Dayton, Ohio, is making significant strides in addressing its affordable housing needs through major renovation and preservation projects, community initiatives, and new developments slated for 2025. These efforts aim to improve quality, availability, and sustainability of housing for low- and moderate-income residents while stabilizing neighborhoods.
One of the most notable updates is a $48 million project led by St. Mary Development Corporation in partnership with Related Affordable, one of the nation’s leading affordable housing operators. This initiative focuses on rehabilitating and modernizing over 560 existing affordable housing apartments originally built in the 1970s across Dayton, Riverside, and Trotwood.
The five targeted properties include Northcrest Gardens (182 units), Asbury Apartments (119 units), Albright Apartments (112 units), Pinewood Gardens (80 units), and Mad River Manor (74 units). These buildings will receive critical upgrades such as roof and window replacements, HVAC and elevator modernization, brick and parking lot repairs, and enhanced community amenities.
Within individual units, renovations will include new lighting, flooring, painting, cabinetry, and kitchen appliances. This project is expected to maintain affordable rent rates subsidized by HUD and help provide safe, quality housing to families and seniors alike. Construction began in early 2025 and is projected to finish by year’s end.
Beyond preservation, Dayton is actively targeting blight removal and neighborhood stabilization to create healthier living environments. The city’s multi-year housing plan focuses on demolishing blighted structures, some 1,100 in total, using federal and state funds to encourage neighborhood revitalization and quality housing development.
The Montgomery County Land Bank and other partners are central to these efforts, tearing down nuisance properties and supporting new infill housing developments. These actions improve safety and promote economic growth regionally.
Moreover, new workforce housing projects are underway, aiming to add dozens of homes in underserved neighborhoods, thereby expanding housing choices for Dayton’s working families and first-time homebuyers. Expansions of existing programs and the creation of local housing trust funds and reinvestment areas signal a growing commitment to integrating affordable housing into broader urban planning strategies.
Dayton’s affordable housing landscape in 2025 is marked by a balance of preserving valuable existing units through extensive upgrades and removing blight to make room for new quality housing. Community-focused partnerships, strategic financial investments, and coordinated city plans collectively aim to provide accessible, well-maintained homes for residents while supporting neighborhood vitality and economic stability.
Sources
(https://www.wyso.org/news/2025-01-13/48m-project-will-update-dayton-area-affordable-housing-units-from-the-70s)
(https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/48m-investment-will-upgrade-560-affordable-housing-units-in-dayton-trotwood-riverside/6NFRC3RUMNFBZLADYBHD6F7JDM/)
(https://www.stmarydevelopment.org/rehab-project)
(https://davidmoyer.kw.com/blog/daytons-hidden-gems-5-neighborhoods-to-watch-in-2025)
(https://www.cetconnect.org/cincinnati-and-dayton-are-adding-more-housing-is-it-the-right-type/)
