Housing Agency No Longer Plans to Purchase Harleigh Inn

ICAN Housing Solutions will not move forward with the purchase of the  — meaning North Canton won’t be the home of a new low-income apartment complex, but another city might.

The agency, which helps people with psychiatric disabilities obtain housing, planned to turn North Canton’s only hotel into an apartment building with 17 efficiency and eight one-bedroom apartments. The agency would cater the building to veterans but, because some funding sources carry certain regulations, could not guarantee the building would house only veterans.

ICAN Executive Director Maryellen Cameron said the agency didn’t have enough money to support its plan.

“Essentially, it has to do with the fact the plan was going to be more expensive than we anticipated, and we weren’t going to be able to raise sufficient funding,” Cameron said.

Cameron had held in the North Canton Civic Center. Nearly 70 residents showed, and no one came forward to support the purchase. Council members also brought up their concerns.

Cameron said ICAN would do no drug testing for its residents, nor would it set a curfew. The only difference between ICAN and any other landlord would be the addition of a service coordinator who would not reside in the building, but be there about 15 hours a week.

Several residents, including Councilman Pat DeOrio, said the idea of an apartment building catering to veterans was unrealistic because ICAN cannot dictate who can live there. Veterans would end up on a waiting list.

Council President Daryl Revoldt said at the meeting ICAN would need to take the plan to the Zoning Board. The agency wanted to fit 25 apartments into a building that only qualified for six.

That influenced Cameron’s decision, too, she said.

She said the agency still will find a building to provide housing for veterans, as the need is so great. She cited 1,200 calls to the Stark County homeless hotline in one year.

“Twenty-five units wouldn’t have even put a dent in it, but you have to start somewhere,” she said.

Eric Bowles, economic development director and zoning inspector, said the city — including himself, the Mayor's Office and permits office — received no announcement from Cameron about withdrawing her plan.