At their August 3rd meeting, the Board of Commissioners approved funding that will help expand housing access in Washtenaw County. This $3.6 million investment of American Rescue Plan Act funds will support a mixed-income residential housing development in Ypsilanti. Located near Depot Town at 220 N Park, this project will build 46 cottages, town houses, and duplexes, with 23 of the units slated to be permanently affordable. Construction is set to begin this fall and is
scheduled to be complete by 2024.
"The Board’s decision to invest one-time, ARPA resources in this way is a ‘win’ for equity in Washtenaw," says Justin Hodge Commissioner for District 5 and the Working Session chair, “I am excited because this $3.6M represents one step towards what we hope will be a new, generational wealth-building, and poverty elimination strategy to our residents."
*UPDATE* In September, the Commissioners approved additional county support for the 220 N Park project by approving a Brownfield Plan through the Washtenaw County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. This Plan will enable the capture of $3.5 million dollars in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to support the remediation of contaminated soils on the site, as well as make other infrastructure and public right-of-way improvements. A portion of the TIF would be used to directly subsidize the construction costs of the affordable units to ensure affordability. This brings the county's total investment in bringing this important project to life in the City of Ypsilanti to over
$7 million dollars.