Wintergreen Ledges affordable housing complex planned for West Akron

A $30 million affordable housing project is coming to West Akron.

Akron City Council last week approved the construction of Wintergreen Ledges Apartments, an affordable apartment complex at 1831 Vernon Odom Boulevard for residents who make 30% to 70% of area median income.

The median family income for the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area, comprised of Summit and Portage counties, is $95,800, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

"They're different rents according to how much income is earned," said developer Todd Tober, president of Tober Development Company. He said 20% of the complex's 120 apartments will be made available to be subsidized by Section 8 federal vouchers.

How much will the new affordable apartments cost per month?

Half of the apartments will have one bedroom, and the other half will have two bedrooms, Tober said.

During a July 8 meeting of Akron City Council's Planning and Economic Development Committee, City Planner Kurt Mulhauser said the proposed rents range from $362 for a one-bedroom unit and $435 for a two-bedroom unit at 30% to $800 for a single-bedroom unit and $950 for a two-bedroom unit, depending on family income.

A clubhouse will be situated near the road, and the apartments will be split among seven buildings on the roughly 9-acre property, Tober said.

Tober said the plan is for contractor Pride One Construction to start construction on the presently vacant lot this fall and finish next fall, when residents can begin moving in.

Tober said he's found "there's a need in the community" for affordable housing.

"I wanted to help fulfill that need," he said.

Federal dollars help fund new apartment complex in Akron

Nearly half of the project cost, $14 million, will be funded by federal tax credits, Tober said.

Construction costs have skyrocketed over the past roughly three years, increasing by 30% to 40% in this case, he said.

"It really hurts the prospects for new housing in general, and it really, really hurts the ability for the average, middle-income earner to purchase or even rent an apartment or a house," Tober said. "So, there's a huge demand for housing and a real problem with developing housing, and through the availability of this federal tax credit program, that's how we're able to make this this particular project succeed."

A total of $500,000 in federal HOME Investment Partnerships funds earmarked by the city of Akron will also help fund the development, according to a city fact sheet attached to the ordinance that passed City Council.

Tober has also worked on housing for unhoused populations, including nearby Stoney Pointe Commons at 1791 Vernon Odom Boulevard and the scattered-site project New Frontier Homes, which includes 37 homes.

Patrick Williams covers growth and development for the Akron Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at pwilliams@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @pwilliamsOH.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Wintergreen Ledges affordable housing complex planned for West Akron