A blog from the Ypsilanti real estate agency Hinton Real Estate Group aims to raise awareness of the city and Ypsilanti Township's history and current events. Hinton Real Estate Group owner Candye Hinton started the "Live ‘n Ypsi" blog about four years ago with the hopes of showing both current residents and visitors that "good things happen here."

"So much goes on in Ypsi that people don’t know about," Hinton says. "It’s so good to be here, so I just wanted to get that out."

Hinton, originally from California, moved to Ypsi after her daughter opened a real estate office in town. She says she started polling locals on what "great things" they feel happen in Ypsi. 

"I’ve learned a lot," she says. "People come and tell me about new things in Ypsi. It’s a very loving community."

Hinton says the Live ‘n Ypsi initiative is intended not just to inform folks on the rich history and exciting things happening in the area, but is also an effort to help folks decide to find and make their homes here. 

"There are so many transient people in other cities, but in Ypsi people come to stay," she says. "When someone comes talking about living here, the local people that live here get excited about more people living here and they send them here."

Hinton also hopes to introduce people to the possibility of home ownership. She mentions several programs at the local and state level, like home renovation grants and the Housing Choice Voucher Program, that can help bring new residents in or keep current residents in the city they grew up in.

"People sometimes get priced out, but we are making a collective purpose of trying to keep people here and bring more people in and create economic stability for everyone," she says. "We want to help people keep their properties up and get people involved to be homeowners in the city their parents grew up in in a different way."

To learn more about Live ‘n Ypsi, or catch up on past blog entries, visit www.teamhinton.com/liveinypsilanti. 

"We are so happy that people know Ypsi is here, and that good things happen here," Hinton says. "We plan on keeping it that way."

Rylee Barnsdale is a Michigan native and longtime Washtenaw County resident. She wants to use her journalistic experience from her time at Eastern Michigan University writing for the Eastern Echo to tell the stories of Washtenaw County residents that need to be heard.