Today, Akron City Council announced that it is convening A Safe Housing Steering Committee. The steering committee will develop strategies, short term as well as long term to ensure that Akron residents in large multi-family, privately owned and managed housing that is publicly subsidized will have safe, sanitary, and secure housing.
“Akron residents living within large multi-family, privately owned and managed housing which is publicly subsidized have endured hardships and been denied the conditions enjoyed by those living in traditional housing,” said Akron City Council President Margo Sommerville. “In far too many instances, their safety has not been ensured and residences are not well-maintained. That must change! Housing is a basic human need. We want to do our part in making recommendations and proposing tangible measures for ensuring that our residents safe and sanitary living conditions.”
The Safe Housing Steering Committee will be co-chaired by Council President & Ward 3 Councilwoman Margo Sommerville and Vice-President & At-Large Councilman Jeff Fusco. The other committee members are:
- Roberta Aber, Board Vice-Chairman, Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority
- Montrella Jackson, Chief Executive Officer for the Akron Municipal Court
- Cazzell Smith, Community Organizer, Former Summit County Council Member
- Jeff Wilhite, Summit County Council Member, District 4
Smaller Focus Groups, including other community stakeholders and chaired by Members of Council, will be tasked with conducting research, considering best practices, and developing recommendations to assist the City of Akron move forward in its efforts to address issues related to ensuring that large multi-family, privately owned and managed, publicly subsidized housing stock in Akron is safe, sanitary, and secure.
“This endeavor is a partnership between the city and the community,” said Vice-President and At-Large Councilman Jeff Fusco. “Together, we will develop a strategy that will be driven by both”.
A Town Hall will be convened to solicit input from the community in determining the issue areas targeted by the smaller Focus Groups, as well as the Housing Steering Committee’s approach. That meeting will be announced soon.