Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Affordable Housing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ann Arbor housing commission unveils Dumbar Tower details, council backs $35M bond for 350 South Fifth
Summary
Arrene Yu of the Ann Arbor Housing Commission described Dumbar Tower’s opening, tenant mix and amenities and said the city approved $35 million in bond financing to support a proposed 350 South Fifth project that would add roughly 330 affordable units downtown.
The Ann Arbor Housing Commission said Dumbar Tower is open to residents and described how the city is using local millage dollars and new bond financing to expand affordable housing downtown.
Arrene Yu, a planning specialist with the Ann Arbor Housing Commission, said the 63-unit Dumbar Tower opened earlier this year and that roughly half the building — about 30 apartments — were occupied as of March. "Half of the apartments are reserved for folks who are coming out of homelessness," Yu said, adding that those units are supported by project‑based vouchers that cap tenant rent at about 30% of household income. The other half are reserved for income‑qualifying artists who live or work in the county and who qualify at or below 60% of area median income; rents there are set between $650 and $900 for one‑bedroom units.
Why it matters: The Housing Commission emphasized that a mix of targeted subsidies, local millage revenue and bond financing is being used to move projects from study to construction. Yu said the voter‑approved affordable housing millage — enacted in November 2020 — provides roughly $6 million a year for these efforts and has been a primary funding source for new developments.
The commission described several features of Dumbar Tower intended to support residents and neighborhood ties: an all‑electric building with geothermal heating and cooling; two resident community rooms; an on‑site laundry; bike storage; and two electric vehicles the commission purchased for resident use. Yu also said the project includes a ground‑floor public community space that will commemorate the Westside neighborhood history with art and signage. "We have hired seven local artists to add artwork to the building," she said, and named the building for the former Dumbar Community Center and poet Paul Laurence Dunbar.
On financing for future projects, Yu said the city council approved the sale of $35 million in bond financing this week to support a planned 350 South Fifth project on the Blake Transit Center parking lot. The proposal, still in pre‑development, is expected to deliver about 330 affordable units and is being coordinated with the transit authority and the downtown development authority. Yu noted the city previously issued $9 million in bonds for Dumbar Tower that were backed by future millage dollars.
Demand remains high: Yu said the Housing Commission has not recently reopened its wait list but that the last opening drew thousands of applicants. Many referrals to units with project‑based vouchers come through the county’s centralized housing intake system.
What’s next: The commission plans a public grand opening for Dumbar Tower in the fall and is continuing pre‑development work on 350 South Fifth. Yu urged residents to follow upcoming events and screening releases from a documentary series the commission is producing to highlight neighborhood stories.
Attribution: Arrene Yu is a planning specialist at the Ann Arbor Housing Commission; the information above derives from her interview on the city-produced FYI program.
