051126 ~ Ward 1 Ann Arbor City Council Candidate - Rebecca Arends

Rebecca Ahrens, a social worker and long-time Ann Arbor resident, is running for Ward 1 City Council on a radical platform: refusing all donor funding and campaigning entirely through door-to-door outreach. She argues that Ann Arbor’s current leadership has become disconnected from residents, with unchecked growth, unresponsive government, and misallocated funds—particularly in sustainability projects—eroding trust. Her campaign, built on transparency and community listening, emphasizes that residents are the true experts in their own lives and deserve to be heard. She criticizes the city’s focus on profit-driven development, rising property taxes, and bureaucratic inertia, while championing co-housing, environmental stewardship, and fiscal responsibility. With a personal commitment to low-waste campaigning and a deep connection to her neighborhood, Ahrens positions herself as a candidate who walks the talk—proving that grassroots democracy is still possible in a high-stakes political environment.