AKRON, Ohio — The City of Akron has launched a new program designed to encourage construction of new residential homes on unused and underutilized city property in its established neighborhoods.
The program called “Welcome Home Akron” is an online tool that allows residents, builders and developers to easily view properties for sale and allows anyone to download and complete the necessary applications online.
In a statement from Mayor Dan Horrigan’s office, the goal of the program is to further increase new home construction opportunities while also combatting blight and increasing vitality in city neighborhoods.
The online tool costs the city $10,000 a year to maintain. Horrigan said the new program makes it easier to access city parcel data and acquire multiple building sites.
“This new platform will be another valuable tool in revitalizing and further stabilizing Akron neighborhoods. We are simultaneously creating better pathways to homeownership and combatting blight in our neighborhoods. I’m excited to see how this tool empowers those who are thinking about building in the City of Akron to act," he said.
The Welcome Home program requires participants to start home construction within three months of acquiring the property and complete construction within 12 months. Residents building their own homes will be required to occupy the property for 5 years.
A full list of requirements, including design and character standards, can be found here.
This is the third program aimed to promote homeownership. The city previously rolled out “Mow to Own” and “ A Lot for a Little."
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