Issuu

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY FIVE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

Ann Arbor, Michigan

michigandaily.com

ANN ARBOR

Ann Arbor Green Rental Housing ordinance takes effect and sets new energy standards

The ordinance, passed in June 2025 by the City Council, took effect Jan. 6 and introduces new energy efficiency and sustainability requirements for rental properties across Ann Arbor ZAHRA KAGAL Daily Staff Reporter

After several years of development and debate, Ann Arbor’s Green Rental Housing ordinance officially went into effect Jan. 6, introducing new energy efficiency and sustainability requirements for rental properties across the city. The ordinance emphasizes progress toward Ann Arbor’s A2ZERO goal of carbon neutrality by 2030. While city officials frame the policy as a step toward environmentally friendly housing and longterm cost savings, landlords and student renters continue to weigh how the ordinance will play out in practice. Rental units make up approximately 55% of Ann Arbor’s housing stock. The ordinance — passed in June 2025 by the Ann Arbor City Council — establishes a baseline for energy efficiency and sustainability in rental housing which is enforced through Ann Arbor’s existing rental inspection cycle, requiring landlords to demonstrate compliance during inspections. In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Joe Lange, senior energy analyst for Ann Arbor’s Office of Sustainability and Innovations, said the city began working on the ordinance in 2021, but it wasn’t passed until after years of collaboration and public input. “We just spent a lot of

Maisie Derlega/DAILY

time working with different stakeholder groups,” Lange said. “We worked really hard to incorporate all the ideas and feedback people had throughout the process, and we continued to have strong engagement with different community groups and organizations who were impacted by this ordinance.” Landlords can comply with the Green Rental Housing ordinance through two pathways. The first is a point-based checklist, allowing property owners to

earn a total of 308 compliance points through energy efficiency upgrades, sustainability practices, tenant education initiatives and other measures. The second allows landlords to submit a Home Energy Rating System report showing that a property meets required efficiency benchmarks. For property managers, advance notice and involvement in the process allowed them to plan for compliance ahead of implementation. In an

interview with The Daily, Katie Vohwinkle, vice president of property management at Oxford Companies, said Oxford began preparing before the ordinance officially took effect earlier this month. “We knew this was coming from an investment standpoint, for the properties we already knew we needed to start transitioning to LED lighting or Energy Star appliances,” Vohwinkle said. “There were initial concerns that this was

ADMINISTRATION

University President-elect Kent Syverud may earn up to $3 million and faces heavy oversight by Regents Syverud is set to be the highest-earning president of any public university in the United States

CARTER CARINO Daily Staff Reporter

Kent Syverud, University of Michigan president-elect, is set to be one of the highestpaid public university leaders in the country, receiving a base salary of $2 million and total compensation that may reach up to $3 million, according to his contract. This compensation package is significantly higher than both Syverud’s total earnings of $1.76 million as Syracuse University president and former University President Santa Ono’s base 2024 salary of $1.3 million dollars. Syverud’s contract states his annual salary may be increased by the University’s Board of Regents annually based on performance. He will also receive an annual performance award of up to 30% of his base salary and University contributions of up to $36,000 a year to his retirement plan after he completes one year as president. In addition to financial compensation, he will also receive an automobile

going to be very costly and it was going to raise rents, but as more information came out, we had a better understanding of the process and the checklist, and it became less scary.” Cost remains a central concern surrounding the ordinance because of Ann Arbor’s already rising rent costs. With 75% of students at the University living off campus, even small cost changes can carry significant weight. Business sophomore Kavya Aggarwal, vice president

NEWS BRIEFS

Body found of UMich student reported missing AAPD found the body of the 19-year-old Engineering sophomore on Saturday afternoon

THE MICHIGAN DAILY NEWS STAFF

Bela Fischer/DAILY Newly appointed President Kent Syverud speaks at the University of Michigan Board of Regents meeting at the Alexander G. Ruthven Building Jan. 12.

for business and personal use, free tickets to all Universitysponsored events and club membership, in accordance with University policies. Syverud will receive the highest base salary offered to a president of a public university in the United States, surpassing Jay C. Hartzell,

GOT A NEWS TIP? Call us at 734-763-2459 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and let us know.

former president of the University of Texas at Austin, and Neeli Bendapudi, president of Penn State University, who earned base salaries of $1,406,276 and $1.4 million respectively in 2024. The highest total paid president of a U.S. public university in 2024 was Renu Khator at the

Follow The Daily on Instagram,

@MICHIGANDAILY

University of Houston, who earned $3,168,955. In an email to The Michigan Daily, University spokesperson Kay Jarvis wrote the University decided Syverud’s salary based on the compensation offered to leaders of similar institutions. CONTINUED AT MICHIGANDAILY.COM

For more stories and coverage, visit

MICHIGANDAILY.COM

of projects for Net Impact, told The Daily that, although she agrees with the goals of the policy, it could strain student budgets if rents rise. “As someone who cares so much about sustainability, if (rent) was slightly higher in exchange for helping the environment, I wouldn’t mind as much,” Aggarwal said. “But obviously, as a student, I am very, very price-sensitive, and I think the general student population is as well. We would have to see real change in Ann Arbor’s carbon footprint to be willing to pay that higher cost. A lot of students here probably wouldn’t be for it because they can’t afford it.” Aggarwal said students have very limited leverage in the housing market to begin with because they need to find a place to live. “One of the most difficult things to do is to find housing in Ann Arbor,” Aggarwal said. “Students like me don’t have a ton of bargaining power; we need to be able to walk to class, and we rely on the infrastructure.” Several elements of the Green Rental Housing ordinance were inspired by Boulder, Colorado’s SmartRegs rental program, which took effect a decade ago. Lange said the fears of higher rent prices remains one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding the policy, citing Boulder’s experience as an example. CONTINUED AT MICHIGANDAILY.COM

After a nearly 20-hour search, a body was discovered Saturday at about 12:05 p.m. in the 1900 block of Cambridge Road. The body was identified as Mattson and was located about two blocks away from where he was last seen. In a post to X, the AAPD wrote that the department does not yet know Mattson’s cause of death. “There are no obvious signs of trauma and foul play is not suspected at this time,” the statement read. “The Washtenaw County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine cause and manner of death. Ann Arbor Police Chief Andre Anderson and the Ann Arbor Police Department extend its deepest condolences to his family and loved ones, as well as the entire University of Michigan community.” In a post to X, the Ann Arbor

Police Department reported Engineering sophomore Lucas Mattson as missing. Mattson, a 19-year-old Caucasian male with brown hair and blue eyes, was last seen walking alone on the 1700 block of Hill Street near Washtenaw Avenue at about 1:30 a.m. Friday. He was wearing a light-colored T-shirt, blue jeans and white shoes. He was reported missing at 4:30 p.m that day. Officers are searching the area but have not yet located Mattson. The AAPD wrote the freezing temperatures endanger Mattson and encouraged anyone with more information to contact the department. “Lucas Mattson is missing and considered endangered due to the extreme frigid conditions,” the statement read. “If you see Lucas or know his whereabouts, please call 911 or the Ann Arbor Police Department front desk at 734794-6920 immediately.”

NEWS.......................1 ARTS........................3 OPINION................5

MIC...................7 S T AT E M E N T . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 1