Akron council orders homeless out of city camp

Associated Press

AKRON

Homeless individuals are clearing out of a tent city after Akron City Council voted to close the encampment.

Akron officials posted a 30-day notice to vacate in early December. They’ve said in a news release that those who refuse to comply by a deadline set Saturday are subject to further legal action.

Local businessman Sage Lewis said more than 20 people will have to leave the makeshift village. He has housed homeless people on his privately owned land since 2017.

The city council last September rejected a zoning request that would have allowed Lewis to keep the encampment open.

A spokeswoman for the mayor told the Akron Beacon Journal that “tents are never going to be a viable, safe option in the city’s mind.”