ANN ARBOR, MI – Housing affordability and the climate crisis are two issues on the mind of the first 2020 candidate to officially file to run for Ann Arbor City Council.

Dan Michniewicz, a Zingerman's Bakehouse baker, filed to run as a Democrat in the 5th Ward on Monday, Feb. 10.

He’s seeking the seat held by Chip Smith, who has announced plans to step down in November.

Erica Briggs, a local walking and cycling advocate and city planning commissioner, also has announced she’s running for the seat. She pulled petitions in September but has not filed to get on the ballot yet.

In a news release, Michniewicz described himself as a democratic socialist activist who is endorsed by the Huron Valley Democratic Socialists of America.

"We want to address the climate crisis, and help tenants and homeowners who are struggling to afford the ever-increasing cost of living here," he said in the release.

"Ann Arbor's current political leadership won't address these issues at the necessary scale or with an appropriate sense of urgency, and our movement will change that."

Michniewicz said he wants to hold the city to its carbon-neutrality goals, in part by creating a locally owned public energy utility, rather than rely on DTE Energy’s plan to gradually shift toward renewable energy.

"Local government should take the production of energy away from the private sector so that we can rapidly transition to renewable energy," he said.

"We have seen time and again that DTE will not prioritize the needs of working people or the planet. If we’re serious about meeting Ann Arbor’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2030, we need to take democratic control of our clean energy future.”

Michniewicz said his experiences as a low-wage worker and renter inform his positions on housing and the labor movement. He considers housing a human right and said he wants a more equitable, inclusive community.

He supports “increased institutional support and strengthened rights for tenants” and the creation of a community land trust for affordable housing.

He also advocates for having the city’s Housing Commission develop social housing on city-owned properties.

He vows not to accept campaign contributions from “serial landlords or developers.”

"Some local politicians will pay lip service to the plight of people who can’t afford to live in the city but would like to," Michniewicz said, adding he works with those who can’t afford to live in Ann Arbor, organizes with them and can represent them “better than existing leadership.”

Michniewicz serves on the Washtenaw County Food Policy Council and said he previously served on student housing cooperative boards and has held leadership positions locally and nationally with Democratic Socialists of America. He also is a Democratic precinct delegate.

Democratic Socialists of America is the largest socialist organization in the country and a growing number of its members are running for office in Michigan, Michniewicz said, noting Rashida Tlaib’s election to Congress in 2018 and Brandon Betz’s election to Lansing’s city council last year.

Michniewicz has a campaign website at danforannarbor.com and Briggs has a campaign website at ericafora2.com.

This year’s primary for Ann Arbor council races is Aug. 4 and the general election is Nov. 3.

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