No. There’s been a lot of disinformation and I want to set the record straight - you won’t see four story apartment buildings in your established neighborhoods.

Ann Arbor’s affordability crisis is a housing crisis. We’re not making any more land, and we know that smaller homes cost less than larger homes. That’s why we look to allow the duplexes and triplexes that fit into neighborhoods so young people and seniors can find the smaller, less expensive homes they desperately need!

It’s worked in other cities and it can work here too. If you love Ann Arbor, you should be able to live in Ann Arbor.

We built these systems. You and me, with our dollars. We don’t just let a developer tap into the existing water, sewer, or stormwater systems – they pay hundreds of thousands, in some cases, millions of dollars to just initiate service. And, if a developer’s project needs larger infrastructure – say an 8-inch water main instead of a 6-inch main – the developer pays for it.

No development has ever been built, or will ever be built, that reduces the ability of the system to serve existing residents. No development has ever been built, or will ever be built, that cannot itself be fully served by the system.

New developments add tax revenue to the city so that we can continue to serve you better, establish new community spaces for all users, and in many cases cover the costs of infrastructure expansion without burdening other residents. They also help bring down housing costs by increasing housing supply. It’s worked in other cities, and it can work here too.

No.

City Hall delivers value for the money, but enough is enough. I will oppose all new city millages, because the path to a more affordable Ann Arbor requires lower household costs. I respect what working families and seniors already pay, and I will ensure that Ann Arbor continues to serve residents without new city millages.

My opponent has not pledged to oppose new city millages.

My plan is continuing to build off of the progress we’ve already made. We have 1200+ units of permanently affordable housing in the pipeline, a bold investment that more than doubles our supply, but our work is far from done. 

As Mayor of Ann Arbor, I increased our Affordable Housing Trust Fund from a balance of $0 to $9,000,000+/year. I helped draft and championed Ann Arbor’s Affordable Housing Millage in 2020, and I was the only candidate in this race to publicly support it. I am the only candidate focusing on ‘missing middle’ units alongside public housing to allow teachers, nurses, firefighters, and more to have access to attainable housing options. 

I don’t just talk about affordability - I consistently vote ‘yes’ in support of more affordable housing!

A lot. We’ve made significant strides to protect tenants from predatory landlords, expand renters’ rights, and improve the safety and energy efficiency of all rental units. About half of Ann Arbor residents rent their homes - we’re doing everything we can to make sure that their homes are affordable and safe, and their rights are protected. 

Together, we have:

• Eliminated junk fees, such as waitlist fees, holding fees, and excessive application fees.

• Required cost transparency, so renters know what they’re paying for.

• Provided stability by creating a right to renew.

• Enhanced safety by expanding rental unit inspections to over 6,000 annually.

• Advanced affordability and sustainability with the Green Rental Housing Ordinance to promote health, comfort, and savings through energy efficiency. 

This year, rents in Ann Arbor have finally begun to stabilize, dropping citywide. I am committed to ensuring that renters aren’t pushed out of our city due to unfair practices. Ann Arbor’s renters deserve fair treatment from their landlords and the support of elected officials. They have mine.