A Dayton resident raised concerns at the Aug. 14 commission meeting about blighted houses on Ferguson Avenue and whether the contractor often seen raising homes in the neighborhood had recruited and hired local Black workers.

“I see Bladecutters all the time. They are lily white as far as those people in still positions, and that does not seem to be right,” resident Kimaru Attenza said at the podium, asking the commission to require local hiring as part of contracts to raise houses.

Attenza said two families moved into one rehabilitated house and were later displaced by city code enforcement because the house was not fit to live in. He asked why that house had not been raised earlier and why the contractor had not employed Dayton residents for the work.

Commissioners responded during commissioner comments that the city’s Human Relations Council works with departments on participation goals for contracts. “The HRC or Human Relations Council… they work very closely with the various departments, including public works…and in doing so they establish participation goals. MBE SBE goes to those various demolition projects,” Commissioner Charles Lause said, encouraging Attenza to meet with HRC for a closer review.

Another commissioner asked for a demolition-program update at the next meeting, noting the city previously organized funds and plans to take down about 1,100 homes and had broken demolition contracts into smaller pieces to create opportunities for new contractors. The commissioner suggested staff check whether the Ferguson Avenue properties are included in the planned demolitions and report back on participation and barriers for local contractors.

There was no formal action recorded on the public comment; commissioners described follow-up steps and offered to work offline with the resident and HRC to review contract participation goals and demolition lists.

Why it matters: The remarks touch on neighborhood blight, contractor hiring practices, and how the city applies participation goals (MBE/SBE) to demolition and renovation projects. Commissioners asked staff to provide an update so the commission can assess whether contract structures and participation goals are creating local hiring opportunities.

Next steps: Commissioners requested an update on demolition projects and contractor participation at a future meeting and suggested the resident and HRC meet for a detailed review of participation goals and particular contracts.