Who We Are

Board Members

Crowd at the Art FairTwelve volunteer board members serve on the DDA. State statute sets forward that these positions shall be filled as follows:

  • 1 seat for the Mayor or City Administrator
  • 1 seat for a resident of the DDA District
  • 7 seats for downtown property owners, downtown employees or individuals with an interest in downtown real estate
  • 3 seats for citizens-at-large.

Current members are: Gary Boren, Russ Collins, Dave DeVarti, Rene Greff, Leah Gunn, Jennifer Hall, Roger Hewitt, John Hieftje, Joan Lowenstein, John Mouat, Sandi Smith, and John Splitt. Read more information about board members (pdf)

 

Board Meetings

The DDA typically holds its meetings on the first Wednesday of every month at noon at the DDA Office, 150 S. Fifth Avenue, Suite 301, Ann Arbor 48104, although generally no meeting is held in August. Members of the public are welcome to attend, and time is set aside at the beginning and end of each monthly meeting for public comment.

Resolution 1 (pdf), Resolution 2 (pdf), and Resolution 3 (pdf)

Committees

The DDA members undertake projects through committees, which set forward yearly work plans at an annual retreat in October. Current committees and areas of interest are as follows:

  • Operations (budget, finance, parking operations)
  • Capital Improvements (construction of pedestrian improvements, new parking facilities, sidewalk and downtown park repairs, wayfinding)
  • Partnerships (public/private projects, affordable housing grants, historic facade loans)
  • Research and Opportunities (downtown benchmarking, downtown studies and plans, grants)
 

Committee Meetings

  • Operations - July 23rd, 11am
  • Capital Improvements - July 9th, 10:30am
  • Partnerships - July 23rd, 9:00am
  • Research and Opportunities - July 9th, 9am
 

DDA Staff

The DDA works with a small, energetic, and talented staff comprised of:

DDA Annual Budget

Agenda & Minutes

Quote

“The American city should be a collection of communities where every member has a right to belong. It should be a place where every man feels safe on his streets and in the house of his friends. It should be a place where each individual's dignity and self-respect is strengthened by the respect and affection of his neighbors. It should be a place where each of us can find the satisfaction and warmth which comes from being a member of the community of man. This is what man sought at the dawn of civilization. It is what we seek today.”

Lyndon B. Johnson