New project explores state of housing in Akron

Topics surrounding crises in housing — including availability, affordability and safety — are among those that matter most to Akron residents.

Housing-related issues, along with crime and safety and economic struggles, are among the top three concerns identified by Akron residents in the 2024 City of Akron Community Pulse Report , prepared by the Center for Marketing & Opinion Research LLC.

To that end, the Beacon Journal has embarked on a project focused on housing in Akron.

What does the housing stock look like for homebuyers in specific neighborhoods? Which affordable housing options are available to renters and owners? How do housing decisions affect and how are they influenced by access to jobs, education, transportation, fresh food and clean water? And where can progress be made?

Derek Kreider, Akron City Hall and local politics reporter, and Patrick Williams, growth and development reporter, are searching for the answers to these questions and others and sharing what they find. They will work together with multiple photographers, editors and other reporters; interview sources with wide breadths of lived experiences and expertise; and sort through databases and documents to dig deeper on problems and solutions that provide a fuller picture of housing in Akron.

Do you want to share your housing story? Contact Kreider at DKreider@Gannett.com or 330-541-9413. Contact Williams at PWilliams@Gannett.com or 330-996-3348.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: New project explores state of housing in Akron