I-Team: City approves temporary moratorium on new group homes in Dayton

City leaders have approved a temporary moratorium on new foster group homes in Dayton.

As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, Dayton’s City Commission voted 5-0 to say no more new group homes in the city for at least the next six months.

“To slow down the influx, if you will, of more and more young people. Because during these next 180 days, we have schools going on, we have other things happening,” said Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims Jr. “And the aspect of young people coming and trying to get into the mix, if you will, to move in the right direction. It’s challenging for all those partners that we have supporting young people.”

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City and community leaders said they hope to take the time this ban covers over the next six months to continue discussions about possible solutions.

“We need to take a pause,” said Will Peterson, whose group represents 20 of the foster group homes in the city.

Peterson is in favor of the moratorium but wants to be included in those talks.

“Because we have some ideas we think can really help along with this process and that everybody can get their needs met,” Peterson said.

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As the I-Team first uncovered in July, out of the 220 foster group homes for kids across Ohio, 78 are in Montgomery County.

These are homes for children who have been removed from their homes and are currently in the state’s care. In many cases, the kids aren’t from Montgomery County and officials say it’s due to a lack of facilities across Ohio.

State lawmakers have also been involved in talks about potential solutions. They’re working on a bill to address this. Among other changes, it would increase accountability for group homes for children, work to put more foster group homes in other parts of the state, and place kids in them closer to their hometowns and families.

We will continue following this story.