The code and the office that enforces it
Akron’s housing standards are in the Environmental Health Housing Code, part of Title 15 of the city’s codified ordinances. The Housing Compliance Division of the Department of Neighborhood Assistance enforces it, from the Akron Municipal Building at 166 S. High St. The division’s stated goal is “decent, safe, and sanitary living conditions” across the city.
Main contacts the city lists:
| Need | Contact |
|---|---|
| Report a possible violation | 311 |
| Housing Compliance Division | 330-375-2366 |
| Emailed complaint form | HousingCodeComplaints@akronohio.gov |
| City main line | 330-375-2311 |
The housing code applies to owner-occupied homes as well as rentals. For rentals, it sits alongside the state duty in R.C. 5321.04 that landlords comply with housing, health and safety codes and keep the unit fit and habitable.
How a case starts
A case starts in one of three ways, according to the city: a citizen complaint, a referral from another agency, or an inspector noticing a problem in their assigned area. An inspector then visits to decide whether an ordinance violation exists.
Signal Akron, describing the process in January 2025, added two practical points: complaints can be anonymous, and paper forms can be mailed or dropped off at the division’s office on the eighth floor of the Municipal Building.
Tenants have a separate route for repair problems in a rental. Akron Municipal Court’s rent escrow process lets a tenant who has given the landlord written notice and a reasonable time to repair deposit rent with the clerk under R.C. 5321.07, instead of paying the landlord. A code complaint and a rent escrow case can run at the same time.
The order to repair
If the inspector confirms a violation, the owner receives an order to repair, by mail or posted on the property. It lists what must be fixed and, in most cases, a compliance date. Signal Akron reports that the inspector decides how much time to allow.
What the city tells owners to do:
- Don’t ignore it. The city’s page says so in plain words.
- Fix the listed items by the compliance date, and keep receipts and photos.
- If you can’t finish in time, contact the assigned inspector before the date to request an extension.
- Get permits where the repair needs them, such as structural, electrical or roofing work.
Keep the inspector’s name and extension on file. The division page lists each inspector’s phone extension.
When violations go unfixed
Unresolved orders escalate. The city says it may begin legal proceedings in consultation with the Department of Law, and owners may be fined for non-compliance. It does not publish fine amounts.
Serious cases can go to the Housing Appeals Board. Sanitarian Supervisor Jodie Forester told Signal Akron, “Nothing goes before the Housing Appeals Board unless we already have an active housing code violation file.” Buildings more than 60% deteriorated, such as those with structural damage, roof holes or fire damage, are the ones commonly sent there.
Appealing an order to the Housing Appeals Board
An owner who disagrees with an order can appeal it to the Housing Appeals Board. The board is a seven-member body of Akron residents appointed by the mayor, and its page says it hears appeals of Environmental Health Housing Code orders as well as demolition recommendations. It meets monthly at 9 a.m. in City Council Chambers on the third floor of the Municipal Building. Check the posted agenda for the date, because the city’s page and its agendas list different days.
At a hearing, staff present the case, witnesses are sworn in, and owners and neighbors can speak. The board encourages owners to bring a written repair plan and schedule. Outcomes shown in its minutes include:
- Denying or dismissing the appeal.
- Granting an extension with conditions, such as securing the house, removing refuse, pulling permits, repairing, or selling.
- Continuing the case to a later meeting.
The demolition side of the board’s work, including how a house ends up on the demolition list, is covered in our guide to the Akron demolition order.
Other Akron divisions that may contact an owner
Not every city notice comes from Housing Compliance. The Department of Neighborhood Assistance has separate units, and it helps to know which one wrote to you:
- Nuisance Compliance Division: handles nuisance issues on the property, separate from the housing code itself.
- Vacant building registration: under Ordinance 207-2018, which added Chapter 154 to the code, owners of vacant commercial or industrial buildings must register them, pay a fee, submit a vacant building plan and meet maintenance standards. The city’s page describes it for commercial and industrial buildings, not houses.
- Housing Appeals Board: the hearing body for appeals and demolition cases.
Each notice names the division and an inspector or contact. Answer the one that wrote to you, in writing, and keep a copy.
Code orders and a sale
An open order doesn’t stop you from selling, but it does follow the house. Practical points for a seller:
- Disclose it. Give the buyer a copy of the order and any correspondence. Our guide to the Ohio residential property disclosure form explains what the form asks.
- Ask the inspector what a buyer needs to do, so the buyer can price the repairs.
- Register it if it is a rental. An unregistered rental is itself a code violation in Akron, as covered in Akron rental registration.
For the seller’s decision of whether to repair first or sell as it is, read selling a house with code violations. If you’d like a number on an Akron house with an open order, send us the address.
