Akron Council's Weekly Legislative Spotlight! 2026 Issue #19

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Find My Ward

From the Desk of

Akron City Council President

Greetings!

Akron is moving — and you deserve a front-row seat.

Welcome to the Akron City Council Legislative Spotlight, your direct line to the decisions, debates, and developments happening right now at City Hall. No fluff. No runaround. Just the real work your Council is doing — for you, your block, and this city we all call home.

What’s Inside This Issue

Every Spotlight is packed with what matters most:

Legislative Updates — The ordinances and resolutions on the table, and what they mean for your daily life.

Council in Action — Your representatives, ward by ward, fighting for the neighborhoods that make Akron great.

Akron Community Hub — Local events, community news, and ways to make your voice heard.

Why It Matters

City Hall shouldn’t feel like a mystery. When you know what’s happening, you can shape what comes next. Informed neighbors become engaged neighbors — and engaged neighbors build stronger communities.

Whether we’re talking infrastructure, public safety, housing, or economic opportunity, the Spotlight keeps you plugged in and ready to act.

One Small Ask

If this newsletter speaks to you, share it. Forward it to a neighbor. Post it on your block’s Facebook group. Tag a friend who needs to know what’s happening in Akron. And if someone shared this with you — subscribe here so you never miss an issue.

Now — let’s get into it. Here’s what your Council has been up to.

Sincerely,

Margo Sommerville

Council President

Ward 3 Council Member

Legislative Highlights From Monday, June 1, 2026

Ordinance No. 155-2026 authorizing the Director of the Department of Planning and Urban Development to enter into a contract or contracts, after publicly advertising for bids and/or requesting and receiving Requests for Proposals, with Axess Family Services, Inc. for the creation of ten affordable housing units for veterans who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and to carry out the intent and purpose of the HOME American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP); and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 13, Nays: 0.

Ordinance No. 157-2026 authorizing the Mayor, or his designee, to enter into a contract or contracts with the Board of Education of the Akron Public School District for the Akron After School Program to provide for general operations of the program and a pilot partnership expansion with the Akron Area YMCA in the East Cluster; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 11, Nays: 0 (Bolden & Wilson abstained). The Akron After School Program provides homework assistance, tutoring in math and reading, academic enrichment activities for academically at-risk students, youth development programming, recreation resources, and social skills development for students with an emphasis on those at risk for not meeting third grade reading standards.

Ordinance No. 159-2026 authorizing the Mayor, or his designee, to, if awarded, accept and expend a grant from the Violence Against Women Act Program administered by the Office of Criminal Justice Services for 2026; authorizing the Director of Law, or his designee, to enter into an agreement or agreements with Oriana House, Inc. to implement the grant by continuing to fund investigators for the Domestic Violence Unit; and declaring an emergency. Vote: Ayes: 13, Nays: 0. The Violence Against Women Act Program assists states and units of local government to develop and strengthen effective law enforcement and prosecution strategies to combat violent crimes against women and to develop and strengthen victims services in cases involving violent crimes against women.

Remember...

You can see all the legislation discussed during the meeting at: https://onlinedocs.akronohio.gov/OnBaseAgendaOnline/

Summit County Domestic Violence Fatality Review

2025 Annual Report

The Public Safety Committee welcomed guests Teresa Stafford-Wright and Katherine Robbins from the Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center. You can read the full report here and watch the presentation to the Public Safety Committee here.

Check out the calendar on

Council's website for

upcoming Ward Meetings!

Your Council Representative

Is Available to Serve You!

There are several ways to reach your Ward Representative:

View their information on the Council's website.
Attend their ward meeting .
Call or email them.

Upcoming Open Comment

Public Hearings

June 15, 2026

5:00 p.m.

Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to establish a day care business center at 943 Springdale Street.

Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to install digital signage over the height limitation at 1 S. High Street.

Ordinance authorizing a Conditional Use to establish a parking lot at 921 Cordova Avenue.

Ordinance approving the Lincoln-Mill Redevelopment Plan.

Notices are posted on our website.

Suppose the Ordinance is a Conditional Use (Zoning measure). In that case, a notice is also mailed to the owners and residents of property within, contiguous to, and directly across the street from the property involved in the Ordinance (per Charter Section 34). These notices are also published in the Akron Beacon Journal.

You do not need to fill out any forms to participate. You can attend in-person in Council Chambers or remotely via videoconference.

Those wishing to attend remotely need to notify the Clerk of Council, as outlined in the meeting notice, to receive the information to join remotely.

Please Help Us Get The Word Out!

Enjoying the Legislative Spotlight?

Why not share it with your friends and neighbors? The QR code will take them directly to the sign-up page on

our website.

flyer with a cell phone stating to call 311- Your one call to city hall.

311- Akron's One Call to City Hall

If you have a specific city issue that you'd like to see resolved (a pothole, water leak, tree down, missed trash collection, etc.), you can enter it in the online system, call 311, or download

the "MyAkron311" app.

The app is available for free on all Apple or Android devices in the app store.

After downloading, residents can create a profile, enter a service request, look up timely city information, and set up notifications specific to their address such as trash/recycling collection reminders.

Public Comment Period

A public comment period is held at each regularly scheduled Council meeting, where up to ten (10) members of the public may address Council on matters within Council's authority. No member of the public shall be permitted to address Council during the public comment period more than once every 30 days.

Those who wish to participate in the public comment period of a regular Council meeting need to submit a public comment form by 4:00 p.m. on the date of the meeting.

The sign-up form is available here.

This brief video demonstrates how to fill out the form.

For those that do not have a mobile device/computer to utilize, or need additional assistance, Council staff is available to help.

Signing up is a requirement of Council Rules, similar to other bodies.