AKRON, Ohio — On Thursday, Akron’s Civic Assembly on Housing presented nine recommendations to Akron Mayor Shammas Malik, city council and the community in hopes of addressing the city’s housing challenges.
Now, Jasina Chapman said it’s up to Akron leaders to put in the work.
“I am excited for the work we’ve done. I’m more excited for what comes,” said Chapman. “If nothing that we have proposed gets passed into legislation, the reality is that 65 delegates and (more than) 300 super delegates had the opportunity to take part in a process where they otherwise would not have been invited.”
Back in February, Chapman was randomly selected to join Unify Akron’s first Civic Assembly, which we originally told you about in January.
“It was a large ask,” said Chapman.
RELATED: 65 Akron residents to begin process of tackling city's housing challenges
For the last 10 weeks, Chapman has been working as one of 65 delegates on an opportunity she said was worthwhile.
“We were people at a table, breaking bread, enjoying the human experience in a space where your human thoughts were welcomed,” said Chapman.
During the assembly’s presentation at The Well CDC in Akron, delegates presented their Plan of the People.
Some of the delegates' most favorable ideas include updating Akron’s zoning rules so that a small community of tiny homes designed for supportive housing could be built in the city.
Other top proposals encourage Akron leaders to create a housing docket to track cases and disputes in court, and to update Akron’s zoning rules using an approach called form-based code.
Chief of US Democracy Leagues for Unify America, Morgan Lasher, said the remaining six recommendations received more than two-thirds support from all 65 delegates, with overall endorsement reaching 93%.
“It’s time now to get hands-on, so we’re working together with government and people (residents) to form working groups across all of those different recommendations to move them forward,” said Lasher.
Lasher said the mayor’s administration and city council will give a public report on those recommendations every six months.
“Every single one of the things in this plan will be debated, discussed and will get dialogue both with administration, council and this whole community,” said Malik.
Chapman is hopeful Unify Akron will have another opportunity for community engagement.
