Ann Arbor AF

Today is the second of two episodes about the August 2026 Partisan Primary. And although we’re in Ann Arbor and in some ways this goes without saying, I’ll just say out loud that for the sake of this podcast, we are only talking about the Democratic candidates. If you haven’t already, please check out our first primary episode, where we discuss (aka have strong opinions about) the hyperlocal races...

Today is the first of two conversations preparing for the August 2026 primary election in the City of Ann Arbor; we help you do your homework for the ballot proposals and city races. We let you know how we’re voting and why, and invite you into conversation with fellow Ann Arbor AFers online.  Endorsements: Ballot proposals Public Schools of the City of Ann Arbor Building and Site Sinking Fund Mil...

On this episode, we invited Sunil Rajaraman, founder of Hamlet and author of a recent article about Ann Arbor city council voting patterns titled “ The City That Won’t Agree ,” which prompted a lot of discussion and debate online. Sunil agreed to join us to discuss his work, his data, and the surprising finding that prompted his article on Ann Arbor. References: Hamlet Ann Arbor Voting Analysis Co...

This episode is a special one for a lot of reasons: On March 10th, along with my cohost Jess Letaw, we did our first-ever live recording, and it was so much fun. We were joined by friend of the pod and Jess’s frequent collaborator, Yodit Mesfin Johnson, and we were hosted by the University of Michigan’s Ginsberg Center , surrounded by our neighbors from Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, and the Univers...

After a quiet fall and winter…we’re baaaaaack! Today, we’re giving you a heads up on what to look forward to from Ann Arbor AF in 2026 (land use planning, library stuff, and ‘lections, plus a lot of other chats). We also take a moment to flash back to when we started the podcast in 2020, what hasn’t changed and what has in the city and for us on the pod. Given what we’re going to be talking about...

Today we are talking about Proposals A & B, on the ballot this August 5th, which would authorize the city of Ann Arbor to transfer the air rights of the parking lot known as the Library Lot to the Ann Arbor District Library. Links supportaadl.com : volunteer, donate, get a lawn sign Your Dream Library ( see Molly's Dream Library on the Episode page ) AADL Prop A & B Voting Information...

Today we are talking about proposals A and B on the August 5th ballot - yes, we have an August ballot! - and plans for a new downtown library. With us, we have Eli Neiburger, director of the Ann Arbor District Library, to answer our questions and talk all things factual about the ballot measures, as well as share the possibilities of a new downtown branch. Learn more at the Ann Arbor District Libr...

Learn more and get involved at SupportAADL.com Original Episode Notes In a continuation of our new miniseries, Civic Therapy, we are talking with Dan Adams about WTF, Library Lot. Dan is a corporate attorney, local housing activist, and long-time bike person. He has lived in Ann Arbor since 2008 and grew up down the road in Dexter. In November 2022 he published a long piece in Damn Arbor about the...

Jess and Molly come out of hiatus to share our recommendations for local non-partisan races and ballot initiatives. Move the Needle signup: Zoom or Insta . Get a sample ballot (scroll down) Our list of recommendations (Reminder: These are only the contested races): JUSTICE OF SUPREME COURT 8 Year Term Kimberly Ann Thomas JUSTICE OF SUPREME COURT Incumbent Position Kyra Harris Bolden JUDGE OF CIRCU...

Check out the week of events and updates at www.dogoodwork.org/houseparty Registration for Jess' panel: History to Present Day: Race and Housing in Ann Arbor Come check out our episodes and transcripts at our website, annarboraf.com . Keep the conversation going with fellow Ann Arbor AFers on Twitter and Facebook . And hey, if you wanted to ko-fi us a few dollars to help us with hosting, we w...

Today we talk to Yodit Mesfin Johnson about the problematic promises of community “engagement,” and what it could look like to pivot more towards community-driven planning.  Yodit is presently co-leading (with Jess and developer partners Avalon Housing and the Ann Arbor Housing Commission) a community-driven planning effort for the mixed-use affordable housing project at Fourth and Catherine, a hi...

We continue our Civic Therapy miniseries talking to Ann Arbor Public Schools parent Liz Lin about WTF Schools: amygdala parenting, Zoom kindergarten, why she almost ran for school board, and why she didn’t. Links we referenced: The Free Press article that broke the story of the lawsuit The original lawsuit filing itself The form to sign up to make a comment to the Ann Arbor School Board . Next mee...

Our Civic Therapy miniseries continues with Reverend Donnell Wyche about WTF Transportation. We embrace our collective Big Feelings about kids being able to bike to school, e-bikes as a vector of radicalization, the just-proposed Driving Equality Ordinance, and the cost of not taking Vision Zero literally. Links we referenced: Transportation Alternatives Resource Hub TransitCenter Come check out o...

In a continuation of our new miniseries, Civic Therapy, we are talking with Dan Adams about WTF, Library Lot. Dan is a corporate attorney, local housing activist, and long-time bike person. He has lived in Ann Arbor since 2008 and grew up down the road in Dexter. In November 2022 he published a long piece in Damn Arbor about the current status of the Library Lot, how we got to this place, and what...

A proposed development with robust sustainability and affordability components, considered by many in our community to be a slam dunk for approval, hit a surprising road block this week. Join Jess and Molly for our first Civic Therapy session with Lisa Sauvé and Scott Trudeau: what happened to SouthTown, and why what happened points to some larger problems. And hey, wanna check out HouseParty? Her...

We’re back! Ann Arbor AF is…the same but different. Molly and Jess catch you up on the haps and where the pod will be going this summer. Come check out our episodes and transcripts at our website, annarboraf.c om. Keep the conversation going with fellow Ann Arbor AFers on Twitter and Facebook . And hey, if you wanted to ko-fi us a few dollars to help us with hosting, we wouldn't say no. Suppo...

Today we are talking with Ben Connor Barrie about yet another blue-language civic engagement media project: Damn Arbor! We cover a lot of ground, including why it's important to say nice things about where you live. Come check out our episodes and transcripts at our website, annarboraf.com . Keep the conversation going with fellow Ann Arbor AFers on Twitter and Facebook . And hey, if you want...

Today we are talking with Jerome Horne about radically abundant transit. We also took deep detours into being vulnerable, what our kid selves would think of us today, and navigating advocacy as and with humans. Links we mentioned: TransitCenter's website and podcast, High Frequency Jerome on socials: Twitter and LinkedIn Jerome as t-shirt influencer: Fund Public Transit and Build Housing/Ban...

Today we talk (and dream a little) with members of the Coalition for Reenvisioning Our Safety. Paul is an Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan School of Public Health and helps to organize the Michigan Chapter of Public Health Awakened . He spends his time thinking about , researching , teaching , and organizing around root causes of health inequities, including policing and immigrati...

Today we are talking with Jenny Schuetz! In addition to being the author of the phenomenal book Fixer-Upper: How to Repair America's Broken Housing Systems, she is a Senior Fellow at Brookings Metro and is an expert in urban economics and housing policy. Before joining Brookings, Jenny worked at the Federal Reserve Board in Washington, D.C. and taught at the University of Southern California....

We’ll be talking about the November 2022 general election up and down the Michigan, Washtenaw County, and Ann Arbor ballots, plus some general tips that will help you vote smart no matter where you live. Getting ready to vote (especially in Michigan): Preview your ballot Read answers to the League of Women Voters surveys at Vote411 Come check out our episodes and transcripts at our website, annarb...

It’s a new season of Ann Arbor AF, and with the new season comes a new format! Today we are talking with Aaron Lubeck of Durham, N.C. about Jim Crow zoning, why some advocacy feels so taboo in community conversations, and how churches might be coming to save the day on housing .  We also dropped a hint about the next interview coming to the pod… Here are links to the books we mentioned - Snob Zone...

Molly and Jess do an impromptu reflection on the excellent election results.  (Brought to you in part by a very good idea from #a2council Twitter, thanks #a2council Twitter; and also car-free streets, thanks car-free streets.) Support the show Come check out our episodes and transcripts at our website, annarboraf.com . Keep the conversation going with fellow Ann Arbor AFers on Blue Sky and Faceboo...

Today, we are talking about the climate millage coming up on the November 2022 ballot. Last episode, we interviewed Office of Sustainability and Innovation director Dr. Missy Stults about what passing the millage would accomplish. This time, we get into some differences of opinion about the millage, including a little skepticism and a little hope.  Come check out our episodes and transcripts at ou...

Today we are talking to the director of Ann Arbor’s Office of Sustainability and Innovation, Dr. Missy Stults, about A2Zero, the climate millage coming up on Ann Arbor’s November ballot, and a little big dreaming. This is the first of two episodes where we’ll talk about this millage; this one we’ll get informed, and in the next episode, Molly and I will talk more about getting involved. Links from...