Akron Mayor Shammas Malik delivered his State of the City Address, reflecting on the community’s progress over the past year and his priorities moving forward. A key highlight of the Mayor’s address was unveiling the revamped Together for Akron Plan. The Mayor also shared updates on top priorities, including public safety, economic development, housing, and education.
Mayor Malik detailed Together For Akron, a unifying, bold vision to tackle Akron’s biggest challenges and take advantage of the city’s greatest opportunities. This plan of priorities and initiatives focuses on four key pillars: Safer Together, Working Together, Growing Together, and Living Together. Safer Together focuses on a comprehensive approach that builds trust, embraces proactive and effective public safety models, and strategically tackles upstream causes of violence. Working Together will strengthen downtown and neighborhood business districts, support economic opportunities, and utilize the city’s strengths to drive future growth. Growing Together will build more opportunities for Akronites of every age, with a specific focus on Akron’s youth and aging populations. Living Together will address decades-long health and housing crises and support environmentally sustainable, safe, and equitable development throughout the city.
Mayor Malik shared that the city plans to launch a hospital-linked violence intervention program in the fall and recently received commitments from Summa Health and Cleveland Clinic Akron General to bring the program into their hospitals. Additionally, the Gun Violence Response Fund has so far raised almost $315,000 to support victims of violence. The Akron Police Department has also created a comprehensive plan around community engagement, which they will begin to roll out soon. This fall, Akron will launch Phase 1 of a pilot program in collaboration with the Early Childhood Resource Center and a group of local providers to strengthen the early childhood ecosystem in Akron.
The Mayor announced that the variety of commercial properties in downtown Akron, which private developers have recently bought, equals more than 1.1 million square feet of downtown space being repositioned to benefit the community. Later this month, his administration will introduce legislation to the Akron City Council for a 3-year Right to Counsel pilot program to help residents facing evictions. The city is also supporting infill housing by working to simplify the plan review process, clarify housing standards, and make more city-owned lots available in areas such as Summit Lake and Sherbondy Hill. Akron is also working with builders to bring infill housing to East Akron, Goodyear Heights, and Ellet.
Watch the Mayor’s full remarks here.
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