Shared Goal

Akron residents have greater access to safe, well-maintained, and affordable housing.

Outcome

More Housing for All

The Problem

Many Akron neighborhoods contain a mix of housing types.

On the same block, it is common to see single-family homes, duplexes, and small apartment buildings. Some larger homes have also been divided into multiple units over time.

However, current zoning rules in much of Akron allow only one housing unit per lot. This is often called single-family zoning.

Because of this rule, some housing types that already exist in Akron neighborhoods—such as duplexes or small multi-unit buildings—are difficult to build or create by converting existing homes today.

In other words, a block that already contains a mix of single-family homes and duplexes may not allow a new duplex to be built there today under current zoning rules.

A homeowner who wants to convert a large house into two units or build a small additional home on their property may need special permission from the city.

This process, called applying for a variance, can take time and may require public hearings and additional fees for property owners.

Because of these requirements, many housing projects never move forward.

One idea for addressing this issue is to update zoning rules to allow a mix of housing types and uses in the same neighborhood. 

This proposal focuses on updating zoning rules to this kind of approach–also known as “form-based code.” 

The Community Proposal

This proposal would update Akron's zoning rules using an approach called form-based code. Unlike traditional zoning, which separates different uses into different areas, form-based code focuses on allowing a mix of housing types and uses in the same neighborhood. 

It could also prioritize walkable neighborhoods, with buildings that have a clear relationship to the street, visible front doors, and parking tucked away rather than out front. 

For example, a homeowner might convert a large house into two homes, build a small backyard cottage for a family member, or construct a small multi-unit building that is similar in height and size to nearby homes.

New homes would still need to follow rules about building height, size, and placement so they fit the surrounding block.

Zoning systems that focus on how buildings look and fit into a neighborhood are called form-based codes. Under this proposal, Akron could expand the use of form-based zoning across more parts of the city.

The proposal would also review zoning rules that currently allow only one housing unit per lot.

Those rules could be updated so certain housing types—such as duplexes, townhomes, small apartment buildings, or smaller secondary homes built on the same property as a primary house—are allowed in more neighborhoods.

These smaller secondary homes are called accessory dwelling units, often shortened to ADUs. Examples include backyard cottages, garage apartments, or in-law suites.

This proposal would not eliminate zoning rules. Instead, it would change what types of homes are allowed while still setting clear standards for building height, size, and placement.

Possible Approaches

If Akron updated its zoning system, local officials would decide how the new rules operate. Possible approaches could include:

Allowing more housing types without special approval
Duplexes, triplexes, or small apartment buildings could be allowed in more neighborhoods without requiring special approvals.

Expanding form-based zoning areas
The city could gradually expand zoning rules that focus on building design and neighborhood fit rather than on what the land can be used for (residential, commercial, etc.) 

Allowing accessory dwelling units
Homeowners could be allowed to add smaller secondary homes on their property, such as backyard cottages or in-law suites.

Updating lot and building standards
Rules about lot size, building height, or setbacks could be adjusted so that common housing types are easier to build.

The specific approaches would be determined later if the proposal moves forward.

Benefits & Tradeoffs

Every proposal involves possible benefits and tradeoffs. The points below highlight several that Delegates may want to consider.

Possible Benefits

More housing choices in more neighborhoods
Form-based code could create more housing options for renters, first-time buyers, seniors, and smaller households.

Easier development of smaller housing projects
Allowing common housing types without special approval may reduce the need for variances and make it easier for homeowners and small builders to add housing. What used to take pages of complicated rules could be replaced with a few clear standards and a diagram.

Improved accessibility and walkability
Form-based code could make it easier to build housing near high-frequency bus lines and to add apartments and mixed-use buildings in business districts.

Possible Tradeoffs

Zoning changes may not produce new housing on their own
Updating zoning rules doesn't automatically create more housing. If construction costs or financing don't work out, projects still won't get built.

Concerns about neighborhood character or infrastructure
Some residents may worry about increased density, parking demand, or impacts on services such as schools, roads, or utilities.

Time and expense
Zoning changes don't happen in a vacuum or overnight. The city needs residents at the table. Bringing people into the process, alongside the technical work, takes a lot of time and money.

View the Sources

Updates from Delegates after their first deliberation

Additional Benefits: What Delegates Added

Here are additional benefits Delegates saw in the proposal

• Housing for multiple generations. In-law suites and the option to house elderly parents or adult children with disabilities on the same property would directly improve life for Akron families.

• Older large homes are already good for multiple units. Many older Akron homes were built large enough to be split into multiple units. Current zoning rules block this, even though the buildings are well-suited for it.

• Homeowners should control their own property. Being able to make decisions about your own home — without going through a long approval process — is valuable on its own, separate from any housing supply benefit.

• More tax revenue for the city. Additional housing units increase property values, which means more tax money coming into the city.

• More economic variety in neighborhoods. Mixed housing types could bring in residents with a wider range of incomes. Mixed-use buildings could also help small businesses grow.

• Housing that supports the community. This proposal could support structured housing programs that help reduce homelessness, lower re-offense rates, and cut costs for public services.

Additional Trade-Offs: What Delegates Added

Here are additional trade-offs Delegates saw in the proposal

• Big outside investors could take over. Looser zoning rules might allow large companies from outside Akron to buy up properties and pack in as many units as possible for profit, hurting neighborhood quality.

• Short-term rentals like Airbnb could undermine the goal. New units built under relaxed rules might end up as vacation rentals instead of long-term homes, which would defeat the purpose.

• Fewer owner-occupied homes. If landlords can make more money by adding units, more homes could shift from owner-occupied to absentee-landlord owned.

• Fire safety and emergency concerns. More buildings built closer together could make fires spread faster and make it harder for emergency crews to respond.

• Gentrification. Loosening zoning in some neighborhoods could bring in development that raises costs and pushes out the people who already live there.

• Property values could drop. Adding denser or mixed housing to currently single-family areas could lower home values for existing residents.

• Unclear power in the long-term. It's not clear who decides what gets built, where, and over time, or what options residents have if they object to a specific project.
  

Delegate Guidance

Here’s a summary of the guidance ideas from Delegates

• Explain form-based zoning in plain language. Before going further, clearly explain what form-based zoning is and how it differs from current rules. Show which neighborhoods would change, what would change, who would be in charge, and how decisions would be made. Look at cities that have already tried this and share what happened before Akron commits.

• Treat owner-occupants differently from absentee landlords. Offer financial rewards specifically for owners who live on the property and add a unit. Create different levels of rules and oversight for owners who live there, landlords who live nearby, and landlords who live far away or own many properties.

• Limit large outside investors. Restrict big out-of-town investment companies from buying up properties just to maximize units for profit.

• Start changes in the right places. Focus new zoning rules on underdeveloped areas, business districts, and areas near frequent bus routes, not on established single-family neighborhoods where resistance will be high and change will be slow.

• Treat small and large apartment buildings differently. Draw a clear line between small multi-unit buildings that fit the scale of a neighborhood (roughly 2–12 units) and large apartment complexes, so the reform doesn't accidentally allow dense development that doesn't fit the surrounding area.

• Give neighborhoods a voice. Create local oversight groups — like neighborhood development committees — so residents have a real say in what gets built near them, since the current variance hearing process may go away.

• Address short-term rentals directly. Make sure new units created under relaxed zoning are used for long-term housing, not vacation rentals. Consider requiring that in-law suites and similar units only be allowed on owner-occupied properties.

• Make it easier to build creative housing types. Create clear, simple pathways for tiny home communities and cottage-style housing. Consider a temporary or pilot zoning category just for tiny home communities. Let homeowners add secondary structures — like garage apartments or in-law suites — without needing special approval.

• Connect this to related issues. Address vacant homes and empty lots at the same time. Work with groups like Habitat for Humanity to make sure zoning flexibility leads to homes people can actually buy and afford. Consider step-by-step housing models — paths that move people from shared or supported housing into their own permanent home within the same community.

• Be open and clear throughout. Residents should always know what's changing, where, who's in charge, and how they can be involved.