Housing Questions
Prepared for Unify Akron Delegates • March 2026
Investors & Absentee Landlords
Delegates asked: Who is buying up houses—big companies or regular people? Out-of-state or local? Why are homes under $100K all going to investors? Can the city stop it? What about the 34-day turnaround—are there backdoor deals? How can local landlords stay in the market?
Who’s buying, and why
Both local and out-of-state investors are buying more and more low-cost homes in Akron. Since early 2022, realtors say that almost every home listed under $100,000 was bought with cash by an investor. Many of those homes became rentals instead of starter homes for families.
In the weakest markets, only 14% of home sales used a mortgage. The other 86% were all-cash deals. A “notable portion” of Akron’s rentals are owned by people who live in Summit County and own fewer than a dozen homes. But we don’t have exact numbers on how many are big companies vs. small landlords, or out-of-state vs. local.
Can the city stop investor purchases?
No. Under current law, cities cannot block buyers based on where they live or whether they’re a company. Legal challenges in Ohio back this up. What cities can do is deal with the problems investors cause—like poor upkeep, rising rents, and housing instability—through code enforcement and legal action.
How does the city benefit when investors buy homes (taxes, improvements)?
The city receives the same small portion of property taxes from an investor purchase as it would from a homeowner purchase. Other benefits from investors will depend on the quality of the investor. Some will improve homes and sell them (aka flip them). Some will improve homes as rentals and provide higher-quality housing to tenants. Some will do minimal improvements.
What enforcement looks like: The Cincinnati example
Cincinnati found that one big investor, VineBrook, owned hundreds of homes through 16 different shell companies (called LLCs). Many of those homes had code violations and unpaid water bills. The city traced the connections, built a legal case, and sued VineBrook in 2021.
When VineBrook didn’t follow the settlement terms, the city sued again in 2023.. A 2024 deal set up stricter inspections. Legal aid groups also joined the case on behalf of tenants.
This took years of careful record-keeping and several full-time legal staff. No city has fully solved the problem of big investors buying up homes. At best, cities can limit the worst harm.
The 34-day turnaround
Homes in Akron now sell in about 34 days on average. Investors with cash can close a deal much faster than a buyer who needs a mortgage. This isn’t “backdoor dealing”—it’s just that cash is faster, and that gives investors a built-in edge.
Helping local and smaller landlords
Lakewood, Ohio runs a loan program that gives local landlords low-cost financing to fix up their rental homes. Akron’s tax break program offers property tax relief for new builds or major repairs, but smaller builders often didn't know what qualified. The city’s finance department offers some flexible loans, but the supply is limited. The regulatory burden on smaller landlords also needs to caliberated–institutional landlords have business offices that can do lots of paperwork and reporting; a mom-n-pop landlord that owns one small apartment building or two single family homes likely does not.
Can the city buy homes back from investors?
The Summit County Land Bank takes back abandoned and tax-delinquent homes and finds new uses for them. The City’s real estate department also manages and sells city-owned land.
In Cincinnati, the Port Authority borrowed $16.25 million to buy 194 homes from an investor and return them to community use. They paid back the loan with rent and home sales over 30 months.
Vacancy, Vacant Lots & Abandoned Properties
Delegates asked: How many vacant homes does Akron have? Where are they? What’s the difference between run-down properties and ones just sitting empty? How long do foreclosed homes sit vacant? Can we tear down blighted homes and build affordable ones? What about fixing them up instead?
How many, and where
About 10.3% of Akron’s housing units are empty, compared to 7.2% across Summit County. On average, 11% of land in each neighborhood is vacant, but in some areas it’s as high as 25%. Only 5.6% of homes have been built since 2000.
Empty homes cluster in the city’s weakest housing markets—East Akron, Summit Lake, Middlebury, and parts of West Akron. In those areas, 23–25% of parcels sit vacant.
Run-down vs. sitting empty
Between 2017 and 2022, the city tore down many run-down homes. Many vacant lots are now well-kept and could be chances for new building, not just signs of trouble. We don’t have exact numbers on how many empty homes are truly blighted vs. empty for other reasons.
Why foreclosed homes sit so long
The process is slow and complicated. A house might have unpaid taxes but not yet be eligible for the county to take over. The county may be trying to find the owner. A bank may be trying to find a buyer of a mortgage foreclosed home. The foreclosure process itself takes over a year under state law. And owners can pay off their debt at the last minute.
A 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling (Tyler v. Hennepin County) has made things even slower. It cut back on how easily counties can take over properties for unpaid taxes. This has hurt land banks across Ohio, which are the entities that can most easily intercede on vacant properties.
Buying a vacant lot
The Summit County Land Bank takes back abandoned and tax-delinquent properties, clears ownership issues, tears down unsafe buildings, and sells lots. The City’s real estate department also sells city-owned land. Both entities have guidelines for how they can sell lots to private purchasers .
Tear down or fix up? The costs
Tearing down a house costs $10,000–$30,000. Fixing up a run-down home to make it livable can cost $200,000 or more. When money is tight, teardowns have been the main approach. Fixing up a home also takes more staff time and skill than a teardown.
Land banks are finding it harder to get homes in the “sweet spot”—ones they can get, afford, and that aren’t too far gone. Investors are pushing up prices, and the Supreme Court ruling has cut the supply of available homes.
On the bright side, some deeply troubled areas have gotten better after blighted homes were removed. Home values went up $20,000–$40,000 in some of those places, which should help homeowners in the area better qualify for home equity loans to pay for repairs .
How repair-vs.-teardown decisions get made
The owner of an abandoned property–often the county land bank or the city–must weigh the costs of repair vs teardown and the likely sales price they may get if a house is reserved for repairs. The best way to prevent teardowns is to pick a target area where saving homes is the top goal, so money and partners can line up around that area.
“Zombie properties” owned by people who have died
About 6% of Akron’s roughly 2,000 active housing cases belong to owners who have died. There’s no living person to hold responsible. Some Ohio counties deal with this by asking a court to name a “receiver”—someone who takes over the property, makes repairs, and places a lien on the home to cover costs. Springfield, OH piloted its “receivership program” by focusing on homes of deceased owners and have found the receiver model does return properties to use.
To prevent ‘Zombie properties’, some nonprofits run campaigns to teach homeowners about “transfer-on-death” forms. In Akron, this form is filed with the Recorder Division of the Summit County Fiscal Office. Nonprofits in Cincinnati and Cleveland run programs, called the heirs properties initiative, that help families deal with inherited property and get legal support.
Rent, Affordability & Cost Burden
Delegates asked: Why are rents going up so fast? Can we have rent control? Who’s spending too much of their income on rent? How do we slow down investor-driven price hikes?
Why rents are rising
The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment has gone up 40% in six years—from $868 to $1,218 a month. Several things are driving this: home values across the city are up about 75% since 2017, which is impacting property tax and insurance costs. Investors are buying cheaper homes and turning them into rentals and renting in market with limited supply. And rents and sale prices are growing faster than wages.
Can Akron set limits on rent?
No. Ohio state law (ORC 5321.19) blocks cities from putting caps on rent or rent increases. There is no legal way for Akron to directly limit what landlords charge.
Who’s paying too much for housing?
Experts say you’re “cost-burdened” if you spend 30% or more of your income on rent. In Akron’s strongest markets, 28% of renters hit that mark. In the most stressed areas, it’s 62%. Markets with lots of subsidized housing show lower burden rates—around 41–42%—which suggests subsidies are making a real difference there.
Slowing investor-driven price hikes
Cities can’t block investor purchases, but they can enforce building health and safety codes, trace who really owns properties hidden behind shell companies, and build legal cases against bad actors. Helping more regular buyers get mortgages could also level the playing field. Cincinnati’s Port Authority bond model shows another way to bring investor-owned homes back into community hands. In Columbus, one group hands out flyers warning about the risks of selling to cash-offer investors.
Why doesn’t homeowners insurance cover what it should?
Homeowners insurance specifies eligible activities/situations that it covers. It typically covers “acts of god” and not neglect.
Standard covered losses: A standard homeowners insurance policy typically covers a range of losses, including damage caused by weather events such as tornadoes, windstorms, hail, lightning, and fire. It also provides protection against burglary and theft. In addition, the policy generally includes liability coverage for injuries that occur to others both inside the home and on the insured property, such as falls or pet-related incidents.
Excluded losses: Standard homeowners insurance policies typically do not cover losses from floods, earthquakes, or damage caused by termites and other pests. Coverage also generally excludes theft or damage to boats and vehicles, as well as injury or theft involving pets. Injuries sustained by the policyholder or family members within the home, along with intentional damage caused by the policyholder or household members, are also not covered.
Understanding Home Insurance – Ohio Department of Insurance
Homeownership Access & Barriers
Delegates asked: Why are houses selling over asking price? How can people with credit problems buy homes? What about younger people being priced out? Could tiny homes or shared housing help? Can homeownership classes be taught in schools?
Why regular buyers can’t compete
In the weakest markets, 86% of home sales are all-cash deals. Even in middle markets, only 44% of sales used a mortgage. Investors with cash can close fast and skip the delays that come with a loan. That puts regular buyers who use mortgages to purchase homes at a real disadvantage.
Black borrowers also face higher loan denial rates—11% compared to 6% for white borrowers—across all market types.
Help with down payments and getting ready to buy
Several banks in the Akron area offer down payment help, including Huntington National Bank. Nonprofits have run homebuyer readiness classes, but many of these have been cut back due to funding.
Other cities offer more: Hamilton gives grants to recent graduates who buy in certain areas; employers in Syracuse offer downpayment assistance to employees who chose to buy a home near their workplace. .
Tiny homes, small lots, and the size mismatch
Akron’s zoning currently says lots need 50 feet of road frontage to build on. But over 21,000 homes already sit on smaller lots, and over 6,000 empty lots could be built on if the rule were changed to 25–45 feet. In 2023, the city did cut parking requirements for apartments to one space per unit.
There’s also a mismatch between homes and households. Average household size is shrinking—down to 2.21 people. Nearly 39% of households are just one person. But 72% of homes have 2–3 bedrooms, and almost 15% have 4 or more. Varied housing types—like smaller homes or shared housing—could help close this gap. The city’s zoning pilots in two neighborhoods can make these options easier to build.
Homeownership education
Nonprofits in Akron have run homebuyer classes, but many have been scaled back. With funding, educators could be available in schools, community centers, and other locations. Many state and federal homebuying assistance programs require prospective homeowners to participate in certified homeownership classes, which is why a trained educator is needed. .
Home Repair, Maintenance & Code Enforcement
Delegates asked: What help exists for home repairs? What about middle-income homeowners? How are code problems reported and enforced? How do we hold landlords and homeowners responsible? Is lead testing available? What about the shortage of contractors?
Current repair programs
The Akron Home Repair Program (funded by federal ARPA dollars) gave grants of up to $25,000 to low-income and senior homeowners. Those funds have been exhausted. Limited local dollars are available for emergency repairs for vulnerable populations. There are never enough dollars available for the scale of need.
The gap for middle-income homeowners
There is no city program aimed at middle-income homeowners. Current help targets low-income residents. On top of that, 16% of home repair loan requests in Summit County are denied by banks—even though home purchase loans get approved at normal rates. So getting a loan to fix a home is actually harder than getting one to buy a home.
Code enforcement
The Housing Compliance Division takes complaints and does inspections. Right now, 3% of properties have active complaints, but many problems go unreported and the real number of serious code violations is likely higher. Because staff is stretched thin, the city mostly waits for complaints rather than checking on its own.
The rental license program requires rentals to be in good shape. The Housing Appeals Board can approve city staff’s recommendations to demolish blighted homes .
Lead hazards
Nearly 85% of Akron’s homes were built before 1978, when lead paint was still legal. An estimated 99,000 homes in Summit County may have lead hazards. The Lead Safe Akron Program has helped nearly 600 homes fix lead hazards like old windows, doors, siding, and porches. But state its funding was slashed for 2026—from $7.75 million down to just $250,000.
Where do code enforcement fines go?
Into the general fund.
Are there rules about how long a property can sit vacant before someone has to report it?
No. “Vacant” is not a violation. If your property is up to code, it can sit vacant forever.
Evictions & Tenant Protections
Delegates asked: How often are evictions happening, and who’s getting evicted? What rights do renters have? Can we set up a legal office for tenants? Can landlords be required to tell tenants about foreclosure? What is a first-to-apply rule?
Eviction rates
Over 3,000 eviction cases were filed in 2024 in Akron. With about 42,000 renter-occupied units, that’s roughly a 7% rate—compared to 6% in Cleveland and 9% in Columbus. Only 3% of tenants had a lawyer, while 88% of landlords did. Black and female tenants are often hit hardest.
What protections exist now
Akron’s 2018 Non-Discrimination law includes: “Pay to Stay” (landlords must accept late rent payments), Source of Income Protection (landlords can’t turn away tenants just because they pay with a voucher or disability check), and CROWN legislation (no discrimination based on hair or physical traits).
In the case of a landlord being slow to repair a housing unit, the city court lets tenants pay rent into a special account until a landlord makes needed repairs.
However, there is no cap on how much a landlord can raise rent.
Are inspections required for rentals that accept housing vouchers?
Yes.
Legal help for tenants facing eviction
A Right to Counsel program already exists. The City, United Way, and Community Legal Aid provide legal help for tenants facing eviction. To qualify, you must be an Akron resident, at least seven days from your eviction date, at the poverty line with kids in the home, or 60+ with a disability. Legal Aid also helps form tenant unions. They always have more requests than they can handle.
Making landlords tell tenants about foreclosure
Akron can pass a local law requiring landlords to tell their tenants when the county starts foreclosure steps or sends a tax delinquency notice. Virginia already requires this—landlords must tell tenants within 5 business days of getting a foreclosure notice. If they don’t, tenants can end their lease right away.
It’s not clear if an Akron law could go that far. Letting tenants break their lease might need a state law, not just a local one.
First-to-apply rules
A “first-to-apply” rule means landlords must review rental applications in the order they come in, to cut down on unfair treatment. Seattle has this rule, and their state supreme court upheld it.
A similar rule in Akron would help fight housing discrimination, but it would face strong legal pushback from real estate and property rights groups. It could also be harder on small local landlords (who would have to time-stamp and process applications one by one) than on big companies that already have systems for this.
Homelessness & Supportive Housing
Delegates asked: What is the homeless population in Akron? Can the city build permanent supportive housing? Why is the voucher wait time three years?
How many people in Akron are homeless, and what is the city’s policy on encampments?
Recent Point-in-Time data indicates that approximately 600–650 individuals are experiencing homelessness on any given night in Summit County, with an estimated 140–150 people living unsheltered. While these numbers represent a snapshot in time and are widely understood to be an undercount, they do reflect a notable increase in homelessness over the past few years, particularly among those living outdoors.
As the unsheltered population has grown, encampments have become more visible throughout the community. Currently, encampments are not formally permitted under local ordinances. However, in practice, the approach has generally prioritized outreach and engagement connecting individuals to shelter and services before any enforcement actions are taken.
This evolving landscape highlights the importance of continuing to balance public health and safety considerations with compassionate, service-oriented responses. It also underscores the need for sustained investment in housing solutions and system capacity to better meet the needs of those experiencing homelessness.
Housing voucher wait times
The Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority says Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) applicants wait close to three years. About one in four rental units are occupied by tenants getting some form of housing subsidy. The federal government controls the voucher supply, and demand far exceeds what’s available.
Supportive housing
To build permanent supportive housing, the developer usually needs deep subsidies to offset the minimal or modest rents they will collect from tenants. There are additional costs associated with the “wrap-around” services that permanent supportive housing typically provides. Nonprofits that provide permanent supportive housing face high development and operating costs, which make it hard to meet the need.
Zoning, Land Use & New Construction
Delegates asked: How does zoning work in Akron? What’s a form-based code? What about building on small or oddly-shaped lots? Why is there so little new building? Do we even want more homes if the population is shrinking? What about mixed-use housing?
How Akron’s zoning works now
Akron has 15 land use zones. Five are for housing. Most of the city is zoned for single-family homes only—one house per lot. Denser housing is allowed near business areas, with the most downtown and around the University of Akron. The Planning Commission (picked by the mayor) recommends zoning changes. The Board of Zoning Appeals handles requests for exceptions.
What is a form-based code?
Traditional zoning separates areas by use (homes here, shops there). A form-based code focuses instead on the shape and look of buildings. It’s designed to create good-looking, walkable areas while making the approval process simpler.
Akron started testing form-based codes in two neighborhoods (Merriman Valley-Schumacher and Summit Lake) in 2024. So far, there’s been no strong pushback or bad outcomes.
Other cities have seen results: Cincinnati adopted form-based codes in four areas in 2013 and saw 800+ new housing units by 2016. Cleveland tested them in four areas in 2024 and reported faster approvals. New Rochelle, NY used a form-based code downtown and saw new housing and businesses.
Building on small or oddly-shaped lots
South Euclid, OH found that 40% of its lots were “unbuildable” under existing rules. They created a special overlay district that allows one- and two-family homes on those lots, as long as new homes match the look of the area. Since the change, 56 housing projects were in the works within a year or two. Nearby Euclid took a different path—they just changed their base rules to allow smaller lots and more types of housing.
Why so little new building?
Builders—both nonprofits and for-profit companies—face high costs for materials, not enough workers, and high interest rates. Smaller builders said the permit process was confusing. County rules make it much harder to do projects with more than five lots. And city departments are short-staffed, so it’s hard to get timely answers.
More homes vs. fewer people
Summit County is expected to lose 16.2% of its population over the next 25 years. Akron has already shrunk 4.4% in five years. The vacancy rate is 10.3%.
However, 60% of homes were built before 1960 and likely do not fit today’s needs. A sufficient supply of quality homes is necessary to keep residents in the city and to attract others to the city. Achieving quality homes can be through renovation and new builds.
Mixed-use housing
The two form-based code neighborhoods can allow buildings with both homes and shops. Downtown already allows a mix. Cincinnati’s 2024 zoning update expanded what’s allowed in business districts and areas near transit, building on form-based code ideas.
Property Taxes & How Cities Pay for Housing
Delegates asked: Why do we pay property taxes? Where is the money going? Should seniors get a break? How are other cities raising money for housing?
Property taxes
Property taxes pay for public services like schools, police, fire, and roads. This is how local government is funded across Ohio. Tax break programs for housing work within limits set by state law.
Ohio offers a homestead exemption that lowers the tax bill for qualifying senior homeowners. In Akron, you apply through the Summit County Fiscal Office.
How other cities raise money for housing
Voter-approved bonds: Columbus voters have approved over $700 million in housing bonds since 2019—every one passing with at least 65% support. That money funds low-cost loans to builders, shelter repairs, grants to nonprofit housing groups, land purchases, and community land trust work. This happened after years of public conversation about housing, with broad support from city leaders, businesses, and neighborhoods.
Port authority bonds: Cincinnati’s Port Authority borrowed $16.25 million to buy 194 investor-owned homes and return them to community use. They paid back the loan with rent and home sales i.
Philanthropy: Foundations can offer low-interest loans to housing builders (often around 2% with longer payback times). These can go directly to nonprofits or through a fund like the Western Reserve Community Fund, which is managed by Akron’s Development Finance Authority.
Bank lending: Banks give low-interest loans to community development funds to meet federal lending requirements. But because Akron is seen as a “smaller market,” it can’t pull in as much of this money as Columbus, Cleveland, or Pittsburgh. At least one credit union has shown interest in the Akron market.
Neighborhood Safety, Services & Gentrification
Delegates asked: Affordable housing is often in high-crime areas with poor services—how can the city fix that? How do we deal with gentrification? Is the city making services equal across neighborhoods?
Tools for troubled neighborhoods
The city can use code enforcement, the rental license program, the Land Bank’s work tearing down blighted homes, and targeted investment through state programs to stabilized troubled neighborhoods. The form-based code pilots in Summit Lake and Merriman Valley-Schumacher are also meant to improve those areas. Financing tools to make affordable housing and mixed-income housing more feasible in higher-opportunity areas with low crime rates could also help make affordable housing available in new neighborhoods.
Tracking and addressing displacement
Recent research suggests the risk of displacement is growing in Akron.
Displacement mitigation tools other cities have used include: ; Virginia’s rule that landlords must tell tenants about foreclosure; programs that help homeowners plan their estates so they don’t lose their homes; targeted emergency rent assistance programs. What mix would work best in Akron is a question for this Assembly.
Seniors & Elderly Housing
Delegates asked: What are the options for older residents whose homes don’t fit their needs? How many one-person households are seniors?
There are limited, and very small, home repair programs available to low-income and senior homeowners. The Ohio homestead exemption lowers property taxes for qualifying seniors.
Filing a “transfer-on-death” form (at the Summit County Fiscal Office) can help prevent homes from getting stuck in legal limbo when someone dies. Cincinnati and Cleveland run programs that help families with inherited property.
About 38.5% of Akron households are one person. The median age in Akron is 37.2 (younger than the county’s 40.9).. A breakdown of one-person households by age is not available.
Housing types that might appeal to seniors (ex: smaller one story homes; independent living apartments, condos and/or patio houses; assisted living facilities) are allowed only in certain neighborhoods at the moment. Requests for variances to make certain types of homes allowable in certain areas takes time and carries the risk of being panned by neighbors and rejected by the Akron Planning Commission.
Income, Jobs & the Economy
Delegates asked: Are there ways to raise incomes locally? What’s driving housing prices up so fast?
Income and skilled trades
Broader economic strategy is outside the scope of the Assembly . The one related option is growing the skilled trades workforce—construction, plumbing, electrical, HVAC. There’s a known shortage of these workers in Akron. The city has backed programs to help minority, veteran, LGBTQ+, and women contractors grow. Technical school training is another path other cities have used.
What’s pushing prices up
Home values across Akron are up about 75% since 2017. Some neighborhoods have more than doubled. The drivers include strong investor demand (especially cash buys under $100K), fewer foreclosures, blight cleanup that has improved neighborhoods, fewer quality homes, which drives up demand; and national trends. In the weakest markets, median sale prices jumped from $9,100 to $39,538—a 300%+ increase—though they’re still well below the citywide average of $102,897.
Government Accountability & Long-Term Strategy
Delegates asked: We keep hearing about housing plans that never happen—why? What’s the long-term plan? What government resources exist for housing?
Why things stall
Departments like planning and code enforcement are short-staffed due to budgetary constraints The cost of materials remains volatile in the United States and labor is relatively scarce, and interest rates are high. These macro-economic pressures make it hard for private and nonprofit developers to confidently plan a housing development.
The long-term plan
In 2024, the City of Akron received recommendations for 23 actions to stabilize and strengthen Akron’s housing markets. The city has had to make hard choices on how to invest resources into operationalizing these actions.
The Assembly will also help set the long-term plan.
Government resources at every level, but never enough
City of Akron: Tax breaks for new construction and major renovations, code enforcement, and the rental license program.
Summit County: The Land Bank (takes back abandoned properties), the Affordable Housing Trust Fund which lends to nonprofit housing developers, and the Development Finance Authority which has lend to large market rate housing developers .
State of Ohio: Ohio Housing Finance Authority (competitive tax credits, mortgage programs), Ohio Department of Development programs are for nonprofit housing developers or housing providers and not individual homeowners or renters (Welcome Home Ohio, housing development grants, supportive housing programs, Lead Safe Ohio).
None of these are guaranteed forever. Most depend on yearly funding decisions and grant cycles. The main challenge isn’t a lack of programs—it’s not enough money to match the size of the need.
How are the residents appointed to the housing appeals board selected?
They are appointed by the Mayor with approval from City Council. Those interested in serving generally send the Mayor’s office a letter or email expressing interest. Learn more here.
State-Level Policies & Property Transfer
Delegates asked: What state laws shape what Akron can and can’t do? How does property transfer work? Will we learn about zoning and the specific proposals?
Key state laws
Ohio law blocks rent control. State law sets the rules for evictions, property tax breaks, foreclosures, and land bank transfers. The Ohio Building Code sets construction standards, enforced through the county. Ohio’s “home rule” powers may let cities pass certain rules about landlord duties, but the city should check with a lawyer on specifics.
How property transfers work
Foreclosures and land bank transfers follow state law and run through Summit County. The city can flag problem properties but can’t seize or foreclose on them on its own. The Tyler v. Hennepin Supreme Court ruling has made it much harder for land banks to get properties through tax foreclosure across Ohio.
How much do property tax increases drive up rents?
Landlords typically recover their costs and make a profit via rent. The more property taxes go up, the more rent goes up.
That said, it’s not always a proportionate increase. Smaller landlords with long-time tenants may more gradually increase rents to make up property tax increases versus large-scale landlords that may fully pass along those costs with every new lease or lease renewal.
Why don’t banks have to fix homes they take back?
Houses are collateral for loans (aka mortgages). If a bank takes back a house because of a mortgage default, it becomes their property. They can do what they want with their property. The home may be worth less than the original loan, so a bank isn’t going to put more money into it.
University of Akron & Student Housing
How does the University’s housing needs affect the broader housing market?
The city has a University District zone where apartments are allowed near the University of Akron. It’s one of the densest housing areas in the city. Our current sources don’t dig into how student demand affects the wider housing market or nearby neighborhoods.
How can the University of Akron be part of setting student housing standards?
Here are some examples from other Ohio universities:
Student Legal Services at Ohio State is a non-profit law office that contracts with the university to provide legal advice, representation, education and resources to students and parents. They will review leases and help students understand their rights and responsibilities. They can also represent students in court regarding landlord-tenant litigation. Students are automatically enrolled in the program through their student fees ($40 of which goes toward this program) unless they opt to decline coverage. (https://studentlegal.osu.edu/story/leasereviewparent)
In Athens, OH, where there is a high student renter population, the city enforces a robust rental inspection program, which covers more than 5,300 registered rental units that have annual health and safety inspections. This program is run by the City of Athens but directly benefits university students. (https://www.ci.athens.oh.us/273/Inspections)
What Has Worked in Other Cities?
Delegates asked: What are examples of policies that have actually brought down housing costs elsewhere?
Here are the examples from peer cities documented in our research:
Lakewood, OH: Low-cost loan program for local landlords to fix up rentals.
South Euclid, OH: Changed zoning rules to allow building on small lots (56 projects underway as of 2024).
Cincinnati: Form-based code in four neighborhoods (800+ new homes by 2016); sued a major investor-landlord; Port Authority bought 194 investor-owned homes.
Cleveland: $10 million fund to help community groups compete with investors.
Columbus: Over $700 million in voter-approved housing bonds since 2019 (all passing with 65%+ support).
Hamilton, OH: Grant program to attract homebuyers to certain neighborhoods.
Virginia: State law requiring landlords to tell tenants about foreclosure.
How do environmental issues (air quality, green space) connect to housing?
Housing values are typically lower in neighborhoods that have visible, highly present environmentally concerns (like an abandoned industrial site, garbage transfer station, situated next to a highway where car exhaust is present).
There is clear evidence that home values are higher the closer a home is to a multi-use path (like a bike/running path) or parkland. Home values also tend to be higher in neighborhoods with more mature and denser tree canopies.
Additional Source Documents
The Status Quo Lowdown: Housing in Akron. UnifyAkron.org, 2026.
A Housing Action Plan for Akron. Greater Ohio Policy Center & Reinvestment Fund, Summer 2024.
2023 Market Value Analysis for Housing Action Plan for Akron. Reinvestment Fund with Greater Ohio Policy Center, Fall 2023.
Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC) provided technical expertise and undertook research at the direction of Unify America. No answer should be construed as GOPC endorsing a certain approach or solution.