policy
Akron Requires Developers to Include 10% Affordable Units in New Projects
The policy applies to developments of 10 or more units approved after July 1 and sets aside 10 percent of units for households earning up to 80 percent of area median income.
How we reported this
The City of Akron began applying its Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance on July 1, 2026. The measure requires developers of residential projects with 10 or more units to designate at least 10 percent of those units as affordable for households earning no more than 80 percent of the area median income.
Local housing costs have risen steadily in recent years, according to building permit records and planning department data reviewed by city staff. The ordinance was adopted by Akron City Council in December 2025 after review of the 2025 Akron Housing Needs Assessment, which documented a shortfall of units priced for moderate-income residents.
Changes for Akron Households
Residents looking for rental or ownership options will see the requirements apply first to projects in neighborhoods such as Highland Square and the University of Akron corridor. A qualifying 40-unit apartment building, for example, must now include four units reserved at below-market rents, with income eligibility verified through the Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority.
The city's 2026 capital budget document allocates $185,000 to cover initial administrative costs for monitoring compliance and maintaining the affordable unit registry. Planning staff project that the rule will produce approximately 120 affordable units in its first full year if current permit volumes hold at 1,200 total new units.
Implementation Timeline
Developers must submit affordability plans with each site plan application starting this month. The planning commission will review the first batch of affected projects at its August 2026 meeting. City staff will issue an annual compliance report to council by March 2027.
Property owners who convert existing buildings into 10 or more units also fall under the ordinance if they seek new certificates of occupancy after the July 1 date. Exemptions remain available only for projects already under construction or those receiving federal low-income housing tax credits that impose separate affordability rules.