Viewing Grant Proposal: City of Ypsilanti-Solar on Residential Homes

For over a decade, Solar Ypsi and the City of Ypsilanti have been leaders in advancing solar power—educating the community, supporting installations, and building a model for local sustainability. From the first solar panels in a registered historic district to the first 100% solar-powered fire station in the U.S., Ypsilanti has shown what’s possible when innovation and community come together. A decade ago, that momentum was featured in a national Google commercial aired during the football playoffs. It hasn’t stopped since. Today, you’ll find solar installations across the city—from downtown EV charging stations to a historic cemetery that leased land for a 20-year DTE solar project. The lease proceeds helped restore the Starweather Chapel, home to some of Michigan’s finest Tiffany windows. These efforts are the result of bold thinking, relentless volunteers, and a city committed to sustainability, affordability, and resilience. Ypsilanti is the poorest city in Washtenaw County. It has the highest poverty rate, lowest per capita income, and the highest property tax rate in the county—among the highest in Michigan. More than 60% of the housing is rental, and every year, more single-family homes are lost to out-of-town landlords and investors. Yet, despite these challenges, Ypsilanti is a place people fight for. The people, the river, the parks, the food, and the history make it a community worth staying in—and worth investing in. Homeownership is key to stability. Homeowners are more likely to care about schools, safety, parks, and local businesses. They invest in their homes, which creates local jobs and supports the economy. But more and more communities like ours are losing homes to hedge funds and institutional investors. We need to reverse that trend by helping people stay in their homes, create generational wealth, and pass them down to future generations. Solar can help make that possible. The Detroit NAACP has long recognized the role solar plays in energy equity and keeping people in their homes. In Ypsilanti, a homeowner can expect to save about $50/month—or $600/year—on electricity. For a senior or someone on a fixed income, that can mean the difference between paying bills or skipping a meal. It’s money that can go toward repairs, groceries, or education—and it’s a reason not to leave. Solar adds value to a home. Buyers recognize it, which is why a home with solar generation typically sells for more. One local family purchased a used EV and now powers it entirely with solar—eliminating their fuel costs and gaining reliable, affordable transportation to work at the hospital. These are real-life, tangible benefits. That’s why this grant matters. It will help our residents save money, build stability, and strengthen our community. It will help keep Ypsilanti a place people can call home. I strongly urge you to support this grant for the City of Ypsilanti.

The proposal to install solar panels on 100 low-income homes in Ypsilanti is a transformative initiative that aligns with the city's ongoing efforts to expand access to clean energy and economic opportunities. Ypsilanti, a city with a poverty rate of 29%, has already demonstrated its commitment to renewable energy through grassroots projects like SolarYpsi and its SolSmart Gold designation. This new project builds on that foundation by addressing critical gaps in solar accessibility for low-income households, which often lack the financial resources or tax incentives to adopt solar technology. By reducing monthly energy costs by $50 or more per household, the project will provide immediate financial relief to struggling families, enabling them to allocate savings toward essentials like food, healthcare, and education. Beyond financial benefits, the initiative will generate significant environmental and economic impacts for Ypsilanti. Installing solar panels on a large scale in one area will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to cleaner air and improved public health. Additionally, the project will serve as a "classroom in the field," training local residents in solar installation and creating pathways to employment in Michigan’s rapidly growing renewable energy sector. This approach not only supports workforce development but also fosters community pride and ownership in the clean energy transition. Ypsilanti has already proven its ability to leverage community involvement for successful solar projects, as seen with SolarYpsi's volunteer-driven installations and the city's innovative use of grants and partnerships. By building on this momentum, the proposed project positions Ypsilanti as a model for equitable clean energy adoption while revitalizing its local economy.

I think this is a fabulous project and strongly support it!

This is a great idea. As a member of the Board of Directors for the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association, we have been promoting a group buy solar program called "Solarize" in numerous communities across the state. We have proved that purchasing in groups significantly reduces the cost of installing solar. Bringing this concept to low-income neighborhoods is a great way to help reduce their energy costs. I strongly encourage support for this program.

Solar panels would be great for Ypsilanti's low income families. It would help reduce energy costs by at least $50 a the low-income families chosen. Solar panels would help provide long-term savings, allowing families to reallocate funds toward essentials like food, healthcare, and education. Addresses barriers to solar adoption for low-income households, such as upfront costs and lack of access to tax credits.

Financial Relief for Low-Income Households: Reduces energy costs by $50 per month for over 100 low-income families. Provides long-term savings, allowing families to reallocate funds toward essentials like food, healthcare, and education. Increased Solar Accessibility: Addresses barriers to solar adoption for low-income households, such as upfront costs and lack of access to tax credits.

The City of Ypsilanti is already a leader in installed solar on a per-capita basis. This grant would continue that trajectory and allow for so many more residents to directly benefit from lower energy costs through localized and distributed solar energy production. This would be a great boon for the City!

This is such an amazing and powerful idea for our community! If the MPSC could do this grant for our local community this would be a multiplier throughout our area. I installed solar at my home after seeing a private donor give $90,000 to six local nonprofits including the school where I teach. After seeing solar go up at my school, I could not help but look at the sunlight beating down on the shingles of my garage and feel like I was wasting a resource that was hitting my house everyday. I saved up and got solar on the house and garage. From there, I got a plug-in hybrid car, and getting comfortable with that we moved traded in to an electric car at the end of last year. Now, I am planning to save up to start replacing my natural gas furnace and appliances, so the house can be fully electric. From there, a colleague of mine put solar on their house and got a plug-in hybrid after seeing mine, and every person that comes over to our house or sees our car asks about them and how we like the new technology. All of this came from someone putting solar in front of me and being able to see how it works. My only complaint about the solar is that the utilities have kept renegotiating the rules for the terms of solar agreement. I love the solar, and love knowing my home is running on sunshine! While solar panels can degrade a bit over time, I'm thrilled that my solar panels are going to keep working month after month for decades! By helping get solar onto the roofs of folks in poverty, it will be like putting an extra $50 or more in their pocket every month. What a way to multiply the public's investment! And, how many more people who can afford the investment (like me) will it inspire to look into how they could also run their own home on sunshine. I hope you will consider this grant and show people why solar is so powerful!

I worked with SolarYpsi to install a solar panel array at my residence 4.5 yrs ago. In that time my family has saved hundreds of dollars in energy costs. SolarYpsi is an impressive leader in identifying need and coordinating processes at scale for this very worthwhile project. I believe SolarYpsi to be completely deserving of this grant.

For many years Ypsilanti housing was seen as an affordable alternative to Ann Arbor. But lately even Ypsilanti has priced out many small homeowners. Ypsilanti-Solar can help low-income families afford a house to raise a family in a vibrant city of Ypsilanti. I urge you to fund Ypsilanti-Solar.