The City of Ypsilanti is proud to announce it has received a Gold Certification through the 2021 Michigan Green Communities Challenge. This marks the first the City has achieved this level of certification, advancing from the Bronze level.
The Michigan Green Communities Challenge is a mechanism for Michigan communities to report and monitor their progress on key sustainability principles, including planning, climate resilience and adaptation, energy efficiency, renewable energy, water conservation and protection, mobility, and community engagement.
The certification of the City’s progress in these areas comes on the heels of two years of unprecedented challenges that include a disproportionate number of is residents falling sick or dying from COVID-19, as compared with surrounding municipalities; confronting racism among city leaders; and responding to and supporting residents through a growing housing crisis which especially impacts the city’s renters.
Amid these challenges City staff and elected and appointed officials continued to find ways to prioritize the City’s stated sustainability goal of “the promotion of social, economic and environmental health of the community now and into the future.” As a result, the City completed an update of its master plan, completed the city’s first Sustainability Plan, initiated two community benefits agreement processes, and launched multiple street projects to improve safety, walkability, and bikeability.
“I see the Gold Certification as a well-deserved recognition of the hard work that City staff and residents put into generating shared priorities and taking demonstrable steps to move the city toward a more sustainable and equitable future. Further, I think this certification and the actions that back it up are evidence that leadership on sustainability and these other issues can come from small and often overlooked communities, like our own Ypsilanti,” Beth Gibbons, Sustainability Commissioner.
MGC is a partnership between the Michigan Municipal League, Michigan Association of Counties, Michigan Townships Association, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy (EGLE), and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). The organization’s goal is to connect community leaders through training, education, and communications, as well as through the MGC Challenge Program.
The City of Ypsilanti has 20,000 residents, spans 4.5 square miles, and is known for its rich history, Huron River parks, and as the home of Eastern Michigan University. The City’s mission is to work creatively and collaboratively to enhance the natural and built environment so that its population grows and thrives. To keep up with the City of Ypsilanti’s information, subscribe for email updates, and follow us on Facebook.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up