Create a "green" rental certification program to encourage energy-efficient improvements.
Ypsi has a large rental population, many who are look for low energy bills and/or sustainability minded housing (on-site composting, gardening, clotheslines, rain barrels, etc). Creating a system to allow landlords to gain green certification, market it easily through various websites or other media, and allow renters to seek out and prefer it, could help push less likely landlords to make improvements to attract good tenants, and let sustainability minded renters have some positive influence on the rental housing market.
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Richard Robbins commented
That's a real great Idea. Does your vision of this program include mandatory recycling for residents of the home?
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AdminValerie Bieberich (Admin, Michigan Suburbs Alliance: Climate Action Planning Homepage) commented
As an Ypsilanti renter, I'd love to see more resources targeted our way in general. I'm hoping to work with the BetterBuildings for Michigan program to figure out (and hopefully put together a factsheet on) what incentives residents of the non-target neighborhood can take advantage of.