As Rachel Ward takes over the reins as president of Omega Community Corporation (Omega CDC) this year, she aims to deepen the work in Northwest Dayton. Under her helm, Omega CDC provides crucial cradle to career support in 17 neighborhoods in the Hope Zone and continues efforts to break down systemic barriers in what they refer to as the four primary pillars: education, economic stability, […]
Every year in the Gem City, the Levitt Pavilion hosts over 50 free concerts for the public. This outdoor venue has been called Dayton’s “Living Room,” and up to 80,000 people come each year, some as far as Sweden and Japan, to enjoy a wide variety of music. “Some days when I’m getting off from work and I drive by and I see that the lawn is full of people, I go […]
Just across the river in the heart of West Dayton, Chris Voltz and his wife Grace live in the historical neighborhood of Wright-Dunbar Village. They own a blue two–story home with a large yard for their four children to play in, and Voltz says it’s a great place for their family. Their surroundings are steeped in history. Their neighborhood aptly named after historical giants who […]
70-year-old Carol Monahan retired 10 years ago from Procter and Gamble and enjoys the views from her lakefront home and tight knit community in Fairfield. But in 2023, residents in Butler County saw huge spikes in their property taxes, and many began to question their ability to stay in their home. Several homeowners wrote letters to the Butler County Treasurer expressing their concerns, including Monahan. “Is […]
A group of neighbors and business owners in the South Park area of Dayton are concerned about a half mile stretch of Wayne Avenue, which they say is extremely dangerous for pedestrians. Numerous traffic accidents, including the tragic death of 44-year-old resident Jennifer Johnson, who was struck and killed by a speeding vehicle in 2022 while waiting for a bus, prompted the coalition to come […]
Amid rows of vegetable gardens and fruit trees, residents of Dayton’s Twin Towers neighborhood gathered on a clear summer evening to join in the annual summer potluck hosted by the Mission of Mary Cooperative also known as MMC. Wafts of smoky grilled hamburgers drifted through the air as guests enjoyed colorful dishes prepared by a local chef who used fresh fruits and vegetables from […]
Saint Margaret’s Episcopal Church in the city of Trotwood in suburban Dayton neighborhood is nestled on a 61-acre property with 28-acres of farmland, natural springs and a grove of Black walnut trees. For 25 years Dr. Benjamin E. K. Speare-Hardy II has been the Reverend with the mission to build a new community that included senior housing. At his previous church, Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church […]
The owner of Open Vision Builders in Lima, Ohio, John Smoll with over 30 years experience in the construction industry, wasn’t sold yet on the idea of 3D Printed Homes when the idea was first brought to him. Over the years, Smoll always looked for creative ways to make housing more affordable as he built custom homes and barndominiums. But with drastic shifts in building […]
Leading a bold new plan to address the need for stable, affordable housing for the homeless, Debbie Watts Robinson, CEO of the Miami Valley Housing Opportunities (MVHO), is working to build a tiny home community called Beacon Place Village in northeast Dayton. Robinson sees this as a cost-effective way to be able to provide housing, not just for the homeless but for others too. […]
For many, owning a home gives a sense of accomplishment, stability and rootedness in a neighborhood but it also comes with a lot of responsibility for upkeep and maintenance. Inflation coupled with high demand for contractors has driven up construction costs and for those with low to moderate incomes, home repairs can seem unattainable. And yet if left unaddressed, it can lead to larger and […]
