AKRON, Ohio — The City of Akron is taking a new approach to examine housing challenges and find solutions through its first civic assembly.
In Akron's Middlebury neighborhood, there are about 2,600 homes, but absentee landlords or third-party investment portfolios own 75% of those.
Zac Kohl runs The Well Community Development Corporation, which aims to restore housing in the Middlebury neighborhood.
"I think, in general, we're losing the housing battle when it comes to localized ownership," Kohl said.
Kohl wants a lot more than 25% of homes to be owned by Akron residents.
"The way we can really talk about that is what that means is 75% of the return on investment is realized in somebody else's neighborhood, not ours," Kohl said.
For years, there have been housing concerns in Akron, including how to increase housing stock, reduce evictions and make homes in the city more affordable.
Dominique Waters with the Akron Sneaker Academy said these worries also extend to children in the community.
"If a person doesn't know where they're sleeping that night, if they have to move three times in a school year, if home doesn't feel safe or stable, it affects everything," Waters said.
To help address the city's housing challenges, the city announced Tuesday its first civic assembly, composed of 65 residents.
The civic assembly, created through Unify Akron, will be forming over the next few months, and any adult who lives in Akron can apply.
Residents from all over the city will be selected, and each will be paid $1,000 for their work.
"This is a tool that's used across the globe to do public problem-solving to bring the community together to really tackle a public issue," Morgan Lasher with Unify Akron said.
The deadline to apply for the civic assembly is Feb. 16, and names will be pulled by lottery on Feb. 24. The group will meet for 50 hours over nine days between March 14 and May 14. Members will present their findings on May 21.
Akron's Mayor Shammas Malik signed a Memorandum of Understanding to show his commitment to the civic assembly.
"By the fall of 2026, we will respond either accepting, partially accepting or rejecting each assembly recommendation at the fall 2026 event," Malik said.
He also said the city will provide housing updates every six months for the next two years.
Unify Akron leaders expect this project to make a big difference for the city.
"This is not a report that sits on a shelf and collects dust. This is about action," Lasher said.
