Impact after Akron’s

Civic Assembly

From March to May 2026, a group of randomly selected, representative residents came together to work on one shared issue: housing. Delegates to the Civic Assembly learned about housing in Akron, listened to each other's different points of view, and deliberated on possible solutions. Together, they created practical guidance and nine recommendations for the future of housing in Akron.

Now what? Join the community progress report on November 12, 2026, to learn about how the nine recommendations are moving forward and creating impact.

RSVP for NOV 12
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Community Updates

Updates
EXPLAINER — Criminal History as a Protected Class: Ballot Language and Delegate Guidance
EXPLAINER — Criminal History as a Protected Class: Ballot Language and Delegate Guidance

Unify Akron’s Civic Assembly on housing and Freedom BLOC’s resident-led petition for a charter amendment both include criminal history as a protected class. Here’s some more detail on the guidance from the Assembly Delegates.

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Inside the Civic Assembly on Housing
Inside the Civic Assembly on Housing

Inside the Civic Assembly on Housing, brought together Delegates and facilitators one-month after the Assembly concluded for a frank discussion. It’s a reunion, a reflection, and a look ahead at what's next.

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What Democracy Looks Like From the Inside
What Democracy Looks Like From the Inside

It's a Saturday morning in Akron. You're in a room with 64 strangers, and seated at a table with 5 of them. The person next to you grew up in a different neighborhood, votes differently, and has experiences with housing that are nothing like yours. For the next several hours, together, your small group will try to figure out something genuinely hard.

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What is a
Civic Assembly?

A Civic Assembly brings together a representative group of residents, selected by lottery, to work through a shared challenge. Think of it as a way of tackling big problems by bringing together the People, Process, and Power to make change happen.

Learn more

Delegates to Akron’s 2026 Civic Assembly on Housing

Help build the future of Akron

Participants at a two-day training on Civic Assemblies in Akron, OH in partnership with the Federation for Innovation in Democracy

Akron’s first Civic Assembly is Chapter One. But Unify Akron is just beginning.

  • Join community events to learn from and connect with your neighbors

  • Share ideas for the next Civic Assembly

  • Bring a deliberative event to your organization or block

Join the Nov 12 Update

  • "We have to rebuild our public sphere, but it can't look like what it looked like before. It has to be deliberative."

    — Dr. J. Cherie Strachan

  • "If we can't figure out how to build healthy people that have healthy conversations to solve our city's problems, then what are we doing?"

    — Zac Kohl

  • "We have to get people to the table who have never been asked, whose voices are never heard except within their circles."

    — Rev. Robert DeJournett

  • "I have sat on millions of committees and we have all these vibrant conversations, and then it just disappears. Dialogue is great, but action is even better."

    — Dreama Whitfield

  • "Civic Assemblies are a way to make sure that we hear voices that we don't normally hear. It's a microphone."

    — Lucas Blower

  • "Opportunities like this bring people together from various perspectives and backgrounds and give them an opportunity to be a part of the solution."

    — Carla L. Chapman

  • "With Civic Assemblies, people feel empowered, they feel excited, they want to put in the time and the work. I don't see anything else that has that potential."

    — Dr. Stan Rittgers

  • "How do we rally around the things that we have in common? We have the secret sauce. We just have to work together."

    — Dominique Waters

Find your place at the table

Imagine an Akron where everyone has a chance to collaborate on solving our toughest issues. That’s the vision of Unify Akron. Join this cross-partisan team of residents and leaders from across the city.

Need help with housing now?

Download a Housing Resources Guide