The Ypsilanti City Council is comprised of a Mayor, who is elected by voters in the city at-large, and 6 Council Members elected from the City's 3 voting wards. The voters of each ward shall elect one Council Member at every regular City election for a four-year term. The term shall begin at 7:30 p.m. local time on the Monday following the election.
DISTRICT
Ypsilanti City Council Ward 3
WEBSITE
desiraeforypsi.com
Number of years as resident
12
I have been an active Councilmember over the past 4 years. I was elected with 75% of the vote in 2022, won a recall campaign funded by landlords, and had participated in Council meetings the 5 years prior. I attend conferences to learn more about how to be a productive and informed elected official (e.g. finance, budget, OMA, FOIA, state legislative agenda, human trafficking, placemaking, progressive policymaking, etc.)
I have been able to lay the groundwork for longer term projects such as pedestrian and cycling safety, unarmed non-police response, neighborhood resilience hubs, waste management services, AI and data center policy, and more!
In my second term I will focus on:
a) Improving constituent services. Not only passing along concerns from residents but tracking progress until there is a resolution. I will also use several avenues to gather input to inform my work.
b) Building a stronger inside/outside strategy for policymaking. I want to share what I've learned over the past few years and work with residents to understand the process to create the changes we want to see in our community at the municipal level.
1) Lack of resources for the most vulnerable, like housing, food, healthcare.
2) ICE kidnappings- Ypsilanti is fourth in the state for disappearances.
3) Infrastructure needs like roads, bridges, sidewalks, public restrooms, and trees.
4) Support for small businesses that are needed for a vibrant community.
5) Waterstreet development.
Steps I'd take to address them:
a- Partnerships with organizations and governments at county, regional, state, and federal levels.
b- Policy-making that centers community voice and expertise.
c- Focus on budget shifts needed to fund services that will improve quality of life and safety for all.
d- Learn from examples around the country and try to implement the best possible policies.
Our greatest assets are captured in the motto “Pride. Diversity. Heritage.” The people of Ypsilanti take pride in this place and will do the work necessary to keep the community strong, even when it is faced with adversity. The diversity of Ypsilanti is what makes Ypsi such a vibrant community with people of so many different backgrounds coming together for a shared purpose. And the heritage of Ypsi is what keeps us grounded so we can remember why we have families that remain tied to this place across generations, and to make sure our policies don’t interrupt that line.
