The City of Akron is taking steps in trying to get more senior housing in Akron's Ward 9 neighborhood.

City Council passed legislation to get an application to the Ohio Housing Financing Agency to get a 40- unit senior housing complex on Kenmore Boulevard.

Ward 9 Councilman Mike Freeman explains how the ordinance works.

"The legislation allows the city to do a land swap with the Akron Public School system," he said.

"Once we have control of the site, we would make it available to Buckeye Community Hope Foundation to build the facility on."

There's still some negotiation on how much the city will be paying for this venture, which will probably be based on demolition costs.

At-large councilman Jeff Fusco says the seniors in the area will benefit tremendously.

It's directly next door to the Kenmore Community Center, but I know the seniors meet there and both of the buildings can feed off one another."

Fusco says that there's a real need for senior housing within the city.

Freeman said that after years of planning, it's good to see the plan come to fruition.

I just hope 20 years from now I drive past a building and say that I had a part in getting some seniors some quality housing."

Once the process is approved by the Ohio Housing Financing Agency,  both men say groundbreaking will take place in early to mid 2012.