Across the U.S., wealthier neighborhoods have more trees. In fact, American Forest’s tree equity score finds areas with extreme poverty have 41 percent fewer trees than upscale neighborhoods. There are also racial disparities. Neighborhoods of color have 33 percent less tree canopy than white ones.
By the mid-2030s more people will be 65 and older than under 18. That is putting additional pressure on the housing and rental markets because there aren’t enough affordable homes and apartments to let older adults age in place. What steps can society, developers and residents take to ensure seniors can live where they want to live?
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.”
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.
Brick by Brick discovered dozens of solutions in Season 2, that are working to solve a variety of problems. None of the issues are easy and the ideas to solve them aren’t quick, but it appears they are slowly making a difference. Take for example attention to detail Cincinnati engineers used to create the perfect speed hump. After many iterations, the city has data showing the traffic calming devices are slowing drivers down. Meals […]
UPDATE: Cradle Cincinnati, Hamilton County Public Health and the Cincinnati Health Department announced at a news conference May 12, “After hitting an all-time low, the infant mortality rate for Black infants has more than doubled over the past two years. Data shows the rate went from 9 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023 to 21 in 2025. The majority are caused by pre-term birth […]
For people with criminal records, research shows stable housing reduces their likelihood of committing another crime. However, hundreds of state and federal laws create barriers for people who want to obtain affordable stable housing. Ohio and a handful of other states want to change that and are offering a kind of guarantee to landlords. Overcoming barriers Many of the estimated 93,000 people released from Ohio prisons and county and […]
As the number of unsheltered people ticks up, state and local agencies are scrambling to find enough beds. They’re also having to navigate changing federal policies which threaten funding. Creativity is key and, in some places, it helps to solve homelessness. This includes the use of data analytics to keep people in their homes and state laws requiring developers to build affordable housing. Data Analytics During a January 23 roundtable at CET studios, President and CEO of Strategies to […]
Modern day construction hasn’t solved the problem of toxic housing. On top of old school irritants like mold, lead and asbestos; new homes and apartments reportedly contain enough formaldehyde to cause significant lung damage over time. Efforts are underway to better educate the public about the dangers and help remove the toxins, including a large-scale effort to replace lead water pipes. New housing construction Environmental researcher and author of the new book Homesick, Nick Shapiro says, “Finding a home […]
Property taxes date back to at least the 1600s, making up an average 70 percent of local government revenue. They pay for schools, police, fire, infrastructure and more. But as property values increase so do property taxes, pricing some people out of their homes. States are scrambling to offer relief. But is it enough and are there alternatives? Property taxes can be confusing. Ohio produced this video to […]
