Akron advances proposed Highland Square safety district assessment
Akron City Council advanced a proposed Highland Square district that could assess affected property owners about $100,000 a year for security and upkeep.
Akron City Council’s July 20, 2026, action moved the proposed Highland Square Special Improvement District into its next legal and financial stage. The district would cover a commercial stretch of West Market Street and could fund added security, maintenance, parking planning and neighborhood improvements.
The vote did not make the district fully operational. It advanced the assessment and services-plan process for 2026 through 2029, while additional notices, approvals and operating arrangements remain ahead.
What the council approved
Akron City Council’s summary of Resolution No. 243-2026 says the legislation, passed July 20, declared it necessary to levy assessments for public improvements and public services connected to the City of Akron Highland Square Special Improvement District.
The resolution is tied to Ordinance No. 242-2026, which approved the district and a plan for services to be provided during the 2026-2029 period. The legal summary was posted July 21 and is scheduled to remain posted through Aug. 7, 2026.
How the proposed funding would work
The proposed assessment is expected to generate approximately $100,000 annually for three years from affected property owners. The money would be collected through a special assessment rather than coming only from Akron’s general fund.
Signal Akron reported that the proposed formula would charge building owners roughly $40.42 per year for each foot of property frontage along West Market Street. The district covers a defined group of commercial and nearby parcels, not every business or property in Highland Square.
The city’s petition and updated Exhibit A identify property owners representing at least 60% of the total front footage of the properties included in the petition. That threshold applies to the district-creation petition process. The petition states that it does not itself impose an assessment and that further action is required before special assessments can be levied.
What the district could fund
The proposed safety plan would allow spending on private security patrols, particularly during weekend nights, along with coordination among property owners, the city and the Akron Police Department.
Other eligible work includes exploring investments in district lighting and cameras; developing a plan for safe, accessible and free or paid parking during daytime and nighttime hours; neighborhood cleanups; snow and ice removal; murals; banners; public-space improvements; and a possible district sound system for ambient music.
These are planned or eligible uses of district funds. The council action does not show that all services have begun or that every proposed improvement will be completed.
Why the proposal emerged
The proposal follows earlier concerns about security, barriers, parking and conditions along the West Market Street business corridor. An April report from WOIO 19 News described discussions about private security, police patrols and changes intended to address problems around the commercial area.
That context helps explain the plan’s focus, but it does not establish that the district will reduce crime or resolve every safety concern.
What happens next
Highland Square property owners should watch for additional assessment notices, any assessment-board process, final approvals and the district’s operating arrangements. The Akron City Council agenda and legislative records portal is the official place to follow related notices and actions.
Businesses and residents should also look for information about whether security patrols, cleanup, parking work or other services receive funding and when they actually begin. For now, the July 20 vote is a step toward implementation, not confirmation that a fully funded and operating safety district is already in place.
Sources
- Akron City Council resolution summary
- Signal Akron district coverage
- City of Akron petition and updated Exhibit A
- WOIO 19 News Highland Square security report
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