AKRON, OH — Akron voters have spoken, and the Greater Akron Chamber respects their decision.
The people who put Issues 11 and 12 on the ballot raised real problems: up-front rental costs, absentee and neglectful landlords, and the barriers facing residents with a criminal record. Tuesday’s result reflects how deeply those concerns are felt across the city.
The Chamber opposed these amendments because we believed the Charter was the wrong place for detailed housing rules, not because the goals were wrong. That question is now settled. Our focus turns to making these provisions work as well as they can for renters, property owners and the city as a whole.
Both amendments direct City Council to adopt implementing legislation. That is where the practical work happens, and the Chamber intends to be a constructive partner in it. We will work with the Mayor, City Council, the amendment sponsors, housing providers and fair-housing advocates to help write clear, workable rules, to keep rental housing available and affordable, and to keep development and investment moving in Akron.
We said before the election that we wanted everyone at the same table. That offer stands. Akron’s housing challenges will be solved by people working together, and the Chamber is ready to do its part.