A federal grant awarded today could pave the way for transforming a poverty- and crime-stricken part of west Dayton.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded $1.5 million to develop a blueprint to remake the distressed DeSoto Bass Courts and Hilltop Homes public housing projects and surrounding neighborhood into a mixed-income area with more economic opportunities.
And now, Dayton has a shot at getting as much as $30 million dollars from HUD to make that plan a reality.
“What we envision with the implementation is to create a diverse, mixed-income neighborhood where people can have safe, affordable housing and a resource network that would lead to stability and growth and a transformed community,” said Jennifer Heapy, the CEO of Greater Dayton Premier Management (GDPM), the local public housing authority.
On Tuesday, HUD Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Lourdes Castro Ramirez held a press conference at DeSoto Bass to announce that Dayton had won an award worth $1.5 million.
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The grant money provides an opportunity for the city to replace deteriorating and outdated housing with high-quality, mixed-income units, Heapy said.
The comprehensive plan will outline strategies to improve housing, educational outcomes, intergenerational mobility and reduce poverty and connect residents with supportive services, Heapy said.
The planning process will take about two years to complete.
