Vision Together 2025 was built by a community-driven process and consists of business, non-profit, philanthropic, and governmental leaders dedicated to improving greater Johnstown and Cambria County. Increasing the population of Johnstown is a multi-stakeholder process. We are pursuing many initiatives that will grow our population. Below are frequently asked questions regarding the topic of potential international immigration into our community.
Vision Together 2025 is not bringing in refugees. We are only looking for legally vetted immigrants, like our ancestors, who are willing and ready to make a difference in the community. We’re bringing people in to fill the numerous open positions in the Johnstown area. They will be productive citizens with honorable jobs like our ancestors.
Skilled, vetted, and legal immigrants who will help grow the economy of Johnstown.
We’re currently working to attract skilled individuals from other states and other nations. We have small-scale initiatives in place to do so. Moving forward, we will continue to responsibly manage growth. All are welcome to our Johnstown community.
Each immigrant is vetted. They are all current legal residents of the United States. The people who are coming to Johnstown are looking for a new place to call home where they can find jobs to support their families.
No, they will not live in public housing. They will be tax-paying and investment ready occupants of market rate housing throughout greater Johnstown.
International immigration is one of many initiatives we are pursuing to help grow the population of Johnstown. Increasing the population of Johnstown is a multi-pronged process. For example, there have been other successful initiatives that have already increased our population, such as the “Work from Home” campaign, which attracted American immigrants relocating to Johnstown from other states. We will continuously think of new ways to attract people to Johnstown.
Business and community leaders dedicated to making Greater Johnstown a better place to live, work, and play.
Growing the Johnstown population creates economic benefits such as business growth, reduced blight, housing appreciation, and growing our tax base.
According to JARI, there are over 1,000 open positions in several different industries. There are good paying jobs, some of which are union, that are available to anyone in the community who wants them. Currently in Johnstown, we have an abundance of open jobs and a need to increase population to fill them.
These jobs have been available to the residents of Johnstown for a few years now. If you are a Johnstown resident and wish to find a job, please contact JARI.
Every person coming to Johnstown will be here legally. They are vetted and are coming to Johnstown to look for a job that fits their skillset. They will be treated similarly to someone moving here from another state. They will work and pay taxes like the rest of the community.
Yes, these jobs are similar to the ones that your family members or friends have. Many of them are outside of the service industry. Some are union jobs. Some are office jobs.
Johnstown has many open positions for both skilled and unskilled workers who are willing to learn. “Skilled” workers might want to come to Johnstown because of the atmosphere, recreation, or low cost of living. Our city is continuously growing and expanding with new grants and funding which will help create a better atmosphere.
Newcomers will reduce the strain on all of us by growing our tax base, investing in our homes and neighborhoods, and enabling local businesses to grow.
No, we are not attracting criminals to Johnstown.
There are local safety nets already in place to help those in need. Newcomers will not strain those services already being provided to the homeless and veterans in need.
Greater Johnstown School District, as well as our other local school districts, are significant partners in all conversations about growing our population. We have been working together to ensure capacity exists to absorb additional kids wherever they might hail from.
Vision Together 2025 was founded by a community driven process. The conversation to reverse Cambria County’s 80 years of population decline has been and will always be community driven.