AKRON, Ohio — After recent violence in Akron’s Highland Square, property and business owners are trying to save the neighborhood with a new plan that just took a major step forward.
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“(It) really has taken a community effort to step up and band together,” said Mustard Seed Market & Café owner Abraham Nabors.
For months, Nabors has been working to create a Special Improvement District (SID) to add more lighting, surveillance cameras and security in Akron’s Highland Square, following our reports of multiple violent and concerning incidents.
“Post pandemic, there’s been an increase in violence and crime, which has been very concerning,” said Nabors.
Now, Councilperson Fran Wilson said the plan is taking a major step forward.
On Monday, the Akron City Council recently approved the neighborhood’s petition to establish a $100,000 annual assessment.
Wilson said some property owners along West Market Street’s business district would pay the assessment over the next three years, along with their regular property taxes.
Wilson also says property owners’ assessments will be based on the amount of frontage their property has along the district.
“It is a privilege and an honor for us to be able to really finally cross the finish line of a decades long project to get a special assessment in place,” said Wilson.
While the majority of property owners support Highland Square’s SID, Nabors said a few property owners couldn’t sign the petition but still support the effort.
“There’s been property owners that have been negative on wanting to pay an additional tax for any reason, which I understand. Costs are going up in a lot of different areas right now, but my very simple argument is that what I call the unsafe tax dwarfs a SID tax,” said Nabors.
“We have to show that this level of investment is worth it,” said Wilson.
Nabors says they’ve already started making changes thanks to the SID. But with the additional funding, he and Wilson hope to make more improvements, including some beautification projects.
“We want to make sure that every single penny is used well and not wasted, and that everything brings positive value to the district and the property,” said Wilson.
