Beltways, a Northern Kentucky start-up, will announce a pilot this fall with a major airport for its accelerating walkway technology. The accelerator is twice as fast (2.5 mph) as the one passengers are used to. It has been rated for a top speed of 5 mph. Sometime in the future the founders envision this walkway outside, connecting neighborhoods.

Every neighborhood should have “access to great schools, and strong family and community support systems” that will prepare kids for college and a career. That’s the vision of the Department of Education which funds nearly 50 so-called “Promise Neighborhoods.”

As Rachel Ward takes over the reins as president of Omega Community Corporation (Omega CDC) this year, she aims to deepen the work in Northwest Dayton. Under her helm, Omega CDC provides crucial cradle to career support in 17 neighborhoods in the Hope Zone and continues efforts to break down systemic barriers in what they refer to as the four primary pillars: education, economic stability,… Read more: The Promise of the Hope Zone, OMEGA CDC 

Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval told an audience of educators, students, policy makers and nonprofits Thursday, the city, “must turbocharge development.” Pureval and others who spoke at The Affordable Housing Crisis Symposium, sponsored by Xavier University, know there is an urgent need.

It’s only fitting that the Greater Cincinnati home repair nonprofit People Working Cooperatively (PWC) used an electric saw to cut the ribbon on its new $12 million Sharonville headquarters Monday.

Homelessness among students nationwide continues to increase by double digits, putting them at greater risk of dropping out, and suffering from physical, social and emotional health issues. School districts are recognizing the problem and stepping in with possible solutions.

The Neighborhood as Systems Toolkit, created after years of research by teams at Cincinnati Children’s and Design Impact, empowers residents to catalyze solutions for a thriving community. And it’s Free!

Cincinnati Public Schools’ nonprofit organization, created the Safe Sleep Lot program which allows unhoused families who are living in their car to park in a safe area to sleep. According to the organization this is the first program of its kind, in the United States, that’s fully operated by a school district.

Cincinnati city leaders have announced plans to create a roadmap for the further development of downtown, where according to Mayor Aftab Pureval, stakeholders can help design a “growth in housing, a growth in jobs, and a growth in tourism.”

Less than a year after a grocery pilot program began in the Cincinnati neighborhood of Winton Hills, participants are reporting better health, reduced hunger and a greater hope for the future. The City of Cincinnati partnered with Kroger to provide $100 a month of delivered groceries to 136 eligible households for twelve months. The grocery money is used in conjunction with SNAP or WIC benefits… Read more: Winton Hills grocery pilot gives residents hope for the future

A Cincinnati sponsored website aids renters as they look for new housing. City Wise Software has partnered with the city to find, show and rate listings that people might not otherwise come across on traditional platforms. The company promoted the resource at a Washington Park housing fair on June 27. The goal of apartments.cincinnati-oh.gov, according to City Wise COO Jeremy Schmidt, is to “build a… Read more: Cincinnati tool to help renters find housing shows promise

This season, Brick by Brick covered a variety of different solutions that took us to neighborhoods all across Southwest Ohio and beyond. There were three stories that stood out to, Hernz Laguerre, Jr., this past season because of a recurring theme: multiple individuals and groups in a community joining forces to tackle a problem. In this article we will look at: Neighborhood Food Markets in food desert areas, Meals on Wheels expanding to meet the needs of seniors, Tiny Homes being the right fit for affordable and available housing.

Nonprofit organization, Groundwork Ohio River Valley, (ORV) is increasing the number of trees in Cincinnati neighborhoods that need it most. These efforts stem from a national push from Groundwork USA called the Climate Safe Neighborhoods. This national push aims to increase awareness of climate change on vulnerable neighborhoods and the racial/social injustices that made these neighborhoods vulnerable.

Every year in the Gem City, the Levitt Pavilion hosts over 50 free concerts for the public. This outdoor venue has been called Dayton’s “Living Room,” and up to 80,000 people come each year, some as far as Sweden and Japan, to enjoy a wide variety of music.   “Some days when I’m getting off from work and I drive by and I see that the lawn is full of people, I go… Read more: The Levitt Pavilion builds community with music  

Just across the river in the heart of West Dayton, Chris Voltz and his wife Grace live in the historical neighborhood of Wright-Dunbar Village. They own a blue two–story home with a large yard for their four children to play in, and Voltz says it’s a great place for their family. Their surroundings are steeped in history. Their neighborhood aptly named after historical giants who… Read more: County Corp builds new homes in Wolf Creek to spark a market

70-year-old Carol Monahan retired 10 years ago from Procter and Gamble and enjoys the views from her lakefront home and tight knit community in Fairfield.   But in 2023, residents in Butler County saw huge spikes in their property taxes, and many began to question their ability to stay in their home.  Several homeowners wrote letters to the Butler County Treasurer expressing their concerns, including Monahan.  “Is… Read more: BUTLER COUNTY FIGHTS BACK ON PROPERTY TAX INCREASES  

A group of neighbors and business owners in the South Park area of Dayton are concerned about a half mile stretch of Wayne Avenue, which they say is extremely dangerous for pedestrians.   Numerous traffic accidents, including the tragic death of 44-year-old resident Jennifer Johnson, who was struck and killed by a speeding vehicle in 2022 while waiting for a bus, prompted the coalition to come… Read more: Dayton Neighbors Advocate for Safer Streets and Sidewalks        

(Left and Right) The Cascades Development in Yellow Springs and the new ten unit apartment in Cincinnati add to local land trusts at Home, Inc. and Renting Partnerships respectfully.

At the current rate of construction, estimates predict it will take seven years to close the housing gap. The U.S. is still short about 4 million units. The problem is hitting home. After more than a decade of inflated home prices, states, including Ohio, are realizing they can enact policies to accelerate the building process.  What are the hold-ups?  Creating a variety of new housing… Read more: Ohio joins a long list of pro-housing policy states 

Amid rows of vegetable gardens and fruit trees, residents of Dayton’s Twin Towers neighborhood gathered on a clear summer evening to join in the annual summer potluck hosted by the Mission of Mary Cooperative also known as MMC.   Wafts of smoky grilled hamburgers drifted through the air as guests enjoyed colorful dishes prepared by a local chef who used fresh fruits and vegetables from… Read more: East Dayton Community Gardens rework the land to feed generations 

In Dayton, OH, a Chase Bank, The HomeOwnership Center and other organizations are hosting workshops titled, “Is Homeownership Right for Me?” These events are meant to educate local communities about what it takes to be a homeowner and how local residents can make it a reality for themselves despite their economic background.

Is there a pathway to housing for the formerly incarcerated? Many studies show that housing is a foundation for returning citizens looking to reestablish their lives but without housing are their chances for reentry at risk? We examine a prison ministry, the office of reentry in Hamilton county, and a former inmate to examine how housing is the foundation to reentering society.

Saint Margaret’s Episcopal Church in the city of Trotwood in suburban Dayton neighborhood is nestled on a 61-acre property with 28-acres of farmland, natural springs and a grove of Black walnut trees. For 25 years Dr. Benjamin E. K. Speare-Hardy II has been the Reverend with the mission to build a new community that included senior housing.    At his previous church, Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church… Read more: A Church’s Ongoing Quest to Build Community Housing  

The owner of Open Vision Builders in Lima, Ohio, John Smoll with over 30 years experience in the construction industry, wasn’t sold yet on the idea of 3D Printed Homes when the idea was first brought to him.  Over the years, Smoll always looked for creative ways to make housing more affordable as he built custom homes and barndominiums.  But with drastic shifts in building… Read more: This Ohio builder was a skeptic, now he’s all in on 3D printed homes  

Leading a bold new plan to address the need for stable, affordable housing for the homeless, Debbie Watts Robinson, CEO of the Miami Valley Housing Opportunities (MVHO), is working to build a tiny home community called Beacon Place Village in northeast Dayton. Robinson sees this as a cost-effective way to be able to provide housing, not just for the homeless but for others too.    … Read more: Can a Tiny Home Village Create Stability for the Homeless?  

For many, owning a home gives a sense of accomplishment, stability and rootedness in a neighborhood but it also comes with a lot of responsibility for upkeep and maintenance. Inflation coupled with high demand for contractors has driven up construction costs and for those with low to moderate incomes, home repairs can seem unattainable. And yet if left unaddressed, it can lead to larger and… Read more: Home Repair Group Works to Save More Homes in Dayton   

(Left to Right) ) Valerie Chronis-Bickett and Joy Brown are two beneficiaries of land trusts that provide permanently affordable housing. They live in the Yellow Springs and Cincinnati areas, respectively, and are able to live in their desired areas for an affordable price.

“Children are 20 percent of our population, but 100 percent of our future,” says Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims. Brick by Brick sat down with several Dayton teens to hear their thoughts on their neighborhoods and communities. A few consistent desires were cleaner neighborhoods, better maintained parks, and more activities to help youth learn and grow.     What Teens Want for Their Neighborhoods    Rick Kuhbander,… Read more: For Teens, Cleaner, Safer Neighborhoods are Building Blocks for Thriving Communities.  

Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky are getting bigger, expected to grow by more than a half-million people in the next twenty-five years, according to the State of the Region 2023 report.  In the midst of this we face a crisis of unaffordability. The State of the Nation’s Housing 2024 report says home prices have reached an all-time high. Prices are 47-percent more than they were… Read more: Cincinnati and Dayton are adding more housing. Is it the right type? 

The former Mendelsons liquidation outlet has been adapted into a mixed-use development called The Delco with over 500,000 square feet of resident and commercial property. By fusing modern with industrial design elements, this massive development is helping to revitalize the area by attracting more tenants and businesses to Dayton’s Water Street District.

With Housing Choice Vouchers, families are given more flexibility to choose where they live and use the rental assistance, but finding landlords who accept them can make it challenging and limit their neighborhood choices. In Montgomery County vouchers can also be used towards a mortgage payment, helping some families who qualify, build steps towards home ownership, as one Dayton resident did.

Concerned about the impact of abandoned and vacant homes, the Pineview Neighborhood Association partnered with the Montgomery County Land Bank to remove blight and renovate some homes. These actions in this west Dayton community raised the market values of the homes while reducing crime.

With the shortage of housing in the U.S., accessory dwelling units may help fill a housing gap. Many cities in our area are beginning to relax the zoning laws. Two Cincinnati residents share their experiences building one in their backyard.

The Camp Washington Neighborhood navigates their parking minimum requirements as Cincinnati considers zoning changes through the Connected Communities initiative.

A Dayton tenant details her journey through eviction hearings with and without a lawyer.

City planners from Tulsa (OK), Buffalo (NY) and Minneapolis (MN) share the affects of zoning reform in their cities.

How quickly Cincinnati can house more people may depend on developers. Kaiker Development, in partnership with the Avondale Community Development Corporation, built seven townhomes on Hale Avenue in Avondale and has plans for fourteen more.

The Barrister gets transformed from an historic office space to the first affordable housing apartments in the Central Business District in almost 30 years.

The Grant Deneau Tower gets renovated into luxury apartments in the Dayton metro area

Cincinnati and Dayton have more than a dozen projects involving office to housing conversions.

The tight housing market and tight budgets make it difficult for first-time homebuyers looking for affordable housing. The Port’s CARE portfolio is offering a pathway for some.

What would help your neighborhood thrive? Give us your take by filling out our first audience question survey.