Public commenters urge Ann Arbor to fully fund Rising Hope housing program
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Summary
Multiple speakers at the Ann Arbor City Council meeting urged the council to fully fund the Rising Hope housing program for a third year, protect Housing Choice Voucher retention, and allocate local funds given federal budget uncertainty.
Public commenters at the Ann Arbor City Council meeting urged the council to fully fund the Rising Hope housing program for a third year and to protect Housing Choice Voucher retention.
Speakers described individual outcomes from the program and warned the council that uncertainty in the FY26 federal budget and potential cuts to HUD programs could increase local need. Amanda Carlisle, director of the Washtenaw Housing Alliance, said the city cannot rely on federal funding and asked the council to “please fully fund this program to the greatest extent possible in this year's budget.”
A commenter who said a client had recently been helped into stable housing read a text message she received from that person and said, “I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your help with moving. I feel so much safer knowing that we don't have to look out our windows anymore.” That speaker asked the council to “renew and fully fund Rising Hope for a third year” and to “preserve the flexibility that makes this program so effective.”
Another speaker, who identified himself as John Walker, described participants stabilizing and reconnecting with family and said the program reduces calls on emergency services and the courts. Walker said, “Every dollar invested in Rising Hope saves far more in emergency services, incarceration costs, and shelter expenses.”
Amanda Carlisle described a recent case in which a person released from county jail found an unpaid utility bill of “over $400” that threatened housing stability; she said Rising Hope’s case management could prevent eviction in such cases and stressed the program’s cost-effectiveness. Carlisle also noted the program’s role serving people exiting the justice system and urged continued local support if federal funding is reduced.
Voucher-holder and resident Jeremy Haley spoke to the role of tax-credit developments and voucher units in maintaining the tax base; he asked the council to support housing strategies that combine tax-generating market-rate units with subsidized units. Several speakers cited past city support — noting the council funded Rising Hope in prior years — and urged that the council incorporate continued funding into the upcoming city budget.
The public comment items were part of the council's public hearing period; the transcript contains no motion or formal council action on Rising Hope during the meeting.
For budgeting purposes, speakers asked the council to consider local allocations that would bridge gaps if federal HUD funding is reduced or cut by the FY26 federal budget.
