Attracting New Residents

Overview

In 1960, Dayton was home to about 262,000 residents. Today, Dayton has about 136,000 residents—almost half of what it was over 60 years ago (Frolik, 2019). People are leaving the city faster than they are moving in due to an array of reasons, including a struggling education system and poor job market. Consistent with sociological theories about education, class, and race, a Dayton Daily News article states that “Dayton…faces the racial achievement gap” and “Dayton Public Schools’s poverty rate [is] the second highest in the state” (Sweigart & Kelley, 2018). Students who are people of color as well as those who hail from a lower economic class are much more likely to have poorer education outcomes than those who are white and economically well-off. We plan to attract new residents to Dayton by making it more family friendly, highlighting leisure activities, and marketing to young adults. Dayton should target new families looking to settle down long-term, as well as young adults who are looking to start a career right out of college. In addition, we hope enhancing Dayton’s already existing indoor and outdoor attractions will generate more population in the city. 




Proposed Solutions

Make Dayton more family friendly

One way to make Dayton more family-friendly is to improve the schooling system. The Dayton Public Schools Board of Education released a strategic plan listing many goals for the 2023-2024 school year. They want to continue to implement the gradual release model, implement career speakers in elementary and middle schools, research use of technology, analyze support given to students with disabilities, implement attendance policies for staff, and review the disparity in discipline practices. They also want to ensure closer supervision by principals and have principals hold data meetings after each testing cycle. Continuing to implement these changes will result in many educational benefits. Improvements in education would attract new residents to Dayton. (District Plan, Data, & Information).

Another change that would attract new residents is focusing on areas in Dayton that need more development. If the city can restore and renovate vacant houses and then bring them back to the market, that could improve many neighborhoods and draw people to Dayton.

Leisure Activities

Dayton, OH ranks high when compared with other cities on all things fun, such as nightlife, things to do, and culture. An initiative can be taken to highlight different aspects of Dayton's leisure life. Advertising activities will help to build community among Dayton residents while also supporting local businesses which will help the economy.

Market to Young Adults

Another way to bring more residents to Dayton is to market Dayton as a desirable living place for young adults. Having a new group of young residents will allow them to build a life for themselves and later raise families in Dayton. This will help repopulate the city. There are many wonderful aspects of living in Dayton that make it inherently marketable, such as cheap rent, accessible transportation, and free/inexpensive activities. Dayton's cost of living is 6% lower than the national average, and the cost of housing is 17% cheaper than the national average, making it more affordable than competing cities (Cost of living in Dayton, OH). For those without cars, the Dayton Regional Transit Authority (RTA) is a viable option for getting around the city, and the Flyer even offers free rides to certain stops. Link Dayton Bike Share is another way of getting around the city without presenting a financial burden. And as far as fun things around the city, check out the section on leisure activities. Highlighting the perks of living in Dayton will make it more appealing to live in and will encourage young adults to move there.

Working Toward Attracting New Residents: CityWide

One organization working towards the goal of attracting residents to Dayton is CityWide Development, which is a group that wants to develop the Dayton area through economic and community improvement. Its main three areas of growth are "Lending & Development Finance, Community Development, and Real Estate & Downtown Housing" (Citywide). They aim to attract new residents to Dayton by providing financial assistance to attract and expand businesses. Their vision is "to be the leader in the revitalizaton of Greater Dayton and the surrounding region" (CityWide). This organization recognizes financial inequality present in Dayton and wants to offer financial aid to help businesses grow in order to boost the economy. For more information, their website is listed below, and their office is located in downtown Dayton.

https://citywidedev.com/contact/ 

References

Citywide: Moving Dayton Forward. CityWide Development. (n.d.). https://citywidedev.com/ 

Cost of living in Dayton, OH. RentCafe. (2023). https://www.rentcafe.com/cost-of-living-calculator/us/oh/dayton/  

District Plan, Data, & Information. Dayton Public Schools. (n.d.). https://www.dps.k12.oh.us/about/district-plan-data/ 

Frolik, C. (2019, October 22). What's life like in Dayton? Project offers answers to draw residents. Dayton Daily News. Dayton using new program to attract residents, answer questions (daytondailynews.com) 

Sweigart, J. & Kelley, J. (2018, July 15). The Path Forward: The region must rally to fix the Dayton Public Schools. Dayton Daily News. The Path Forward: The region must rally to fix the Dayton Public Schools (daytondailynews.com)