The City of Akron and Fair Housing Contact Service Announce New Housing Mobility Program - Home Connection Service
City of Akron Press Release
From the desk of City of Akron Press Office
Published: 02-21-2023
Akron, Ohio, February 21, 2023 — Today, Mayor Horrigan and Fair Housing Contact Service (FHCS) announced the new housing mobility program, Home Connection Service. The program is aimed at enhancing tenant access to housing opportunities across the city. Funded by the City through Housing and Urban Development (HUD) dollars, the program will include trainings for landlords and tenants, pre- and post-move counseling for low-to-moderate income renters, education and outreach for housing providers, pre-eviction filing mediation services between participating landlords and tenants, and more.
"Every Akron resident deserves a home that is safe, affordable, and stable," said Mayor Horrigan. "I want to thank Fair Housing Contact Service for partnering with us to create this housing mobility program. Targeted resources and education will benefit both tenants and landlords and enhance tenant access to accommodations of their choosing."
Tamala Skipper, Executive Director FHCS said, “FHCS believes housing is the social determinant of all. We are revisiting our roots through this program, which will focus on desegregation and increased access to housing opportunities.”
Services to Tenants will include:
- Pre‐ and post‐move counseling
- Connection to potential landlords
- Educational workshops
- Pre-eviction filing mediation services as needed for dispute resolution
Services to Landlords will include:
- Connection to potential tenants who desire to remain long term, reducing unit turn-over
- Pre-eviction filing mediation services as needed for dispute resolution
- Training and education on Ohio Tenant‐Landlord Law and Fair Housing Laws
- Ongoing connection to community resources
Example of how the program will work:
Amy and her 3 children just received a housing choice voucher and must find their new home within 180 days. With this voucher she will only have to pay 30% of her income on rent, which will help her to obtain safe, stable housing for her family. Amy was referred to FHCS for assistance because she has unique housing needs that limit where she is able to live. Amy’s oldest son, Nick, has disabilities which require him to remain in his current school district to continue receiving necessary school‐based services. Additionally, the unit must be physically accessible for Nick’s wheelchair access and enough bedrooms to allow for Nick to have his own.
FHCS’ Home Connection Service program would help Amy identify homes in her neighborhood of choice with landlords familiar with Fair Housing and Ohio Landlord‐Tenant law. Amy would receive pre-move counseling, rental search assistance, and post‐move counseling including connections to available community resources.
Additionally, Amy’s landlord would be connected to a tenant with the ability to pay monthly rent and a desire to remain in the unit long-term. Amy’s landlord will receive free training sessions, and pre-eviction filing mediation services for any potential disputes. The program is a recipe for success, connecting tenants with landlords, where both parties are well-informed and supported by the Home Connection Service program.
Next Steps:
Tenant referrals will be received through community resource programs. FHCS will host an informational townhall for landlords on Saturday April 1st, 10am at Compass Coffee, (647 E. Market St.) to provide more information on the program. Interested landlords can contact FHCS by email [email protected] or by calling 330-376-6191.
For further information, contact:
Lauren Green-Hull
Associate Director, Fair Housing Contact Service
Phone: 330-376-6191
E-mail: [email protected]
