Sound Off!

Parts of Jakarta are sinking, largely because too much groundwater has been pumped out, and flooding keeps getting worse. Residents need reliable piped water and flood protection

Some deep Tube lines get unbearably hot in summer because the tunnels are too old and narrow for standard air conditioning. It's miserable for commuters and dangerous for older riders. There's room for new cooling ideas.

Many downtown office buildings have sat half-empty since the pandemic. Chicago has started converting some into apartments. Businesses that design, finance or manage these conversions could help revive downtowns everywhere.

When I visited Ne York, I was shocked! Scaffolding everywhere. Turns out, the scaffolding over sidewalks stays up for years. They block light, the natural sky view, just look ugly, and even hurt the small businesses under them. Why is this happening, isn't there a better solution??

Detroit has LITERALLY thousands of vacant lots. Local businesses could turn more of them into pocket parks, urban farms, pop-up markets or pollinator gardens that neighbors take care of. (Like Eastern Market, but we should replicate this more!! I think this provides something fun to do for families, friends, couples to do in the weekend that is not just going to eat at a restaurant)

Heavy rains keep backing up into basements and ruining homes. Affordable fixes like backflow valves, rain gardens and better storm alerts could save residents thousands.

Many residents rely on corner stores or drive far for fresh food. I wish there were more small-format grocers, co-ops or mobile markets in the neighborhoods.

Since Michigan Central Station reopened in 2024, more people are coming to the area. That's a real opening for local cafés, shops and services owned by longtime residents, not just outside chains.

It costs WAY TOO MUCH to pay Ann Arbor parking ticket online. No option is given for payment from checking account or Venmo, etc. Only option is to pay by credit card, with $3.62 fee to pay a $25.00 ticket!!! That's 14.5% of the parking fine amount. I'd rather send a check and mail for the cost of a stamp. Must cost the city much more to receive a check, process it, and deposit in the bank. This seems DUMB. The only winner is the payment processing company that gets 14.5% revenue - and for what?!

Since the decline of General Motors manufacturing in the city, the housing stock in Flint has really declined.

I wish the furniture left behind by students graduating from Ann Arbour could be reused more efficiently. Sometimes I still notice furniture being wasted even though we have Facebook Marketplace and other social media platforms to make deals.

The entire world seems to be modernizing digitally... yet strip malls in major cities across America remain bland, boring and aesthetically just unappealing. Every road I turn into has the same drab-looking strip mall facade. I wish new owners put some effort into the design of these locations because they do in fact have amenities that people visit every day! In places like Singapore, and Shanghai the same kind of residential 'stores' look interesting, engaging, colorful and inviting. They add a brightness to the environment.
Why are strip malls here so grey and low-effort?
It's time to be different and fun!

Living in Michigan, it's frustrating to see the roads breaking up and needing major construction every summer. Not only are the potholes terrible for cars but the construction each summer adds so much travel time for me (and many others). On the highway, at least one or 2 lanes are closed throughout the summer... what's the point of the lanes at that point? An innovative material for roads that can expand and contract with the weather (without breaking) would be amazing, perhaps even more cost-effective than construction every year.

Michigan ranks 44th in the United States for 4th grade reading proficiency with roughly 37% to 40% of fourth graders reading at grade level. This statistic is based upon the National Assessment of Education Progress data. Community based programs like Brilliant Cities/Brilliant Detroit are working to ensure kids meet developmental standards including kindergarten readiness and 3rd grade reading proficiency. Brilliant Cities is having their annual fundraiser September 24,2026.

The Daxton hotel here in my hometown has a nice feature that they do in the summer months. On the side of the building, they have an ice cream concession from Thursday thru Saturday nights. This really adds a festive atmosphere to the downtown area, and the ice cream is excellent. The tables and chairs positioned near the building make this a nice spot for folks to gather and relax. Really cool idea in an unexpected place.

4 billion individuals are experiencing financial exclusion and being unbanked or underbanked. That is a shame.

The cost of rental housing in Ann Arbor is substantially higher (16% above the Michigan average and 4-11% above the national average) than regional and national benchmarks, creating significant affordability challenges for current and prospective residents, potentially impacting the city's socioeconomic diversity, workforce attraction, and overall community well-being.