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Candidates back green rental rules but urge steps to protect renters from cost increases
Summary
Both Ward 3 candidates support Ann Arbor’s Jan. 2026 green rental housing ordinance’s energy-efficiency standards while proposing measures (rebates, grant pots, tenant protections) to prevent compliance costs from being passed to renters.
Ann Arbor’s green rental housing ordinance, which took effect in January 2026 and requires energy-efficiency standards at inspection, drew bipartisan support from the Ward 3 candidates at the Aug. 4 forum.
Ashley Hall said the ordinance establishes basic expectations, lowers utility bills and improves living conditions. She noted the city has created multiple compliance pathways, rebates and incentives and proposed a city‑set fund to help smaller landlords cover upgrades so costs are not passed to tenants.
Ryan Bartholomew also supported the ordinance’s goals but emphasized that rising rents in Ann Arbor are already a major concern. He criticized the use of dynamic pricing algorithms by large landlords and said he would continue working with the Ann Arbor Tenants Union and pursue tenant protections to reduce upward rent pressure.
Neither candidate provided specific numbers on cost‑sharing programs; both said the city should monitor outcomes and avoid weakening standards for housing quality.
