About Covington

Covington is an older, urban city located in northern Kentucky directly across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, Ohio. Over the past several decades the city experienced a prolonged decline in population, resources and economic vitality. However, the decade of the 1990s was one of significant revitalization. New businesses have made the city an entertainment and tourist attraction. New office towers, hotels, a regional convention center, and county and federal courthouses represent millions of dollars of investments in the riverfront area. Growth has been spurred by a variety of advantages the city enjoys, including tax incentives for businesses, proximity to the airport and regional transportation networks, sweeping riverfront views, historic housing stock, and open land for residential development in South Covington.

According to the Scheper Report on City Operations, completed in October 1999:

With its accomplishments and enormous potential, the City has become a major asset within a region of many capabilities. If it is to be an effective competitor in the region, Covington must anticipate the needs of the future and be proactive in its planning. ...Covington still faces challenges as it emerges from a small business-oriented urban center to a dynamic, development-focused area within a large metropolitan area. The demographics of South Covington, the Riverfront, and the core urban area are very different. They present unique service requirements, but also opportunities.

Trends
While the population is increasing in South Covington, the population of the urban core of the city - which includes the neighborhoods stretching from the I-275 loop north to Fifth Street - has steadily declined during the past 20 years. This loss of population and accompanying resources contributes to an image of decline in the quality of life in many of the city's residential neighborhoods.

The area suffers from numerous abandoned or dilapidated structures and low homeowner-to-renter ratios. Citywide, 50% of all residences are owner-occupied, however in some neighborhoods as few as 30% of units are owner-occupied. Nearly 60% of all households have low or very-low incomes - a significantly higher percentage than in other northern Kentucky communities. Many Covington residents have not shared in the benefits of the city’s revitalization. The majority of new jobs created in the last ten years were in office and service sector positions. Many of the city's unemployed and under-employed residents lack the skills, education, or transportation to take full advantage of these opportunities.

Assets   
The core urban area is blessed with many historic structures (almost 60% of the structures were built prior to 1939) federally designated historic areas, and many vital and thriving neighborhoods. There are 17 neighborhoods ranging in population from several hundred to over 4,000 residents. The majority of the neighborhoods have active neighborhood associations that work on a variety of quality of life issues. The Covington Neighborhood Collaborative (CNC), formed in 1996, represents a network of the individual associations that works to unify residents’ efforts to improve the city. CNC has developed a strong, cooperative relationship between City leaders and residents that has resulted in numerous improvements in City services, more beautified city streets and green spaces, and more attention to the quality of residential life in Covington.

The urban core has many other assets. Covington is more economically and racially diverse than surrounding communities. The city has a "small town" flavor, with many long-term residents whose ties to the community are deep-rooted. Business and civic leaders are contributing to community development through Forward Quest, SouthBank Partners and Covington Business Council. The City’s Housing, Economic Development, and Police Departments, as well as area financial institutions, have demonstrated a willingness to partner with residents to address community issues. These partnerships provide a strong foundation for efforts to extend the benefits of revitalization to the urban core neighborhoods of Covington - by preserving its unique assets, addressing the pressing challenges of improving community health and vitality, and harnessing the energy of citizens.