Population loss bad for the region

It’s a tale of two areas in Ohio, highlighted by the following headlines:

“Vanishing Act — Despite economic improvements, lower unemployment, region’s population continues to decline”

“Dayton bucks a population decline”

The first headline appeared on the front page of The Vindicator on March 26 and reveals the bitter truth of what is generally referred to as the Mahoning Valley.

The second headline introduced a story on National Public Radio that provides a snapshot of what can happen when government thinks outside the box.

Both stories were triggered by U.S. Census Bureau data gleaned between the 2010 national census and mid-2014 estimates. Here’s how Reporter Krissy Clark began the NPR report:

“Brain drain. Population death spiral. Whatever you call it, one of the harsh realities facing many of the nation’s former industrial cities is the loss of its residents.

“But at least one Rust-Belt town may be on its way to bucking the trend. After shrinking by 100,000 people in the past half-century, Dayton, Ohio, has recently witnessed a small growth spurt. According to the most recent numbers, Dayton’s population is 143,355 and (the city hopes!) counting.”

How is it that community was able to buck the trend?

Ahiska Turks

The answer: Ahiska Turks — a group of ethnic Turks from the former Soviet Union with a long history of displacement.

The NPR report noted that in recent years many Ahiska Turks have been granted refugee status by the U.S. government. Dayton has rolled out the red, white and blue carpet for them.

Now, contrast that story with the one on the front page of The Vindicator:

“The Mahoning, Trumbull and Mercer counties region had the 12th highest percentage population decline among metropolitan areas in the nation between the 2010 census and the July 2014 estimate.”

The Youngstown-Warren-Boardman Metropolitan Statistical Area, as the Census Bureau defines it, lost 2.21 percent of its population. This downward trend has been going on for a long time and was reflected in the 2010 census.

What should be of concern to local governments and business and community leaders is that the population loss shows no signs of reversal. Indeed, when the numbers for Youngstown, Warren and other cities are released later this year, the picture will be even bleaker.

“It still hasn’t bottomed out,” said Ronald K. Chordas, executive director of Youngstown State University’s Center for Urban and Regional Studies. “Unless we create some new businesses, industries to attract more people,” the downward spiral will continue.

It is noteworthy that YSU has had a decline in enrollment over the past four years and has launched an aggressive campaign to attract students from beyond the traditional five-county region.

But the traditional solutions to this region’s population loss won’t make a huge difference; every other area in the country is pursuing the same strategy.

That’s why Dayton’s initiative is so intriguing. It can be summed up thusly: If you can’t attract within the U.S., go global. To be sure, it takes a lot of work, clearing a lot of bureaucratic hurdles and a change in attitude among residents.

What can the Mahoning Valley do?

Veterans

Build on Youngstown State’s push to attract veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. A great deal of credit for the university creating programs that will make the institution attractive to military families goes to Harry Meshel, a member of the YSU Board of Trustees and former state senator.

But while the university is making a push, Youngstown and the rest of the region have been less aggressive in building ties with military groups working to mainstream the men and women who are looking to start new lives after serving their country overseas.

Indeed, the Obama administration has made taking care of veterans and their families a priority and has earmarked hundreds of millions of dollars for a full range of services, including housing.

That’s where local governments can play a major role. There is a huge inventory of housing in this region that would be ideal for veterans and their families. Youngstown should take the lead in working with the White House and with Congress to create a program in which the city would buy the houses with federal funds and then make them available to the veterans.

With the large choice of health care facilities, including a VA clinic on Belmont Avenue, all the pieces of the puzzle are available. They just need to be put together.