I just don't understand how anybody couldn't be happy living on the Riviera of the North Coast.

Astounding!

Funny how the Knight Foundation is doing this survey. After all, didn't they abandon this area for sunny Florida due to the board members living there.

I don't understand why people wouldn't recommend Akron. Well, except for herds of teenagers rioting in the streets... jumping families, old men walking dogs, women walking to stores and the like. Oh yeah, there's that lil problem with hooded individuals robbing servicemen, churches, stores and whatever else. Detroit... I mean Akron, is a wonderful place :)

Why do you think Plusquellic spends 170 days a year traveling the globe on taxpayer's money with his entourage? He hates living in Akron!

Well, after a solid year of being unemployed, I think I understand why people here are not financially happy - if we could afford to leave, we would!

Even though I have lived in Akron for 15 years, I wouldn't recommend it to anyone else moving here.

I would be mortified if any harm came to them.

I don't think it's the area that people are discontented with, but rather the lack of leadership in many of the communities.

New ideas to attract employers needs to be considered. The current standby plan of paying them to be here, just isn't working for the area as a whole.

1. paint your house.
2. wash your windows
3. clean the junk outta your yard
4. bend over a pull some weeds
5. trim your trees on your property which hang over to other peoples property. We don't like cleaning your leaves
6. get the ugly old vehicles out the yard.
SOME people in Summit are sloppy, and renters should step up to the plate too.

The results on that survey pale in comparison to the 92% negative outlook measured by ohio.com commenters.

Jimdandy,

"New ideas to attract employers needs to be considered. The current standby plan of paying them to be here, just isn't working for the area as a whole."

What do you have in mind?

Jeez, no kidding, TOJ!! I really can't speak for anyone else, but I was born and raised here, and I would never leave! Sure Akron has its problems, but this is home for me! There will be some changes at 160 S. High Street soon enough & the local economy will improve, eventually! Sounds to me that a lot of folks are the 'glass half-empty' types. I try not to live like that, and although I could definitely be happier, I'm quite content with this area and everything it offers!! JMO

I'm going to be straight up. I'm from here, but have lived all over the country. I recently came back for personal reasons, but do not plan on staying here. Here's the straight up part. People here are almost as racist as they are in the South. And almost as uninformed and uneducated. In my opinion, the ONLY area of the country worse than NE Ohio is the South. Everywhere else is much, much better. My opinion.

Born and Raised in Akron, I have lived in Chicago and Now Atlanta, The Crime in Akron is NOTHING, like Chicago and Atlanta. Be Thankful for what you guys have its not that bad

Hey now. We live in the Portage Lakes and can't think of a better spot in the summer, all 30 days of it. The winters, as we all know, are beyond what humans should have to endure. So, mix the winter factor with our county and city (Akron) government, unemployment, gang killings and all the other crime and we probably tie with somewhere like, oh lets say, um, Cambodia in the 70's. Good luck, and see you in the summer. Oh, and congratulations Obama for getting some kind of award.

GOPhater, if your basing the racist part on ohio.com comments, I don't know. I mean less than a hundred people post regularly on here. Thats only a fraction of millions. Maybe I don't see it in real life. Although I can think of at least 5 areas in Akron where your race will get you beat up or attacked.

GOPHater,

I've lived in three other states in three different regions of the US. I don't agree with a lot of that statement.....at all. I will agree that this area should improve the overall education of the population, but there are racists everywhere and saying "uninformed" is kind of ignorant. Somehow, I think you are framing "uninformed" simply as not being in line with your ideology.

I think the lens with which you view the world speaks more to you than it does to the world. But, to each his own. If that's how you feel, that's how you feel. I'm just swiping at your "I've been elsewhere so I know" stance.

alford-m,

Agreed. Plus, when was the last race riot that took place in the public schools like those that happen in the southwest?

@citizenk62 - LOL, you got that right. I've lived here my whole life, but hope to move before I hit 50. I'm tired of our seasons here, almost winter, winter, still winter and construction. And when Summer does get here, it's rain, rain, rain. If I had a do-over, I would have left before my career kept me here.

I have lived in the Akron area my whole life (about 60 years) and definitely believe that, on balance, the overall quality of life has deteriorated. The major difference is the economy. I recall a time when quality jobs, that is to say a job with a living wage and benefits, were much more plentiful. I would tell a person to stay away from the Akron area unless they had employment in place. The is no longer a place where people can come to seek their fortune - there is no fortune to be had. I still like living here but recognize that I was able to secure a good job with benefits in 1971, was able to build a career, and have been able to ride that wave clear to retirement. People with good intentions are trying to keep our area a good place to live. The National Park, Art Museum, Lock 3, Northside Lofts, Bricco, Infocision Stadium, and Canal Park are some the more visible signs of their efforts. To make this area strong, ways must be found that allow people the agency to access the good things.

I will agree that some of my views on this area are due to ohio.com posts. While that is true, I also talk to neighbors, friends, relatives, people I went to school with, etc. My previous post stands. People here are not very well informed, and not very educated. And they are racist. What is funny to me is that when I lived here before, I didn't notice it. Now that I came back, I see it everywhere. Maybe it's because I'm older, maybe the place has went downhill. I'm not sure. I just know what I see. It's not as bad as the South, however, I can assure you of that. Talk about creepy....

fair enough. I would guess that the whole country is pretty uninformed though. Maybe a tad more around here.

"They like the quality of colleges and universities here."

We spend more dollars on education that any other country, yet our education results fail. Change has got to begin with high education since that is who and where “White Collar” guidelines are set for “Blue Collar” workers.

Good and extenuating examples: are in the food preparation industry. Is it necessary or healthy to eat every meal at a fast food chain?

Back to Parks and hiking; “Holden Arboretum and Botanical Gardens in one of the largest in the USA. Large by at least 3,500 acres.”

http://www.holdenarb.org/education/wellness.asp

“Horticulture Therapy” no insurance company will pay for this therapy, yet it was this exactly what helped me accept a “Neurological Disability, heal a Broken leg, and how too relax by concentrating on a single flower and its smell“.

Education; By building on this, thinking the outcome will create and make “white and blue collar” jobs outside of war. Seems like “Busch Gardens” in Florida lost its essence.

Alford-M...

Amen! I live in Atlanta too and have been somewhat shocked by the level of crime I've seen / heard / experienced since moving here. That's what you get with a big city I guess.

To those back home...it could always be worse!!!

I love trees. I love trees that are full with leaves . . . especially about this time of year . . . . . oh, any time of the year. I love trees that are not butchered by the removal of limbs which extend beyond my property line. I have trees with limbs which extend beyond the property line. I will remove those limbs if the neighbor objects. If I am unable to remove them, the objecting neighbor may remove them. As for leaves that fall on other's property . . . . well plenty of leaves from other's property fall or are blown onto our property. The poem "Trees" by Joyce Kilmer is a beautiful piece of literature.

rmk

Colorado is nice. The New England area is too taxing. The south is WAY too expensive. California is full of nuts. Over all, Ohio isn't that bad.

Despite what it says beneath my screen name I actualy live in Canton. If you read the online Repository you will hear from the commenters that Canton is the worst place to live in the USA. Beacon commenters claim that Akron is. Personaly both of these medium size cities are suffering from the same ailment, lack of funds. This is due to the fact that most of the industry from the glory days has either relocated or gone under. I'm sure it's the same in most urban areas. If you want safe, move to the country. Of course you'll be 15 miles from everthing.

I love the area, but have to agree that people are not as open as in other parts of the country or even compared to Columbus or Cincinnati. I think a big part of it here is that the people who stay in the area tend to stay because of family ties, and then only associate with those ties. We don't have large influxes of strangers (like all the people who go to OSU) who then meet randomly and form new attachments. When I first came back to the area it was so difficult to meet new people. In coffee shops or other public spots people just didn't strike up conversations like they did in Columbus, and the same applied as I started traveling with my job. And I don't think you can site UA or maybe even KSU as they draw so heavily on the locale population.

The area governance seems to fight new ideas and change as well. It took us forever to get a dog park, and they seem bent on widening roads, ignoring calls for bike lanes, discouraging pedestrians (except downtown), etc. Granted there are bright spots, but overall you just don't see the same encouragement as in other areas of the country.

mdr966, you are correct. Thats all I had to say

Where do the Japanese, Koreans, and Germans locate their auto plants? In the south. Where did Michelin locate its tire plants? You get one guess.
Here in Greenville, SC I talk to former BFG (now a Michelin subsidiary) transplants from Akron. They are thrilled to be here. The coldest month is January, high of 52, low 32. Nine months plus of outdoor weather.

It's the darn weather! Take a look at the number of cloudy days in a row in both of these areas. Travel a few miles up to Cleveland and you don't have these doom and gloom days hanging around for weeks on end because the wind off the lake moves it out. It just hangs there for weeks in Akron and Portage County. That's enough to give anyone a sour outlook on life.

A lot of cities and townships are OK in those areas. I'd say people are associating Akron with this and Akron is not a good place to be anymore. Too much crime and racial hatred there.

Ole George N., still extolling the virtues of South Carolina. You know why the auto makers moved south? The same reason they move to third world countries. Cheap, stupid, labor.

betchurbottomdollar,

I wholeheartedly disagree. I'm in Cleveland quite often and there's little difference in the weather except for perhaps a few degrees in temperature from the lake effect. Plus, if you go east of Cleveland, the weather is a lot worse due to the lake effect snow.

Aside from that, I'd wager all of my belongings that a poll of Cuyahoga County residents would yield similar of worse results as those in this poll.

George,

It's not the weather, it's the labor issues.

@The_Original_Jason - Nothing in particular. I'm just of the opinion that the current way we do things isn't getting the job done.

Most businessmen would agree that we are taxed too much. With declining margins and slumping sales, a lot of businesses can't keep their doors open.

I love Akron!

Logic - You forgot
7. Take the wheels off your house

Gopherhater- You are dead wrong about the south. Try being a minority on vacation on Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket. The most prejudice white people live there, in my experience.

jimdandy478,

I won't disagree with your taxation point one bit. When you cited incentives, I thought you weren't in favor of easing taxes, but I misread that.

A 2006 report on violent crime rates for each state in America. South Carolina ranked number 1. Worst state in the nation for crimes. Ohio ranked 27th. Best state was Maine. New England, of course, is the exact opposite from the South. You can tell that by voter patterns as well. They also take less than they give to the treasury, unlike the South, which takes more than it gives.

The link:
http://www.census.gov/statab/ranks/rank21.html

Bottom line - stupid is as South Carolina does.

A survey majority said the area isn't a welcoming place.

''Man, I'm glad these people don't live in my neighborhood,'' said the kind lady from Kent.

@ Logic: I agree with you 100%. If the city would enforce the ordinances that require home/land owners to properly maintain their property, Akron would be a much better place to live...

@ The_Original_Jason - You know how it is. What you think and what you type can be two different things sometimes.

It is not many cities that have a Mayor negotiating the MidEast peace talks like Akron.

Plusquellic's special envoy will be leaving for David Ben-Gurion Airport from Akron Canton via US Air Force II in a couple of hours says a Mayoral Press Release by special order from President Obamma.

@McDonald - He might as well. He's not doing a bang up job of negotiating things at home.

I'm sure he'll ask for somebody to lay-off of the other guy.

Is it because of the teen age physcho's that play video games all day and do crimes 24-7, Hoochie momma section 8 queens that house drug dealer idiots. The fat cat political leaders that stuff their pockets and run? Or the Arab stores that poison our community with unhealthy vices food beer cigs etc. Other than those few things I named who wouldn't want to live in OHIO and did I mention the racism? And the elite getting their wealth and buts kissed LElame James? OHIO GOT TO LOVE IT..

Compared with resilient places Columbus, Austin, Charlotte and the Raleigh-Durham area, Akron, Canton and Cleveland totally lack energy and momentum. This entire region feels like it never recovered emotionally and spiritually from losing its' manufacturing base, and its' people seem mentally and culturally beaten down and stuck in the 80s. Travelling between Akron and Columbus even feels like going through some sort of 25-year time warp.

As someone commented above, there are few inviting places in this area for single, 20- and 30-something college grads to live, work and socialize. These are our future community and business leaders, but they are leaving NE Ohio in droves because they cannot find their place here. But they are finding their place in Columbus and Raleigh.

This is bad news for the future of this region, because without the next generation of educated professionals and businessfolk, we will be relegated even further into the economic backwoods of the world.

Akron's current business leaders and professionals are making some progress here with the U of A and the Bioinnovation corridor, but it's not enough. Aron isn't even treading water. Canton is dead and Cleveland is on life support. We need something bigger, something revolutionary to reverse this region's fortunes.

And people like me need to learn how to spell!

Let's see, they used to call it the "Best Location in the Nation." Still trying to figure out why. Well, I'm glad it's your problem and not mine.

I have two children that are adults. I told them both to run not walk out of this racist town and find out what real opportunity is about. They took my advise and I'm so glad they did.

There isn't a neighborhood left in Akron that is untouched by AMHA, Section 8 housing. That is the problem. Those of us who work for what we have are not allowed to enjoy it. Name one neighborhood that isn't bordered by the "projects" or surrounded by the "projects." Roaming bands of thugs make this a bad place to live.

gop hater........ well your racist.

empowerment1- hoochie mama section 8 queens?! haha.. i just had a vision of driving through snydertown in the middle of summer!

I was born and raised in Akron. I will be 68 years old Sunday and am looking for a place to move to in Akron. It's my home, but I had a need to get away and
after 16 years I still love Akron and the people. I grew up in an area where there was bigotry, but I didn't fall into that> I was ignorant and thought I knew everything, but I was a jerk and fell in with the wrong people. A City is only as strong as the residents allow it to be. We all have to work together to achieve a better America.

truth seeker, you don't look a day over 67 - it must be that great Ahia air. Happy birthday.

Is it Barnsville or Barnesville?

Someone was talking about everyone cleaning up 'round their house and mowing their lawns, and I posted...

"If you mow your yard and find a car you forgot about... you just might be a redneck."

I'm hurt.

I was born and raised in n.e. ohio. I've been in other places and been in other countries. I like the seasonal changes. I'm retired and plan on being burried here when I pass on. If you don't like what is around you then do something to change it, don't just complain about it. Love Ohio

I am a transplant of 6 years, my sister 8 years, and my mother just moved here. My brother would come if he did not have other things going on in his life. I am always surprised at the negative comments. I chose to come live here. I have lived in 2 major and 2 medium citys. I love Akron. I know my neighbors(NHill) I love you can get almost anywhere in 20 minutes, the parks,cost of living, etc. Crime? I thought when I moved here the media was not reporting it.It is amazing for a city this size how little crime there is. Perhaps 20 years ago, things were different here, I was not here to form that opinion. I think NE Ohio is an excellent place to live. I guess life is what you make of it, no matter where you live. Yes, more sunshine would be a plus.

Wilma, no I just happened to haved lived there and am simply relaying what I saw and heard.

Speculation, Thanks for the BD wish and it is Barnesville.

Racism and Bigotry in Akron? You joking? You guys can't hold a candle to what I experienced for 20 years in Kansas....

Aside from that, I really love the parks, and don't mind Northern Summit Co., Medina Co., and parts of Western Cuyahoga Co.....and I currently live in the Tampa Bay area...

I was born and raised in Cleveland. As a young adult I moved around the Midwest and lived mostly in big cities. I choose to move to Akron for a job 12 years ago. Yes, I moved here on purpose. I love living here. I really do. I like the beauty and the grittiness of the city. I love living in NE Ohio. So it gets cold and snows in winter and sometimes it gets super stinking hot and humid in the summer. I don't mind. To me it's home.

What is wrong with this town has nothing to do with racism, though - this town hands out licenses to panhandlers, turns it head on racial hate crimes and tries to call them something else, spends money on technology that we don't need (the downtown Wi-Fi) and does nothing to encourage business or growth. This town actively supports business in downtown that most people cannot afford to patronize - it is nice that our mayor enjoys his meals at Bricco and The Chop House - but he is enjoying them on our dime - not his own - there aren't a whole lot of families here in town who can afford the type of business that Plusquellic has supported. The jobs these companies provide are terrific as is the tax dollars that they bring in, but revitalising downtown should be more about bringing in business that can hire in quantity - then we can all get back to work, pay our taxes and buy King Don another steak...

fallen trinity: nice name. Wasn't the panhandling license thing intended to reduce it? I liked the idea when it was enacted. But I don't see it being implemented. I don't want any stranger approaching me whilst I'm walking down the sidewalk that I help pay with my tax cheddar. I've been telling people for years that they ask for change, the time, a cig, a light or whatever to get close to you and make your hands vulnerable going through your pockets. Would you encourage someone to move to Akron, where the police turn a blind eye to people hanging out in front of stores, who harass you for money, and spew invectives at ya when you don't? Oh yeah, and allow hate crimes.