“We have some concern with regard to the over-saturation (of group homes) in the community and how it’s affecting our school districts,” said City Manager Quincy Pope. “The state is taking at look at laws with regard to group homes, and we want to make sure that we’re consistent with what the state’s going to do.”
Pope referred to a bill pending in the Ohio House that aims to increase the accountability of group home operators in the state.
Local leaders Rep. Andrea White and Rep. Phil Plummer introduced House Bill 583, which would increase requirements and compliance of youth group homes.
Pope also said the city is expected to update its comprehensive land use plan this year and asked that council approve the temporary moratorium to allow time to evaluate the city’s current regulations on group homes.
An increase in the number of group home applications and openings in the city of Trotwood has been on the rise since at least 2022, according to Deputy City Manager Stephanie Kellum.
Trotwood currently has 28 group homes in operation and registered through the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, according to Planning and Zoning Administrator Tyler Hauck, who noted there are some group homes that have yet to become registered.
“ODJFS has indicated that there’s been a policy shift very recently that now requires (group home operators) to have zoning approval before they will issue the license for a group home; that was not the case before, so there’s probably quite a few that have slipped through the cracks,” Hauck said.
In 2023, the city passed an ordinance prohibiting group homes and daycare centers from opening within 500 feet of one another, which Kellum said curbed the inflow of applications some.
“But now that Dayton has a moratorium on group homes, and has recently extended that another six months, we’re seeing an influx of applications,” she said.
The city has received more applications for new group homes in the past month than in the entire year of 2024, Hauck said Monday.
Councilman Milton Pearson, who was sworn in at the beginning of Monday’s meeting, said he is well-versed in the issue of group homes thanks to his three decades of work within the Department of Youth Services in Montgomery County Juvenile Court.
He said it’s not as simple as just opening a group home and registering the children in the local school district, highlighting that these children most often need specialized care based on their individual histories. Issues can arise if schools, or group home operators, are not trained and prepared to handle these needs.
“... When we take kids out of their homes, somebody has to fill that role as a parent, so group homes are needed,” Pearson said. “They just need to be monitored and regulated better so that we can serve the kids better.”
The Dayton City Commission last month approved extending its temporary moratorium that prevents new group homes from opening in the city.
The moratorium will last for another 180 days. The city commission approved a moratorium of the same length in August 2024 that was set to expire on Feb. 10.
“We have outside legal we’ve been working with, we are doing an engagement process throughout the city, with regards to stakeholders and now we’re doing some regional conversations,” said Dayton City Manager Shelley Dickstein. “This will give us another six months to wrap up that work and bring forward the best recommendations.”
Dayton and Montgomery County have far more foster group homes than anywhere else in the state of Ohio.
Last year, about 80 of the 235 group homes licensed by the Ohio Department of Children & Youth were located in Montgomery County (34%).
Dayton and Montgomery County also are home to other kinds of group homes that serve people in recovery and people who have disabilities and who need supportive services.
The city of Dayton is exploring approving new rules and restrictions on group homes.
The city may prohibit group homes from being close to each other or near blighted properties. The city may require inspections and may cap the number of people who can live in a group home.
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