Community celebrates opening of Vermillion Place, a first-of-its-kind housing community for kinship care families

A new chapter in community support began today in the Old North Dayton neighborhood. Partners, families and leaders gathered to celebrate the first phase of completion for Vermillion Place, a neighborhood designed to provide safe, affordable homes for families providing care for their extended family.

"This initiative is more than housing," says Jessica Salem, executive director of the Dayton Children's Center for Community Health.

"It's about nurturing a sense of belonging and providing support for kinship families who give so much to the children in their care."

Dayton Children's community health workers identified a growing need for stable housing among kinship families-grandparents, aunts, uncles and others stepping in to care for children when parents cannot. Working together with more than a dozen local, state and national partners, Dayton Children's provided the seed, and their support grew this idea into a fruitful project. It's an innovative approach unlike any other model across the country to support kinship care families.

honoring a servant leader
The development along Alaska Street is named Vermillion Place, in honor of Don Vermillion, a long-time public servant of the Dayton region. Don served 30 years in local government as Miamisburg City Manager and then Montgomery County Administrator.

When his chapter in public office ended, he didn't step away-he stepped forward, guiding the next generation of public servants as a professor at the University of Dayton Fitz Center for Leadership in Community and Political Science Department. In this role, he trained hundreds of the next generation of servant leaders in his fundamental truth - good government begins with the people it serves. He shepherded them into Dayton's neighborhoods, one by one, to discover the needs of its citizens.

Old North Dayton held a special place in Don's heart. This is where his wife grew up; they were married down the street at Holy Cross. Every Easter, you could find him there, happily rolling eggs on the lawn.

"Don was my mentor at the county and a mentor of many of our community leaders today," says Debbie Feldman, president and CEO for Dayton Children's Hospital.

"This is exactly the type of endeavor he would have championed. I can think of no better way to honor his legacy than creating this namesake."

made possible through community partnerships
This ambitious project has been made possible through the dedication, expertise and support of numerous partners, including:

• Dayton Children's Hospital
• Ohio Housing Finance Agency (syndicated by Marble Cliff Capital)
• City of Dayton HOME and American Rescue Plan
• Montgomery County HOME
• First Financial Bank
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• The Housing Development Loan (HDL) program
• Wallick Communities, property management
• ATA Beilharz Architects
• CityWide Community Development
• PNC Bank

about Vermillion Place

• 26 homes between Alaska and Rita Streets
• Each has three bedrooms and two bathrooms
• A playground and community room
• Close to schools, parks, urban amenities and Dayton Children's Hospital for easy access to resources
• Families gain links to education, food and social services, reducing isolation

who can apply for kinship housing?
Wallick Communities is the property manager and is responsible for all tenant selection, leasing and maintenance of the community.

• Priority will be given to kinship caregivers with legal custody of the children in their care, especially those who might have specific chronic health conditions.
• Applicants do not currently have to live in Montgomery County but must be willing to relocate.
• Housing is income-restricted; housing costs should not exceed 40% of household income.

For more information or to apply, contact Wallick Communities (614) 980-4979. Learn more here.