Signal Akron’s Doug Brown talked with Alyssa Figueroa, whose nomination to Akron’s Housing Appeals Board was apparently rejected by members of City Council because she publicly advocated for abortion rights, criticized Akron police in the wake of Jayland Walker’s killing, and objected to the White Pond Drive development plan.
Alyssa Figueroa’s name was stricken from the resolution that would have appointed her to the board after a motion from Council Vice President Jeff Fusco at the Feb. 26 City Council meeting. The city’s Department of Neighborhood Assistance had nominated Figeuero for the role.
How did you become a nominee for the board in the first place? Did you reach out to someone in the city or did someone reach out to you?
My housing-related work in Akron kind of started in 2020 when I was working on my practicum for my master’s program in public health and my study focus was on eviction and housing equity in Akron.
Through that, I had come up with some suggestions for different policy-related measures that might be helpful to addressing our high eviction rate but also some of the other issues that we have with our housing stock here in Akron. I spoke in front of City Council about that, and I also spoke to the eviction task force as well. Through that, I got connected with other folks who work in housing here in the city.
I spent some time in ‘22 with then-councilman [Shammas] Malik. He had started a group that was focused on the housing code and trying to see if there were changes that could be made to it that would kind of bring it up to date as far as looking at it through a health lens, but also to make some things more enforceable. We discussed the needs of the housing division to be able to put this code into practice in a way that is improving peoples’ wellbeing but is also structured in such a way that it meets the needs of our housing market here in the city.
Through that, I worked really closely with [City Housing Administrator] Duane Groeger. We went over the housing code with a fine-tooth comb, we had a lot of back-and-forth about what’s feasible and what’s not. He’s such a great resource and has been here for so long working specifically in housing. We had come up with some policy suggestions through that and worked within that group.
He called me in December or January to ask if he could put my name forward for this position because he felt that I had a foundational level of knowledge about the housing market here in Akron but also, when we worked together in that group, he was impressed with my attention to detail, my willingness to go the extra mile while working on the housing code, which is not an exciting thing for most people – reading municipal code.
But he said that he felt my willingness to dive deep into that, my attention to detail, and also my ability and willingness to listen to the needs of multiple parties involved who may have competing interests at times, that I would be a good fit for the board.
What was it about this board that made you want to join it?
Specifically how he [Duane] described it to me, a lot of the work is focusing on looking at demolition orders or the possible enforcement of repairs and things like that. But to me, that really kind of keyed in on the housing safety component. I know we have a lot, and a long backlog, of vacant properties that create a huge safety issue for a lot of our residents. I also understand that we have a significant issue with inadequate amounts of and affordability of housing as well.
But to me, hopefully being able to maybe make a dent in some of the work of addressing some of those outstanding orders and also addressing some of those demolition orders specifically, getting some of those unsafe properties tended to. I thought it would be a way to help my community.
Your name was taken off that resolution at the Feb. 26 meeting. Did you have an idea that there was going to be an issue before then?
I did not. Quite frankly I was very surprised. I was at work that evening – I work at Summa, I’m a nurse – and my shift was just starting when I was getting all these messages about what was happening at the meeting. I do tune into City Council meetings pretty regularly but obviously can’t do that when I’m working. I was not aware there was going to be so much discussion, I guess, and that it was going to be an issue.
I’m assuming you watched later?
I reviewed some of it. I got a detailed summary from a good friend, but, yeah, I understand what happened.
And what was your reaction?
Surprise. I’ve always been a person – this is something very deep in my heart – I’ve always been a person where I try very hard to just be honest and forthcoming but also kind, respectful. I want to live true to myself. So when the concern about the videos of me speaking at public comment came up – at the meeting there wasn’t a whole lot of specifics, but I know there was an email.
To me, the purpose of public comment is for anyone to be able to speak whatever their truth is to council. I try to keep the issues pertinent, I have been attentive to the rules, I try to stay on time, I don’t feel like swearing at anybody or being obscene is going to be beneficial, but I also want to feel I can speak on an issue and just be honest about how I feel about something and, at times, have feelings about stuff. Quite frankly, it was just surprising that there was that much discussion about me. I was actually taken aback.
In Council Vice President Jeff Fusco’s email, there were videos from four times you spoke at City Council meetings in 2022. How many times would you say you’ve spoken during public comment?
Maybe one time more than that. I did speak about LaDue (the LaDue Reservoir) that was back in – oh gosh, when was that? – 2020 because it was on Zoom. To me, it’s probably most beneficial if I’m not there every single week picking something to be upset about. I try to exercise that right when I feel it’s necessary.
Otherwise, I’ve had times where I’ve just reached out to my councilman: “Hey, I have concerns about this thing, can we have a phone call?” Even sometimes knowing he’s not going to agree with what I have to say or what I’m asking of him, but being respectful talking to him, listening to his position, and coming away from a conversation understanding that just because we disagree it doesn’t mean that he’s a bad person or something, it’s just that we have different positions.
I think it’s important for us to be able to talk about that and have that conversation.
Fusco led the effort to strike your name from the resolution. Have you had any prior interactions with him outside of public comment?
The only time – and I’ve really been racking my brain about this – the only time I remember having an interaction with him outside of public comment was when I was a part of the housing group with Councilman Malik. Councilman Fusco had come to a meeting and I was the one presenting that day because I had policy suggestions that Duane and I had come up with. And if I remember correctly, I briefly spoke with him after the meeting. I think at the beginning of the meeting I thanked him for coming. That was about it.
Why do you think you were taken off the resolution?
I honestly don’t know. I understand that sometimes, like in the videos, I am a passionate person, I feel that I spoke passionately. But I don’t know. Whether here or the community I grew up in, when I was in college, I have spent most of my spare time being committed to my community, wanting to give back and really just trying to serve my community in the best way possible. That’s a thing that’s near and dear to my heart, that I feel is very important to me. So, I honestly don’t know.
Have you heard from anybody in the city, in the Malik administration, in City Council since that Feb. 26 meeting?
I have had some very good conversations with some folks from City Council. I’ve reached out and said, “I am an open book if you want to chat, I’m here to answer any questions, I will get together with you in person, we can talk on the phone.”
I recognize that everyone has busy schedules, but I’ve had some very good conversations with people from City Council who have kind of just wanted to get to know me better. That’s been an ongoing thing.
So what haven’t we talked about that is relevant? What should I have asked you?
I really wish that the work of the Housing Appeals Board hadn’t been hindered by this process. The conversation I had with Duane specifically about the backlog of work and the need of this board to really get up and functioning with enough members who are not necessarily – they don’t have to be experts in housing, they just have to be folks who pay attention to detail and listen and make difficult decisions that need to be made.
I think it’s important these decisions are made not just unilaterally by someone who’s in an administrative position in the government but are made by folks from the community. I wish the work could have started back up because I know that it’s been stalled, not just by this situation that happened with my name being removed and not having enough people on the board, but also there had just been some outstanding issues before with not having enough people as far as I know. He had been looking for more engaged folks and trying to get some fresh faces on this board. My main frustration is that the work of this board has been stalled because of this.
Do you think you will eventually wind up on the board or do you have the impression that this is over for you and the board?
I’m not sure if I will or not, that’s not up to me, that’s up to City Council and the way they end up voting. If my name is brought forth again, that’s not a decision I can make.
I’m just trying to talk to as many of them as possible, and I do appreciate the mayor and his defense of me, which is the only way I can put it, at that meeting. And I appreciate some of the other council people and the questions they had. I’m willing to talk to any of them, have those discussions, answer any questions that they may have.
I did also re-share my resume with one of them because she had some questions just about my background. And so I don’t know. I’m operating under the guise of it just being a holding pattern and I’m just trying to defend myself in a way and also just figure out what questions I can answer, what it is that I can do that might move the needle if possible. If not, and my name isn’t brought back forward, then at least I’ve made some connections with folks that I hadn’t met before.
