Greater Ohio Policy Center and the Reinvestment Fund

Produce Housing Action Plan and Market Value Analysis for the City of Akron, Ohio

The city of Akron, in partnership with GOPC and the Reinvestment Fund, has released the Akron Housing Action Plan and Market Value Analysis.  The Action Plan and Market Value Analysis will help city officials and other leaders in Akron:

·       spur new housing development

·       keep long-time residents in their homes, and

·       improve the quality of existing homes for all Akron residents

To support the city of Akron’s efforts to create strong, equitable housing markets, GOPC recommended 23 Actions that will increase rental and homeownership opportunities at all price points and protect existing residents. 

The Housing Action Plan discusses strategies to support new construction and successfully preserve existing homes. GOPC notes other partners that will contribute to the success of Akron’s housing markets, including: community development corporations (CDCs), financial institutions, philanthropy, developers, property managers, and real estate investors.

The 23 actions recommended by GOPC fall into three major categories: 

·       Enhance Existing Neighborhoods

·       Protect Vulnerable Residents, and Retain/Attract Residents

·       Lower Barriers to Development and Redevelopment

The Housing Action Plan is based on findings from the Market Value Analysis.  Conducted by the Reinvestment Fund, the Market Value Analysis synthesizes local data and provides insight into the market strengths and weaknesses in Akron’s neighborhoods. The City and others will use this GIS-based data to make decisions about where and how to invest public dollars. Reinvestment Fund has conducted Market Value Analyses in more than 40 other locations across the United States. 

The Akron Housing Action Plan and Market Value Analysis can be found here.