Connected Ann Arbor: Integrating Resilience and Equitable Development

CM credit hours for mobile workshops are awarded based on the planned dedicated instructional time. Adjustments to CM hours will not be made after the live event.

Ann Arbor, like many cities, faces a convergence of urban challenges: climate change, aging infrastructure, affordability, pedestrian safety, stormwater management, and social isolation. Rather than addressing these issues separately, the city has embraced a systems-thinking approach, recognizing that solutions are interconnected.

This mobile workshop showcases how Ann Arbor is transforming its streets and public spaces through innovative, inclusive, and sustainable design. Explore curbless streets, protected bike lanes, public gathering spaces, and affordable housing developments that reflect collaborative, cross-departmental planning. The tour highlights how the city leverages limited funding through strategic partnerships, long-term maintenance planning, and community engagement. Hear firsthand from planners and experts about the trade-offs, lessons learned, and replicable strategies that have emerged. Be prepared to think holistically, act collaboratively, and implement integrated solutions that address multiple urban challenges simultaneously.

Ann Arbor wants to lead the way on equity, but its unaffordability makes this challenging. The tour features Kerrytown, a historically Black neighborhood that has gentrified, to illustrate how small steps toward prioritizing affordable housing via the city's affordable housing millage is taking shape.