Need to find quality, safe housing in Akron? New tool to help renters search properties
Akronites will soon have a new tool at their disposal to aid their search for housing.
In collaboration with United Way of Summit & Medina and the Knight Foundation, Akron has developed a mobile-friendly website that will show unresolved repair orders and other pertinent information about properties.
The site was developed as part of the The Opportunity Project for Cities, organized by the Centre for Public Impact and Georgetown University's Beeck Center. Participating cities were asked to create customized digital tools addressing residents' needs using open source data.
It's not quite ready yet, but the site usage was demonstrated Thursday during The Opportunity Project for Cities' Demo Day online event. The site's web address will be announced when it goes live.
Here's what we know about this new tool.
A range of data is searchable
Open repair orders on properties and records on neglect by the owner will be available on the site. There also will be a section that will help owners resolve violations, one to help renters file complaints against landlords and another to find contact information for the owner.
Jodie Forester, supervisor of Akron's Housing Compliance Division, said the partners also want to inform tenants of their rights and responsibilities, as well as the responsibilities of landlords.
"Many of our residents felt they could make decisions on who was a good landlord versus a bad landlord by viewing the scope of all those properties owned and getting the information about all those properties from one specific owner," said Joe Scalise, director of housing services of United Way of Summit & Medina, who served as community planner for the project.
Some data — for example, Summit County Health Department information about lead contamination — won't be available. Interior photos also are unavailable.
When will the site go live?
Tammy Tucker, Akron's director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, said the site will be up and running in January.
"The launch of the website will coincide with a complete update of our local housing search website," Tucker said. "Both sites will feature prominent links to each other so residents can utilize them in unison when searching for rental properties."
The existing website — https://summithousingsearch.org/ — features a searchable list of properties available to rent in Akron and Summit County.
Why create this tool?
Forester said "finding safe and affordable housing is a significant issue in Akron."
"We wanted to simplify the process of finding safe, livable and affordable housing, and providing residents with resources to help them feel informed and supported in their housing decision making," Forester said.
Contact reporter Derek Kreider at DKreider@Gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: New property search tool aims to help Akron renters find housing
