Sioux City Journal

City starts campaign to attract former residents back home

Posted: Thursday, November 20, 2008

SIOUX CITY -- The city launches a campaign today to lure ex-residents back to Sioux City. The campaign is called "Home Again."

As part of a new marketing initiative, print ads and electronic billboards will target parents and families who want to see their children return home, Marty Dougherty, the city's economic development director, announced Wednesday. The ads direct people to a newly designed portion of the Economic Development Department's Website located at www.locatesiouxcity.com/home.

The "Home Again" campaign promotes developments in the community, encourages parents to share the Web site with their adult children who grew up here and features recent national rankings and statistics that may surprise those who have not lived in the community recently.

The information will include employment, housing and educational opportunities plus events and attractions.

"We believe there is a great story to tell about the many positive changes occurring in Sioux City," Dougherty said in a prepared statement. "This Web site will allow young professionals easy access to learn more about our community."

Additional features will be added before Christmas, including a job-posting area and an e-mail sign up to receive economic development updates.

-- Lynn Zerschling

Story Comments

Jay wrote on Nov 25, 2008 10:52 PM:

" You know a city is bad when it's labeled a "good place to raise a family". That means it's not a good place for entertainment, careers, attractions, development, etc. Seriously, what advantages are there to living in Sioux City instead of another city? I just feel bad for the people who can't get out. "

Julianna wrote on Nov 25, 2008 12:10 PM:

" Our family talked us into coming back and it has been a nightmare , as the pay scale is poor in Iowa we honestly do not know how people survive. We are seriously considering moving back to Arizona in the New Year, as my husband and myself are worth far more then what our jobs pay and we are both University graduates. We still own our home in Arizona (Thank God) . I love my family but this is not the place for us as if the wages would rise many would come back home. If their were more job opportunities that paid better more would come back, but until that happens I do not see hardly anyone coming back home. "

Keith wrote on Nov 25, 2008 9:06 AM:

" For those thinking about moving back to Sioux City I would offer a word of advice. Remember back to when you lived here before and get out a city map. Draw circles around the "bad" neighborhoods you remember. Now do the same to outline the current state of the city. You will find that area growing much faster than those areas being restored or built new.

This isn't to disparage any residents of those areas, only to show that Sioux City doesn't offer the average worker the income required to maintain a home and make that investment pay off. The most lucrative profession in Sioux City is "slumlord". The city doesn't require them to properly maintain their properties and people are often forced to live in third world conditions even while both spouses are working full time.

Even if I was insane enough to try, I couldn't talk my kids into returning. It's even worse now than when they put Sioux City in their rear view mirrors. They have done well in their new homes and are benefiting their communities as well. "

Douglas wrote on Nov 25, 2008 8:33 AM:

" Lot of bitterness here, too bad. Try living on the coast or a city of 6 million, sometimes you don't know what you've got until it's gone. "

VegasRage wrote on Nov 25, 2008 1:33 AM:

" I'll likely never move back but it’s not because of the town itself. To attract people there needs to be incentives for businesses, for the sake of the town the more industry diversity the better. Seriously, I work in IT and at one time I might have considered Gateway but if that fell out, then what? High level positions are not easy to come by unless there is a diverse pool of companies. The question is. How do you attract a person earning $100/k or more a year to a place where there is limited industry and lower wages? That is a risk many won’t take. (Continued below) "