Communities across the country have an affordable housing crisis. The causes are many, and so must be the solutions.
My fear, based upon Akron’s history, is that rather than offering quality, sustainable dwellings with connections to parks, shopping and transportation, the proposals will be developer-based rather than community-based. Too often, projects have short-changed residents. These projects have been approved by a nearly unquestioning Planning Commission and then City Council.
The very densely constructed Silver Street apartment complex is directly across the street from light manufacturing, adjacent to abandoned housing with criminal activity and fire-damaged homes. The city has razed some of these homes.
Will they now create a park for all those kids who are going to be living there? Could a TIF be offered to do so? Could that be a requirement of getting that coveted 15% property tax abatement developers will be earning?
When zoning was changed for allowing space for one car instead of two for residents, who got that space: residents for larger dwellings or green space, or developers for more density?