Dayton is located in the western part of Ohio, about an hour north of Cincinnati and an hour and a half west of Columbus. Although its economic power has declined, resident involvement has remained strong. This is reflected in the Dayton 1995 Consolidated Plan. The citizen participation, strategic visioning, and community priority setting processes represent a very relevant set of goals, needs, and objectives from residents of some of the most needy neighborhoods in Dayton. This was important work that will be used in determining the implementation of city programs. Further, it provided the citizens, partners, and other stakeholders in the city an opportunity to refine and build upon their vision for sustainable, participatory community development.
Dayton's 1995 action plan includes funding for assisting homeless persons in obtaining affordable housing; increasing the availability of permanent housing that is affordable to low-income citizens without discrimination; expanding economic opportunities, particularly for low- and very low-income persons; and establishing and maintaining safe and suitable neighborhoods. Dayton will utilize $8,825,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, $2,058,000 in HOME Grant funds, and $314,000 of Emergency Shelter Grant funds.
Dayton's citizens have established a tradition of involvement in city government decision-making dating to 1967 with Dayton's selection as a Model City. Citizen involvement took further shape with the formation of elected neighborhood councils as part of the Planned Variations Program. Those councils, known as Priority Boards, now have a quarter-century of experience and have emerged as the respected and official mechanism for citizen participation in city government. Priority Boards now include citizens from every Dayton neighborhood and individual neighborhood groups.
Notification of hearing dates, availability of documents, and other aspects of citizen participation are communicated to citizens and community groups through the Priority Board network, as well as by published notices. The 1995 Consolidated Plan engaged hundreds of citizens from all segments of the community to participate while Dayton applied for "Enterprise Community" designation. Although the city did not receive this designation, the needs, priorities, and ideas are incorporated in Dayton's Consolidated Plan. Dayton's Priority Board system has received national and international recognition as a model of citizen participation.
Once a prosperous, mid-American factory town, Dayton's economy suffered from the loss of jobs starting from the late 1960s and continuing through the 1970s and 1980s. Census data show that over the past 30 years, Dayton's population has decreased. In 1970 Dayton was the 59th largest city in the country; in 1990 it had dropped 30 places to 89th; by the turn of the century, it is expected to drop out of the top 100. The current population count is 182,044.
Critical changes in the composition and character of Dayton's families have also occurred. There was a decline in the number of families in Dayton, from 48,507 in 1980 to 43,637 in 1990. This decline is the result of families moving from the city to the suburbs. Montgomery County's increase in families from 153,607 in 1980 to 154,607 in 1990 supports this conclusion.
However, the number and percentage of families "at risk" increased dramatically. Between 1980 and 1990, the percentage of female-headed families and the percentage of families living below the poverty line increased. Twenty-two percent of all Dayton families fall below the poverty line; 49 percent of female-headed households fall below this level. Further, only 43 percent of Dayton children live in two-parent families compared to the country's average of 77 percent. Dayton's 22 percent of total live births to teenagers in 1990 was more than twice the national rate.
The average per capita income in 1970 was approximately equal to the national average. Today, it is only 74 percent of the country's average. The majority of Dayton households, some 58 percent, are considered low-income, earning less than 80 percent of the median Dayton/Montgomery County Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) income of $28,799. Approximately 39 percent earn less than $17,999, which is 50 percent of the area median. Fifty-three percent of all white households are low-income compared to 66 percent for black households. Although few in number, 78 percent of all Native American households are low-income families. In 1990, 40 percent of Dayton's population was black, while 2 percent were other minorities. Over 50 percent of all very low-income households in Dayton are racial/ethnic minorities.
The new Dayton that has emerged in the past thirty years is quite different from the old one, and the transition has not been kind. Today, Dayton has a concentration of the region's neediest citizens who have more service needs but fewer financial resources to support those needs.
Currently, the Division of Neighborhood Development estimates that there are approximately 53,000 residential structures containing about 80,357 units in Dayton. Some 72,670 are occupied, 51 percent by owners versus 49 percent by renters. The vacancy rate according to the census has remained constant at approximately 10 percent since 1980. Age is probably the most critical factor affecting the housing stock. Approximately 90 percent of the housing was constructed prior to 1969. Some 50 percent of the units are over 50 years old. The city of Dayton developed its own annual exterior housing survey of condition. It defines substandard housing as "those housing units with one or more items which require extensive repair or replacement or could result in properties being vacated or condemned." Based on this definition, 13,666, or 23 percent of Dayton's housing units are substandard. Approximately 90 percent of the units are suitable for rehabilitation.
Thirty-three percent of Dayton's households experience some form of housing need. Problems of overcrowded or physically inadequate housing affect fewer households than do affordability problems. Of the 72,513 households in the city, less than 2 percent live in units lacking complete kitchen and/or plumbing facilities, and approximately 5 percent live in overcrowded units. More very low-income renters live in overcrowded conditions than any other income category.
There are 28,312 households in Dayton with very low incomes. The majority (70 percent) of these are renters. Nearly 70 percent of very low-income renters pay over 30 percent of their income for housing and over 40 percent pay more than half of their income for housing. The incidence of excessive housing costs is lower among homeowners, with about 54 percent of very low-income owners paying over 30 percent of their income for housing costs, and about 28 percent paying over 50 percent.
Nineteen percent of all households have incomes between 51 percent and 80 percent of the median income for the Dayton area. Renter households in this category experience a cost burden in excess of 30 percent. Twenty-three percent of renters in large related households of five or more persons live in overcrowded conditions compared to 3 percent for other renter households. Minority households experience housing problems at a greater rate -- 31 percent compared to 24 percent for all renter households.
Although specific figures were not available for Dayton, many low-income Ohioans are energy burdened as well as cost burdened. An estimate for energy burdened households in Dayton is 30,000.
There are 80,357 housing units in Dayton. This is a 6 percent decline since 1980, compared to a 6 percent increase in the surrounding county. The vacancy rate has remained constant at approximately 10 percent since 1980. An overwhelming percentage (84 percent) of the housing stock is single-family units. Home prices and rents have increased significantly between 1980 and 1990. The mortgage median increased by 53 percent, and the median rent escalated 87 percent. The average cost of a new home in Dayton in 1990 was $62,800 compared to $125,000 for Montgomery County. This illustrates the continuing trend for the more affluent to locate outside the city.
The percentage of the population below the poverty level in Dayton increased from 21 percent to 27 percent between 1980 and 1990. By comparing the number of households in need at various income levels with the number of units of the appropriate size that are vacant, census data indicate a gap of 37,636 owner- and 39,522 renter-affordable units for households below 80 percent of median income.
The problem of homelessness is a growing concern in the city and a priority for action. During 1993 shelter providers served 4,522 individuals, 1,808 of which were children under 18 years of age. There is a large number of low-income, single adults that have until recently been excluded from eligibility for housing programs. Estimates on the number of unsheltered homeless in Dayton range from 230 - 1,000. Estimates on the number of individuals or households threatened with homelessness because of limited income, age, physical or mental disability, medical hardship, illiteracy, domestic violence, etc., reach into the thousands.
Dayton has 9,000 assisted housing units, yet more than 30,000 households would qualify for rental assistance based on income. Forty-seven percent of Dayton's households with incomes of $20,000 or less pay over 35 percent of their incomes for housing costs; 65 percent of this number are renters. Increased Federal rental assistance is required for those households for whom homeownership is not possible. According to the Dayton Metropolitan Housing Authority, there are 406 households countywide on the waiting list for public housing assistance and 5,743 households on the waiting list for Section 8 certificates and vouchers.
There are a number of issues that impact the provision of affordable housing and homeownership. There are a limited number of units affordable by very low-income households, many of them in poor physical condition, and an aging housing stock. In addition, an aging population results in an increase of households on limited incomes. At the same time, the cost of housing is increasing at a rate higher than the increase in incomes. Recent legislation has identified environmental hazards that are costly to abate, limiting further the number of units available to low-income households. Finally, financing is difficult when property values are lower than the cost of construction or repair.
The city of Dayton will conduct an analysis of impediments to fair housing choice within the jurisdiction, taking appropriate actions to overcome the effects of any impediments identified, and maintaining records reflecting the analysis and actions taken.
The city of Dayton has begun to coordinate and develop a strategy with the Montgomery County Combined Health District that focuses on the prevention of lead toxification. The city currently provides assistance to the Ohio Department of Health when cases where elevated blood-lead levels are diagnosed. According to the 1990 census, an estimated 97 percent of all housing units in Dayton have lead paint in or on them. Of the housing units occupied by low-income households, 56,446 (80 percent) are estimated to have lead-based paint.
The age of a community's housing stock provides clues about its condition. Older units tend to be more costly to repair and much more likely to contain unseen pollutants that can seriously affect the resident's safety. In addition to lead-based paint hazards, radon gas and asbestos covering boilers and hot water pipes are sources of home contamination. Thirty-nine percent of Dayton's housing stock was built before 1940. Of that 39 percent, 30 percent (8,289) are occupied by very low-income renters.
Dayton has identified the following five critical actions that promote the development of "community":
Dayton's highest priority community development needs support these actions. The most pressing needs are in the areas of youth centers and services; child care centers and services; transportation services; employment training; substance abuse services; residential preservation needs including energy efficiency improvements, lead-based paint and environmental hazards, and code enforcement and historic preservation.
Implementing the city's housing strategy will require a coordinated partnership of many different organizations and actors. This partnership is referred to as the housing delivery system. The plan for improvement of the housing delivery system in Dayton includes concerted efforts to fill the gaps through training, individualized technical assistance, outreach activities, educational programs, and an ongoing examination of programs and procedures to determine if and where redesigns are appropriate. The institutional structure through which Dayton will carry out its 5-year strategy includes public agencies, private businesses, and nonprofit organizations.
Dayton's vision is one in which:
Dayton's priorities include increasing residents' chances in competing successfully in the labor market by elevating their literacy, employability, andwork-specific skills. The city will work to increase the number of jobs for residents, using entrepreneurial opportunities within the area. It is also important to foster actual ownership as well as a sense of ownership within the community to stabilize people's lives and neighborhoods. Improving health services and increasing the self-sufficiency of the community's people and families will allow them to participate more fully in the community.
Dayton has addressed the housing needs of low-income renters and owners, the homeless, and persons with special needs with the following special priorities:
Dayton's priority community development needs address public facility needs, particularly for youth and child care centers. They will also expand economic development and public services including youth services, transportation services, substance abuse services, employment training and child care services. In addition to improving infrastructure, the city will address other physical structure needs including historic preservation, planning, code enforcement, and lead-based paint abatement.
The city of Dayton will make investments in people and neighborhoods that build economic self-sufficiency as well as a sense of ownership in order to have a lasting, positive impact on the quality of life in Dayton. The Strategic Plan created by the citizens for the city's Enterprise Community application in 1994 contains a strategic vision for reducing poverty and reclaiming Dayton's most distressed neighborhoods. The Youth and Family Policy Strategy commits the city to focusing energy and resources on making Dayton a place where the well-being of children and families is a fundamental concern of city government. Priority for city funds will be given for investments that:
City projects in excess of $1 million will be required to identify how to increase employment for Dayton residents, particularly those who are unemployed or underemployed.
Resources identified to meet housing and community development include Federal programs, non-Federal public programs, and private for-profit and nonprofit activities. Federal program resources include rehabilitation, acquisition, new construction, homebuyer assistance, rental assistance, homeless assistance, homeless preservation, code enforcement, and support services. Ohio State programs include Energy Assistance, Ohio's Housing Trust Fund, and the Ohio Housing Finance Agency.
Local program funds are used for owner rehabilitation, rental renovation, and homebuyer assistance. The creation of the Neighborhood Lending Partnership forged a solid working relationship that has triggered new financing programs, generated investments, and established a mechanism to evaluate projects. Foundations, local businesses, developers, and contractors have been involved in the development of affordable housing in Dayton. In addition, there are 22 nonprofit Neighborhood Development Corporations and many nonprofits that serve or advocate for the needy in Dayton.
The institutional structure through which Dayton will carry out its Strategy Plan includes public agencies and institutions, businesses and private industry, and nonprofit organizations. The lead agency will be the city of Dayton Office of Housing Development. This office will provide key financial and technical support and coordination in bringing together public agencies, a consortium of local financial institutions, social service agencies, neighborhood-based community development corporations, and other support and resources to meet the needs of adequate, safe, and affordable housing and support services. The Office of Housing Development will work jointly with the Department of Planning to monitor the Consolidated Plan and the programs that the city is committed to implementing.
For FY 95, Dayton's CDBG plan totals 9,920,300 for a variety of programs addressing the city's needs. In addition Dayton's HOME program is funded at $2,058,000. The Emergency Shelter Grant Program will continue to support programs for the homeless, including operation of existing shelters for a total of $314,000.
A range of activities are to be funded under this year's CDBG Program including neighborhood conservation and development, housing rehabilitation, preservation and development, economic development, public safety activities, infrastructure improvements, and public services.
Specific projects for allocation by Dayton's Priority Boards will be selected from previously submitted capital projects. Neighborhood Development Corporations will be provided with operation support that will complement many existing neighborhood housing programs. Recreation improvements will occur in a number of community parks such as Burkhardt, Belmont, Ruskin, Sandalwood, Highland, Residence, and McCabe. Approximately 390 street trees will be replaced to reforest neighborhoods where tree losses have occurred in conjunction with other special projects. Americans' with Disabilities Act modifications will be made in Burkhardt, Northwest, Westwood, and Lohrey recreation centers and handicapped accessible ramps will be made throughout the city.
The Dayton Planning Department and the Office of Housing will work jointly to assist in the coordination and implementation of these activities. Other city government departments include Urban Development, Economic Development, Community Affairs, Human and Neighborhood Resources, and the Dayton Human Relations Council. The Dayton Metropolitan Housing Authority will continue its role as primary provider of low-income public housing and administrator of Section 8 programs. Many other agencies are involved: the Montgomery County Community Action Agency; Council on Aging; Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board; YWCA: Montgomery County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities; Senior Citizens of Greater Dayton; Emergency Housing Coalition; and the Dayton Area Aids Task Force.
The currently approved CHAS for Dayton lists homeownership as the number one priority. The Wright-Dunbar efforts will include an increase of new construction. The HOME assisted housing program will be spread among more than 200 planned single-family structures in the first phase. The majority of activity by the city's Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs) will target problem properties throughout the city that will be rehabilitated and offered to low-income homebuyers. A minimum of 50 houses will be renovated or constructed through the programs offered by the city and CHDOs. HOME funds will also be utilized to fix up multifamily nuisance structures for occupancy by low-income tenants. The 1995 allocation will provide gap financing for approximately 50 units.
MAP 1 depicts points of interest in the jurisdiction.
MAP 2 depicts points of interest and low-moderate income areas.
MAP 3 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and minority concentration levels.
MAP 4 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and unemployment levels.
MAP 5 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects.
MAP 6 is a map, sectioned by neighborhood, which depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects.
MAP 7 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects within one of the four neighborhoods indicated in MAP 6.
MAP 8 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects within another of the four neighborhoods indicated in MAP 6.
MAP 9 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded project(s) from a street level vantage point; as well as, provides a table with information about the project(s).
