June 13 Akron Planning Commission meeting
Covered by Documenter Gigi Fuhry (see her notes here)
The Akron Planning Commission’s Consolidated Action Plan lays out three game-changing goals for the city this decade:
-Provide decent housing for residents
-Provide a suitable living environment for all
-Expand economic opportunities
The 152-page plan, which primarily targets low- and very-low-income residents, includes numerous objectives and performance benchmarks. The planning commission on June 13 approved a draft of the 2025-2029 plan.
Next step? Monday’s public hearing — followed by a vote on Akron City Council.
Since Akron is what’s known as a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development “entitlement community,” the city must prepare both a five-year plan and a one-year plan annually.
Plans were prepared by Akron’s Planning and Urban Development Department — focusing on housing and community development programs that use federal Community Development Block Grants and funding through the HOME Investment Partnership Program and the Emergency Solutions Grant. Sixteen local organizations helped create the plan, according to city officials. These groups work in housing, social services, homelessness needs and neighborhood development, from United Way of Summit & Medina, Access, Inc., CANAPI and Community Legal Aid Services to Fair Housing Contact Service and The Well Community Development Corp.
Federal funding levels remain unclear, but city officials have outlined the following amounts for each program in the pending legislation:
- CDBG – $5.83 million
- HOME – $1.49 million
- ESG – $514,317
Community feedback focuses on housing issues
The plan lists specific public comments that were gathered at meetings in the city’s 10 wards in the second half of 2024.
A meeting was also held on May 29 at the Reach Opportunity Center in Summit Lake, where about 40 residents attended.
Comments collected include:
- The need for more affordable housing and for rental assistance
- Concerns over increasing homelessness
- A need to crack down on slum landlords
- Stricter code enforcement
- Tenants’ rights
- The problem of lending in areas with low housing values
There was also discussion about:
- Tiny homes
- Evictions
- Victim services
- Senior assistance
- Mental health counseling
- Assistance with online services
- Transportation
- Efficient use of funds
- Maximizing leverage
- Emergency repair assistance for extremely low-income homeowners
- The value of rehabilitation as opposed to demolition
- How increasing costs hamper rehabilitation efforts
Multiple groups contribute to Akron housing plan
The CAP listed priority needs, outlining more specific action items the city will take to address these issues. Action items include focusing on new builds on city-owned lots in the Summit Lake, Middlebury, North Hill, West Akron and Sherbondy Hill neighborhoods, and continuing to work with the Summit County Continuum of Care to assist people experiencing homelessness.
Many attendees at the June planning commission meeting spoke in favor of the plan, particularly in regards to using funds to support housing for the community and for those experiencing homelessness.
Suggested Reading
What’s up next, when and how to get involved
Akron City Council will discuss the legislation at 1 p.m. Monday (July 14) at the Planning and Economic Development Committee meeting and later that day at 5 p.m. council will hold a public hearing before voting on the legislation at the 6:30 p.m. full council meeting. Officials will hold all meetings in City Council chambers on the third floor of the Akron Municipal Building, 166 S. High St.
Residents may attend in person or remotely via the council’s YouTube channel. To participate in the 5 p.m. public hearing remotely, email sbiviano@akronohio.gov no later than 4 p.m. July 11. Include an email address and phone number. Learn more here about how to speak at the full council meeting.