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Man robbed at Tallmadge Avenue eatery
Another winter punch heading toward Ohio
Four teens restrain man, take items from his Akron home
Complaints against officer keep coming
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Cuyahoga Falls residents come home to find burning couch on balcony
Blogs:
First Bell - On Education:
No City of Akron basketball tonight
Pets:
Pet telethon re-airs
The Heldenfiles:
Chipmunks "Squeakquel" on DVD/BD March 30
Akron Zips:
Late surge gives Zips ugly road win
Tribe Matters:
Blogmail response on Hafner
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth's contract terminated
Balanced Ledger:
QB in Browns future: another mock draft
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – February 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
NBA Power Rankings from Around the Internet
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
Varsity Letters:
Garfield at Buchtel basketball
All Da King's Men:
Palin At The Tea Party Convention
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Republican Pre-Conditions
Akron Law Café:
Citizens United v. F.E.C. (Part 4): Kennedy's and O'Connor's Basic Approaches to Constitutional Decisionmaking – Top Down and Bottom Up
Car Chase:
Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
Sound Check:
Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
Track HR Research
Akron Gamer:
Makers of 'Castle Crashers' unveil 'BattleBlock Theater'
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
A responsible plan to protect the city's housing stock
Published on Sunday, May 31, 2009
In Barberton, the vulnerability is widespread. About one-third of the city's housing stock is rental, some 3,000 units. After much discussion, the City Council is set for a final vote June 8 on a measure that would require a $40 per unit, per year registration fee. Genet would earmark the funds for neighborhood improvements, including the acquisition and demolition of dilapidated structures. Landlords have been part of the discussion from the beginning, but they are not happy.
Genet is well aware the $40 fee is higher than Akron's $15. The Akron ordinance gradually lowers the per-unit cost for those who own multiple units, an idea Genet initially embraced. But the Barberton council thought otherwise, objecting to giving large landlords a break over those owning just a few units. As it is, Barberton would provide a substantial reward for responsible behavior. After three years with no violations, the fee would drop to $20 per unit.
The plan hardly amounts to a crushing burden, or, as some landlords charge, evidence of greedy city leaders looking to boost revenues. At the top rate of $40 per unit, and assuming 100 percent participation, $120,000 a year would be generated. Genet realistically expects about $100,000 for neighborhood revitalization projects, far from a windfall and a figure that would presumably drop after three years, if landlords maintain their rental properties.
Taking steps to stabilize neighborhoods in the current economic climate is a necessary move for the city. In the end, all property owners will benefit, with landlords better able to market their units, and potentially increase their profits.
Get the full article here.
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