The Washtenaw County Office of Community and Economic Development (OCED) has released its 2025 Annual Report, highlighting programs that provided housing assistance, nutrition services, financial counseling and other support to thousands of county residents throughout the year.
Among the report’s most notable accomplishments, the Washtenaw County Continuum of Care served 2,408 people experiencing homelessness and permanently housed 596 individuals, making 2025 the third-best year on record for permanent housing placements. The county’s Housing Access for Washtenaw County call center also handled 33,118 calls, with 82% answered within five minutes.
OCED’s Barrier Busters emergency assistance program distributed $1.29 million to 876 households, with 57% of the funding helping residents remain housed.
The county also expanded services for older adults. Through its Meals on Wheels network, 935 seniors received 283,667 home-delivered meals, while 978 seniors participated in congregate Senior Cafe meal programs that served 27,180 meals. All hot meals in both programs are now prepared by local Washtenaw County caterers.
Housing improvement programs continued to grow, completing 142 weatherization projects and 48 home rehabilitation projects, nearly a 20% increase over 2024. Meanwhile, the Financial Empowerment Center served 217 clients through 453 counseling sessions, helping residents reduce combined debt by $312,683 — a 212% increase from the previous year.
The Foster Grandparent Program, which connects older volunteers with children in schools and community programs, included 61 volunteers who contributed nearly 40,000 hours of service. State lawmakers recognized Hazel Sanders (94), who has volunteered with the program for 20 years, serving more than 20,000 hours and supporting 65 children directly while acting as a classroom grandmother to more than 450 students.
“OCED is Washtenaw County’s Community Action Agency (CAA). During 2025’s federal funding cut concerns, CAAs became the last line of defense for low-income residents,” OCED Director Toni Kayumi said in a statement. “When funding is scarce, efficiency is mandatory, and CAAs specialize in holistic, one-stop care that maximizes the impact of every dollar.”
Overall, OCED managed a budget of $32.45 million in 2025 and distributed more than $4 million to local agencies to support community programs and services across Washtenaw County.
Featured photo: Children participate in a community activity at a Washtenaw County event. The Washtenaw County Office of Community and Economic Development highlighted community outreach, housing assistance, senior services and economic support programs in its 2025 Annual Report. Photo courtesy of Washtenaw County Office of Community and Economic Development/Washtenaw.org
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