About Us

The Office of Community Development (OCD) is a joint venture between the City of Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County, and Urban County to better coordinate community development efforts.  In September 2004 staff from the CIty and Washtenaw County moved into the same office. In April 2008, the City of Ann Arbor voted to join the Urban County starting in July 2009. 

We provide strategic planning and implementation to retain, construct and rehabilitate affordable housing units, improve public infrastructure, and ensure the delivery of human services to improve the lives of lower income residents.  We accomplish this through:

1. Funding and oversight of human services through contracts with local non-profits;
2. Financial and rehabilitation assistance directly to homeowners and potential homebuyers;
3. Funding and oversight of multi-unit housing development and rehabilitation through contracts with local non-profit developers;
4. Funding and oversight of public infrastructure projects that create benefit to lower income residents through contracts with local municipalities; and
5. Expertise and support to local policy-makers.

The Office of Community Development continues to integrate all of the City and County programs, including Housing Rehabilitation (Single-Family), Multi-Family Development, Public (Human) Services, Public Infrastructure and Facilities and Homeowner Down Payment Assistance (DPA). 

On December 16, 2008, the Urban County Executive Committee voted to adopt the consolidated 2009-2011 Human Services Priorities and a new decision-making process for awarding general funds and CDBG funds to non-profit service providers. The new priorities for 2009-2011 are (1) Housing, (2) Economic Stability, (3) Health, and (4) Youth. 

In addition, Community Development is exploring a new planning and decision-making process to allocate the County's general funds for Children's Well-Being to non-profit service providers. These funds were previously allocated through the County's Children's Services. The end goal is to have one application and review process for the distribution of all City and County Human Services funding, or integrated funding.

Mission:

To achieve a socially and economically diverse community through the delivery of housing, economic development and human services to lower income residents, particularly the disadvantaged and most vulnerable. A primary goal is to assist citizens who are experiencing difficulty in meeting basic housing and human services needs. This is accomplished by direct services; by providing technical assistance to and oversight of contracts with nonprofit organizations, and creating increased opportunities for lower income families and individuals to live in quality housing and to access community services.

Vision:

To provide leadership and a countywide strategic framework for the retention, acquisition, financing, construction and rehabilitation of affordable housing units, as well as related public and human services.

Staff:

Administration

Mary Jo Callan, Community Development Director
(734) 622-9005 callanm@ewashtenaw.org

Nancy Christopher, Administrative Support Specialist
(734) 622-9039  christophern@ewashtenaw.org

Human Services

Andrea Plevek, Human Services Coordinator
(734) 622-9007   pleveka@ewashtenaw.org

Daniel Chae, Administrative Coordinator
(734) 622-9046   chaed@ewashtenaw.org

Amy Ramirez-Gay, HMIS Analyst
(734) 622-9031  gaya@ewashtenaw.org

Jill Shoemaker, HMIS System Administrator
(734) 622-9031  shoemakerj@ewashtenaw.org

Housing Development

Jennifer Hall, Housing Manager 
(734) 622-9006 hallj@ewashtenaw.org

Mirada C. Jenkins, Compliance Analyst II
(734) 622-9019  jenkinsmc@ewashtenaw.org

Ben Kraft, Community Development Specialist
(734) 622-9018 kraftb@ewashtenaw.org

Homeowner Rehabilitation and Infrastructure

Damon Thompson, Operations Manager & Fiscal Analyst
(734) 622-9015   thompsonde@ewashtenaw.org

Darnishous Ingram, Intake Specialist 
(734) 622-9036 ingramd@ewashtenaw.org

Alvin Nunn, Sr. Rehabilitation Specialist
(734) 622-9008  nunna@ewashtenaw.org

Terry Brinkman, Housing Rehabilitation Inspector
(734) 622-9021   brinkmat@ewashtenaw.org

Jon Van Eck, Housing Rehabilitation Specialist
(734) 622-9013 vaneckj@ewashtenaw.org