Sage Frederick Lewis
{{Short description|American homelessness activist and author}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}{{Infobox people
| name = Sage Frederick Lewis
| image = Sage Frederick Lewis.jpg
| birth_date = September 28, 1971
| nationality = American
| occupation = Activist, author, businessman
}}
Sage Frederick Lewis (born September 28, 1971) is an American homelessness activist, author, and small business owner. He is known for allowing a homeless encampment of 50 people on his private property in Akron, Ohio.{{Cite news|last=Smith|first=Mitch|date=2018-10-16|title=Why a Private Landowner Is Fighting to Keep the Homeless on His Property|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/16/us/akron-homeless-tent-city.html|access-date=2021-03-31|issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web|last=Bigley II|first=James |title=Remember Tent City|url=https://clevelandmagazine.com/in-the-cle/the-read/articles/remember-tent-city|access-date=2021-03-31|website=clevelandmagazine.com|language=en}}
Career
Lewis founded SageRock Inc., a digital marketing company with his wife, Rocky Lewis, in 1999. It grew to 25 people with annual earnings of up to $1.5 million at its peak. In 2009, the Great Recession left the business with only three employees.{{Cite web|title=27 Sep 2019, A6 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/605323842/?terms=sage%20lewis%20sagerock&match=1|access-date=2021-03-31|website=Newspapers.com|language=en}}
Lewis also hosted the daily web series Web Marketing Watch,{{Cite book|last=Jarboe|first=Greg|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xTuWAAAAQBAJ&q=sagerock&pg=PA171|title=YouTube and Video Marketing: An Hour a Day|date=2009-08-14|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-0-470-57782-0|language=en}} and wrote the digital marketing book Link Building is Dead. Long Live Link Building!{{Cite web |date=2016-04-28 |title=Everything You Know About SEO Is Wrong, Sage Lewis |url=https://janetdodrill.wordpress.com/2016/04/28/everything-you-know-about-seo-is-wrong-sage-lewis/ |access-date=2021-03-31 |website=Janet Dodrill's Blog |language=en}} Lewis is also an auctioneer{{Cite web|date=2018-10-17|title=When Akron failed the homeless, he took matters into his own hands|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/when-akron-failed-the-homeless-he-took-matters-into-his-own-hands|access-date=2021-03-31|website=Washington Examiner|language=en}} and owner of Rubber City Auctions.
With no previous political experience, Lewis ran for Akron mayor as an Independent in 2015.{{Cite web|title=Unlikely candidate makes case to be Akron mayor|url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/akron/unlikely-candidate-makes-case-to-be-akron-mayor/95-109917580|access-date=2021-03-31|website=wkyc.com|date=June 15, 2015 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|title=8 Sep 2015, Page A003 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/170193572/|access-date=2021-03-31|website=Newspapers.com|language=en}} He initially filed a petition to run as a Democrat, but his petition was not certified{{Cite web|title=Only 4 Dems make cut for Sept. 8 Akron mayoral primary|url=https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/local/akron/only-4-dems-make-cut-for-sept-8-akron-mayoral-primary/95-109920453|access-date=2021-03-31|website=wkyc.com|date=June 22, 2015 |language=en-US}} and he was not included on the final ballot.{{Cite web|title=Nearly $540,000 already spent in Akron mayoral primary|url=https://www.beaconjournal.com/article/20150827/NEWS/308279121|access-date=2021-03-31|website=Akron Beacon Journal|language=en}} During his campaign, Lewis made connections with members of the homeless community.{{Cite web|first=Doug |last=Livingston |title=Clown panhandles his way to homeownership|url=https://observer-reporter.com/living/clown-panhandles-his-way-to-homeownership/article_067bcfa8-cefe-51c4-9678-40eca7c2fe4a.html|access-date=2021-03-31|website=Observer-Reporter|language=en}}
Homeless tent village
In January 2017, Summit Metro Parks closed a tent community to make way for a new trail called Freedom Trail.{{Cite web|date=2017-01-09|title=Homeless People In Akron Have Some Ideas After Being Asked to Leave the Freedom Trail|url=https://www.wksu.org/community/2017-01-08/homeless-people-in-akron-have-some-ideas-after-being-asked-to-leave-the-freedom-trail|access-date=2021-03-31|website=WKSU|language=en}} Lewis allowed some of the homeless displaced by Freedom Trail construction to camp on his property;{{Cite web|first1=Jeff|last1=Rowes|first2=Diana|last2=Simpson|title=Jeff Rowes and Diana Simpson: Sage Lewis and the freedom to help those most in need|url=https://www.beaconjournal.com/opinion/20181024/jeff-rowes-and-diana-simpson-sage-lewis-and-freedom-to-help-those-most-in-need|access-date=2021-03-31|website=Akron Beacon Journal|language=en}} some of them ran a thrift store on Lewis's property.{{Cite web|last=Livingston|first=Doug|title=Akron's homeless build new lives at Second Chance Village|url=https://www.beaconjournal.com/news/20170917/akrons-homeless-build-new-lives-at-second-chance-village|access-date=2021-03-31|website=Akron Beacon Journal|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Livingston|first=Doug|title=Origins of homeless tent city told in fallout with founders|url=https://www.beaconjournal.com/news/20181030/origins-of-homeless-tent-city-told-in-fallout-with-founders|access-date=2021-03-31|website=Akron Beacon Journal|language=en}} It later became a 50-person tent village initially named Second Chance Village, later known as the Homeless Charity & Village. Lewis helped establish rules for the village, shared resources with its residents,{{Cite web|last=Lewis|first=Rocky|title=The Homeless Charity and Village in Akron, OH|url=https://www.rd.com/nicestplaces/homeless-charity-village-akron-oh/|access-date=2021-03-31|website=Reader's Digest|language=en-US}}{{COI source|sure=yes|date=March 2022}} and helped pay for the village’s property tax and bills.{{Cite web|title=19 Sep 2017, A004 - The Akron Beacon Journal at Newspapers.com|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/341125126/?terms=sage%20lewis&match=1|access-date=2021-03-31|website=Newspapers.com|language=en}} He and the village were the topics of a documentary series that was shown at the Cleveland International Film Festival.{{Cite web|title=Inside Akron's Tent City - Episode 1 - A Different Kind of Shelter - Cleveland International Film Festival :: April 7 - 20, 2021|url=https://www.clevelandfilm.org/films/2019/inside-akrons-tent-city--episode-1--a-different-kind-of-shelter|access-date=2021-03-31|website=www.clevelandfilm.org|language=en}} In 2018, the Lewises published a book about some of the village’s residents, titled Out of the Shadows: An American Homeless Story.{{Cite web|last=Livingston|first=Doug|title=Property that once housed homeless camp in Akron is up for sale|url=https://www.beaconjournal.com/news/20190926/property-that-once-housed-homeless-camp-in-akron-is-up-for-sale|access-date=2021-03-31|website=Akron Beacon Journal|language=en}}
In 2018, Akron officials expressed concerns about the village breaking city zoning restrictions, and Lewis filed a petition requesting a zoning exception.{{Cite web|date=2018-06-19|title=An Akron Tent City Lobbies For 'Second Chance' At Life|url=https://news.wosu.org/news/2018-06-19/an-akron-tent-city-lobbies-for-second-chance-at-life|access-date=2021-03-31|website=WOSU News|language=en}} The ACLU of Ohio, the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless, several other nonprofits, and local academics sent a letter to the city of Akron urging them to keep the village.{{Cite web|last=Grzegorek|first=Vince|title=ACLU of Ohio, Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless and Others Implore Akron Planning Commission to Protect 'Second Chance Village" Homeless Camp|url=https://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2018/06/14/aclu-of-ohio-northeast-ohio-coalition-for-the-homeless-and-others-implore-akron-planning-commission-to-protect-second-chance-village-homele|access-date=2021-03-31|website=Cleveland Scene|language=en}}
The homeless-run tent village was forced to close by Akron City Council in an 8-4 vote in September 2018.{{Cite web|date=2019-01-05|title=Homeless people forced to clear out of Ohio tent city|url=https://apnews.com/article/3f85f0e662884718a28b4fbf043f4a83|access-date=2021-03-31|website=AP NEWS}} Akron officials ordered the village's inhabitants to vacate in early December 2018.{{Cite web|agency=Associated Press|title=Homeless people forced to clear out of Ohio tent city|url=https://www.news-herald.com/news/ohio/akron-homeless-people-forced-to-clear-out-of-tent-city/article_1f16fb4a-1756-5b49-a7a6-c7e48dfc04e4.html|access-date=2021-04-01|website=The News-Herald|language=en}} Lewis announced plans to sue the city over the decision.{{Cite web|last=Bivins|first=Brittany|title=Akron homeless advocates fight for 'Tent City'|url=https://www.cleveland19.com/2018/10/16/akron-homeless-advocates-fight-tent-city/|access-date=2021-04-01|website=www.cleveland19.com|date=October 16, 2018 |language=en-US}}
After the forced closure of the tent village, Lewis began renovating houses to use as transitional shelter for homeless people.{{Cite web|date=2018-09-24|title=Second Chance Village Founder Has a New Plan to Help the Homeless|url=https://www.wksu.org/community/2018-09-24/second-chance-village-founder-has-a-new-plan-to-help-the-homeless|access-date=2021-04-01|website=WKSU|language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Livingston |first=Doug |title=Boarding homes may be answer for homeless tent city residents |url=https://www.beaconjournal.com/news/20181210/boarding-homes-may-be-answer-for-homeless-tent-city-residents |url-status=dead |access-date=2021-04-01 |website=Akron Beacon Journal |language=en |archive-date=September 30, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200930190224/https://www.beaconjournal.com/news/20181210/boarding-homes-may-be-answer-for-homeless-tent-city-residents }} The charity Lewis runs has two houses in operation.
= Legal issues =
After the closure of the tent village, the Libertarian law firm Institute for Justice represented Lewis pro-bono to appeal his case in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas. They filed a separate but related complaint against the city on the basis that the government infringed on Lewis’ constitutional right to shelter the homeless on his private property.{{Cite web|last=Livingston|first=Doug|title=A final loss at City Hall sends Akron's homeless tent city to the courts|url=https://www.beaconjournal.com/news/20190131/final-loss-at-city-hall-sends-akrons-homeless-tent-city-to-courts|access-date=2021-04-01|website=Akron Beacon Journal|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Simpson|first=Jeff Rowes and Diana|title=Jeff Rowes and Diana Simpson: Sage Lewis and the freedom to help those most in need|url=https://www.beaconjournal.com/opinion/20181024/jeff-rowes-and-diana-simpson-sage-lewis-and-freedom-to-help-those-most-in-need|access-date=2021-04-01|website=Akron Beacon Journal|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2019-01-25|title=Landowner of Akron's Tent City will appeal city's decision to shut down homeless community|url=https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/akron-canton-news/landowner-of-akrons-tent-city-will-appeal-citys-decision-to-shut-down-homeless-community|access-date=2021-04-01|website=WEWS|language=en}}
Lewis appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court to intervene after an appellate court ruled that he had improperly filed suit with the city’s law director instead of the city council.{{Cite web|last1=Zuckerman|first1=Jake|date=2020-02-11|title=Homeless advocate takes Akron's 'tent city' rejection to Ohio Supreme Court|url=https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2020/02/11/homeless-advocate-takes-akrons-tent-city-rejection-to-ohio-supreme-court/|access-date=2021-04-01|website=Ohio Capital Journal|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|date=February 11, 2020|title=Homeless Advocate Wants Ohio Supreme Court to Hear Appeal|work=U.S. News|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/ohio/articles/2020-02-11/homeless-advocate-wants-ohio-supreme-court-to-hear-appeal}} In April 2020, the Ohio Supreme Court decided not to consider his appeal.{{Cite web|title=Ohio Supreme Court declines to hear appeal on homeless-run campground in Akron|url=https://www.indeonline.com/news/20200430/ohio-supreme-court-declines-to-hear-appeal-on-homeless-run-campground-in-akron|access-date=2021-04-01|website=The Independent|language=en}}
Akron mayor Dan Horrigan wrote an op-ed attacking Lewis. "For all the posturing, loud impassioned speeches, blog posts, public requests for donations and edgy movie posters depicting him as some type of savior, Sage Lewis has made little progress on actually moving the needle on homelessness."{{Cite web|last=Horrigan|first=Dan|title=Dan Horrigan: Let's clean up the picture on the Homeless Charity|url=https://www.beaconjournal.com/opinion/20181029/dan-horrigan-lets-clean-up-picture-on-homeless-charity|access-date=2021-04-01|website=Akron Beacon Journal|language=en}}
Bibliography
- Lewis, Sage. (2013). Link Building is Dead. Long Live Link Building! Akron, Ohio: SageRock Publishing. ISBN 9780615829630
- Lewis, Rocky; Lewis, Sage. (2018). Out of the Shadows: An American Homeless Story. Akron, Ohio: Homeless Charity. ISBN 9780578414171
- Lewis, Sage. (2021). The Homeless Activist. Akron, Ohio: SageRock Publishing. ISBN 9781732977426