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Data from the U.S. Census Bureau finds nearly one in four Americans are vulnerable to extreme heat. Many of them are in urban areas where there isn’t enough shade. Disturbingly, we’re losing trees to commercial development, weather events and invasive insect species like the emerald ash borer. Cities are recognizing the need to plant more trees and are implementing urban forestry plans. This life-sustaining strategy is already proving successful in the health of its residents. Will the money and political will be there to expand it?Interview guests: Jennifer Spieser, President and CEO Cincinnati Parks Foundation; Joe Boggs, Assistant Professor, OSU Entomology and OSU Extension, Hamilton County; Bryan Urban, City of Dayton Operations Supervisor Street Maintenance; Maddie Hall, CEO Living Carbon; Rahul Mishra, Chief Product Officer Living Carbon; Steve Fleegal, Executive Director Appalachia Ohio Alliance; Jaeydah Edwards, interim director Groundwork Ohio River Valley; Marisha Davis, member Equity Advisory Group; Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar, principal investigator Green Heart Project.  Please give us your feedback: https://forms.gle/16YosVHyL7mE3Up9A Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

New government figures find that even before the Iran war, one in three households faced some form of energy insecurity. Not only did people have trouble paying their heating and cooling bills, but a separate study found the problem affected their mental health. Advocates like Diana Hernández are trying to bring energy insecurity to light and help those in need.  Interview guest: Co-author of Powerless and Columbia University researcher Dr. Diana Hernández is the founding principal investigator of the Energy Equity, Housing and Health Program and the co-director of the Energy Opportunity Lab at the Center on Global Energy Policy.  Please give us your feedback:  https://forms.gle/16YosVHyL7mE3Up9A   Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

 A recent survey finds only half of Hamilton County residents consider themselves thriving. And for a variety of reasons, an increasing number is suffering. Community leaders want to turn this around, and during a recent Cincinnati summit envisioned neighborhoods with more housing, investment and a greater sense of belonging. Organizers hope the entire region can learn from the event. Interview guests: Elizabeth Bartley, executive director Invest in Neighborhoods; Brandon Rudd, deputy director of the Office of Strategic Growth for the City of Cincinnati; Laura Castillo, interim chief Procurement Office for the City of Cincinnati; Ruth Anne Wolfe, founder Community Happens Here; Ezra Logan, intern Community Happens Here;  Andrea Jandricek, architect and co-founder The Changing Ground Project; Ed Mathis, vice president of Republic Commercial Real Estate; Macda Mulugeta, Ohio State University graduate;  Gerald Stewart, ToolBank coordinator; Luke Greiner, UC freshman, led Project CREATE; Chris Valesky, UC senior. Please give us your feedback: https://forms.gle/16YosVHyL7mE3Up9A  Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

For the individual, research shows that the arts can boost memory, decrease depression and foster creativity. For a community, it can improve the quality of life and benefit the economy. Despite finances drying up - both nationally and locally - cities and counties are figuring out how to ramp up the arts because they see the benefits are increasingly worth it.  Interview guests: Mary McDonald, Montgomery County Commissioner; Pete Metz, Cincinnati Regional Chamber Vice President of Civic Strategy and Policy; Stephanie Keinath, Executive Vice President Dayton Chamber of Commerce; Rodney Veal, Host of The Art Show and Inspired By; Andrita Pickens, teacher Cheviot Elementary; Ray Gargano, ArtsWave VP of Community Impact; Shelby Young, Cheviot Elementary Teacher Aide; Joe Wessels, Media Relations Associate CPS; Lisa Wagner, Executive Director Levitt Pavilion; Brooke Reinke, Director of Marketing Windsor Companies. Please give us your feedback: https://forms.gle/16YosVHyL7mE3Up9A  Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

The Ohio Supreme Court is set to decide the fate of a handful of solar farm projects. This, as the state already leads the nation in the number of projects rejected while facing a need for affordable electricity. Cincinnati is seeing success with its solar farm, originally the largest among municipalities. But plenty of others are putting on the brakes, not wanting to give up fertile farmland.  Interview guests: Ollie Kroner, Director of the Cincinnati Office of Environment & Sustainability; Cincinnati Energy Manager Rob McCracken; Rick Lohnes, Clark County Commissioner; Bill Agle, Clark County farmer and Adam Sokolski, EDF Renewables Director of Regulatory and Legislative Affairs.  Please give us your feedback: https://forms.gle/16YosVHyL7mE3Up9A  Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Dayton and Montgomery County, like so many other places in the U.S., continue to face a shortage of low-income housing. For nearly 50 years the private nonprofit development corporation County Corp, has been creating generational wealth by adding new housing and working to revitalize neighborhoods. How is the organization doing it and can it be replicated?  Interview guests: President of County Corp Steve Naas; County Corp Vice President of Housing Adam Blake; Homeowner Chris Voltz; Dayton YouthBuild Executive Director Dr. Jerry Farley; YouthBuild Instructor Mackenzie Johns; Greater Cincinnati Realtist Association President Felicia Bell; and Cora Diggs with Howard Hanna Realtors.  Please give us your feedback: https://forms.gle/16YosVHyL7mE3Up9A  Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

The infant mortality rate, or the death of an infant before its first birthday, continues to remain high among Black families. Efforts in Cincinnati and beyond have made some progress to lower it, including recognizing the importance of doulas and educating both healthcare providers and moms. How effective is this strategy and can more be done? Interview guests: Dr. Elizabeth Kelly, co-founder Cradle Cincinnati; Dr. James Greenberg, co-founder Cradle Cincinnati; Meredith Smith, executive director Cradle Cincinnati; Corinn Taylor, PhD, founder of The Empowerment Foundation; Sharon Hawkins, director, The Doula Initiative; Jill Miller, president & CEO bi3; Jeremiah Kirkland, senior vice president TriHealth; Kanako Kashima, director of community health Mercy Health; Marcus Romanello, chief medical officer The Christ Hospital; Evelyn Agbomi, clinical nurse manager UC Health; Brenda Logan, health integration manager UC Health; Sarah Huber, senior epidemiologist Hamilton County Public Health; mothers Jamira Holt, Agol Aloak, O’Landrea Joi Barnes and Adrienne Jacobson; Alaysia Ponder, Nurture Your Nature Doula Services.Please give us your feedback: https://forms.gle/16YosVHyL7mE3Up9A Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

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.Interview guests: Ohio Justice & Policy Center Director of the Second Chance Project Lindsey Baruffa; Second Chance staff attorney Ashley Ward.Please give us your feedback: https://forms.gle/16YosVHyL7mE3Up9A  Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

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. Brick by Brick convenes a roundtable to talk solutions.Interview guests: Patrick Bailey, Assistant Director of Human Services, Planning and Development for Montgomery County; Kevin Finn, President and CEO of Strategies to End Homelessness; and Kathy Rowell, Ph.D., sociologist, teacher and the Del Mar Encore Fellow for the Dayton Foundation at the Fitz Center for Leadership in the Community at the University of Dayton. Please give us your feedback: https://forms.gle/16YosVHyL7mE3Up9A Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Modern day construction hasn’t solved the problem of toxic housing. On top of old school irritants like mold, lead and asbestos, some new homes and apartments could 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.  Interview guests: Author and UCLA researcher Nick Shapiro; Managing Attorney Midwest Office Earthjustice Debbie Chizewer; Director of Hamilton County Environmental Health Jeremy Hessel; Lead Program Manager, Greater Cincinnati Water Works Kevin Kappers; Director Whole Home Innovation Center, People Working Cooperatively Aaron Grant; Senior Program Officer for LISC LaChé Roach; Repair Coordinator Habitat for Humanity Sylk Johnson; Medical Director, Pediatric Environmental Health and Lead Clinic Dr. Nicholas Newman.  Please give us your feedback: https://forms.gle/16YosVHyL7mE3Up9A Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

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?  Interview Guests: Former Ohio lawmaker Bill Seitz; Associate Director of Tax Policy, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Adam Langley; Butler County Commissioner Don Dixon; Montgomery County Auditor Karl Keith; Committee to Abolish Property Taxes Organizer Brian Massie; Hamilton City Schools Superintendent Andrea Blevins; urban sociologist and property tax researcher Junia HowellPlease give us your feedback:  https://forms.gle/UjrZ1jYdtvRjgKqT9  Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

In a live recorded Brick by Brick event with our partners at the Dayton Metro Library and Dayton Daily News, key decision makers and community activists came together. They talked state of the neighborhoods, a new vision for the city, the role of renters, a rental registry to ensure livability, housing affordability, preservation and new developments.  Panelists: Vice President of Housing for CountyCorp Adam Blake; Founder of the Dayton Tenant Union and community organizer with Advocates for Basic Equality Destiny Brown; architect and President of the Grafton Hill neighborhood Matt Sauer; Dayton Division Manager for Community Engagement, past President of the Huffman Historic District Mike Squire.Please give us your feedback:  https://forms.gle/UjrZ1jYdtvRjgKqT9  Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

COVID reminded scientific researcher and author M. Nils Peterson that multigenerational living does work and people used to do it more often. He sees it as a way to control urban sprawl and preserve the nature we so desperately need. One way is by building accessory dwelling units or backyard cottages. Peterson is working with his community to do just that.  Interview guest: North Carolina State University researcher and author of “The Housing Bomb,” M. Nils Peterson. Please give us your feedback:  https://forms.gle/UjrZ1jYdtvRjgKqT9  Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Subsidized permanent housing is no longer a given for the chronically homeless. Instead, the government is directing more than $3 billion in funds to pay for transitional housing, addiction treatment and state outreach. Not everybody is on board, including Maria Foscarinis. She has ideas on how the Housing First model could be resurrected and details other programs she sees as effective.Interview guest: Founder of the National Homelessness Law Center and author of “And Housing for All,” Maria Foscarinis.Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

 Some foodbanks broke records during the government shutdown for the amount of food they handed out. SNAP benefits were suspended temporarily, and its requirements have changed. Although the need has eased slightly, food insecurity remains an issue. By the latest data, thirteen percent of U.S. households are unable to acquire enough food. Foodbanks and food rescue organizations provide a safety net for our neighbors. How are they doing it, and what kind of difference are they making? Interview guests: Executive Director Ohio Association of Foodbanks Joree Novotny, CEO Freestore Foodbank Kurt Reiber, Marketing and Advocacy Manager The Foodbank Inc. Amber Wright, CEO Last Mile Food Rescue Eileen Budo, and Meals on Wheels Southwest OH & Northern KY Chief Production Officer Michael Beck. Please give us your feedback:  https://forms.gle/UjrZ1jYdtvRjgKqT9  Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

 Millions of people live in a medical desert, meaning they have inadequate access to healthcare, both in urban and rural settings. There are a variety of reasons why, including distance to a hospital, lack of broadband internet, lack of transportation, and a shortage of healthcare workers. Despite these challenges, there are solutions. Brick by Brick examines workforce training and school-health center partnerships.  Interview guests: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Hamilton County Commissioner Alicia Reece, Chief Rural Correspondent KFF News Sarah Jane Tribble, Ohio Alliance for Population Heath Community Health Worker Lead Kerri Shaw, North Mason Fire Chief Beau Bakken, Retired Cincinnati Medical Director of School and Adolescent Health Dr. Marilyn Crumpton,  Fayetteville-Perry Local Schools Superintendent Tim Carlier and Director of Curriculum and instruction Jennifer Spaeth Mullis. Please give us your feedback:  https://forms.gle/UjrZ1jYdtvRjgKqT9  Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

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. State Representatives Dani Isaacsohn and Adam Mathews talk about it on Brick by Brick.Interview guests: Ohio Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn, D-Over-the-Rhine and Rep. Adam Mathews, R-Lebanon, talk about the state’s new pro-housing legislation they got passed.Please give us your feedback:  https://forms.gle/UjrZ1jYdtvRjgKqT9  Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Residents don’t want to have development done to them and instead want to be part of it. One example involves the conversion of an old chemical plant in West Louisville, Kentucky into affordable housing. Another is in Carmel, Indiana where neighborhood ambassadors are helping residents articulate a vision for the future. Cincinnati’s Yard & Co. is behind those efforts and more. The Neighborhood Playbook, by Yard & Co., is almost a decade old, but the concepts are still resonating nationwide with citizen developers. Interview guest: Urban planner Joe Nickol, principal and co-founder Yard & Co.Please give us your feedback: https://forms.gle/UjrZ1jYdtvRjgKqT9   Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

 The World Health Organization has set a goal of decreasing pedestrian deaths and injuries by 50-percent in five years. At least in the U.S., there’s not a lot of progress. According to 2023 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics, every 72 minutes a pedestrian dies in a traffic crash. In 2023 the highest number of cyclists ever recorded were killed in crashes with motor vehicles in the U.S.: 1,155. Brick by Brick looks at the solutions of speed humps, redesigned roads and more. Interview guests: Cincinnati Senior City Planner Mel McVay; Dayton City Engineer David Escobar; Wayne Avenue Safety Coalition President Willie Morris IV; Western Hills HS Teacher Jeff Demaree; Madisonville Community Council Transportation Chair Kerry Devery; “Ohio’s Bike Lawyer” Steve Magas. Please give us your feedback:  https://forms.gle/UjrZ1jYdtvRjgKqT9 Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

U.S. consumers spent on average $1,760 on electricity in 2023, second only to gasoline. And those residential electricity costs are expected to increase 13-18 percent by 2026. Why? Blame it on infrastructure changes needed for data centers. They supply computational power for AI and cryptocurrency and help drive up the cost as power companies pass them on to consumers. Some residents are hoping residential solar panels will save them money. Interview guests: Julien Dumoulin-Smith, managing director Jeffries; Andy Holzhauser, co-owner Donovan Energy; Zach McGuire, executive director Columbus Region Green Fund; Andrew Garth, executive vice president and general counsel The Port; Madeline Yozwiak, led study on the effect residential solar has on energy insecurity; Chris Heckman, Pleasant Cake, LLC; Lewis Connel, sales director SustainergyPlease give us your feedback: https://forms.gle/UjrZ1jYdtvRjgKqT9   Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Nearly 50 million people in the U.S. don’t have enough food to eat and what they do have probably isn’t the most nutritious, leading to possible health problems later in life. Food banks and food rescue organizations are helping (we’ll cover those in another podcast), but so are community markets and urban gardens. They’re working to fill the gap by providing healthy food and teaching people to grow their own food. Interview guests: Adie Tomer, senior fellow Brookings Institute; Laura Schmidt, principal investigator NOURISH at UC San Francisco; Amarnath Gupta, NOURISH research scientist UC San Diego; Domonique Peebles, founder of Brick Gardens; Michael Schulz, co-founder and executive director Mission of Mary Cooperative; Jasmine Taylor, site director Meiser’s Fresh Grocery and Deli; Amaha Sellassie, board president of Gem City Market Cooperative How are neighborhood grocers or community gardens helping where you live. Share your experience and give the show some feedback: https://forms.gle/UjrZ1jYdtvRjgKqT9  Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Housing growth in Dayton has typically been divided by the river and real estate developer Tim Forbess wants to change that. One example is the historic Longfellow School which he’s transforming into a housing community with a theatre, gymnasium, doctor’s office, dog spa and more. It’s inclusive for LGTBQ+ individuals. He’s also working on another apartment building behind Longfellow which will add even more housing to the Grafton Hill neighborhood. Interview guest: Tim Forbess, CEO of G.F. Bailey, a real estate development and construction firm in Dayton.Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Geoff Milz is the Director of Development for Pennrose in Cincinnati, Ohio. His organization specializes in developing and managing affordable, conventional, and mixed income residential properties. He stresse the importance of creating more income aligned housing. Interview guest: Geoff Milz, Director of Development at PennroseWhat challenges does your neighborhood face? What’s your housing story? Provide feedback. Help guide our coverage: https://forms.gle/UjrZ1jYdtvRjgKqT9   Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Developer Kai Lewars specializes in the “missing middle” housing some say Cincinnati so badly needs. The city made it easier to develop duplexes, triplexes, rowhouses, and more under 2024 zoning changes. Lewars finds vacant lots and works with community organizations to build them. He also is committed to building low-income housing. Interview guest: Kai Lewars, principal and founder Kaiker Development + Construction.  What challenges does your neighborhood face? What’s your housing story? Provide feedback. Help guide our coverage. https://forms.gle/UjrZ1jYdtvRjgKqT9  Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

It was the spring of 2024 when Brick by Brick began reporting on solutions that could potentially increase the housing supply and make it more affordable. Thirty-two episodes later we look back at how well some of those ideas worked; focusing on eviction prevention, the construction of more apartment units and events that enabled a Cincinnati and Dayton woman to experience the joy of home ownership. We will also give you a preview of Season Two. Interview guests: Kevin Finn, CEO Strategies to End Homelessness; Nick Zingarelli, director and chief attorney at the Hamilton County Help Center; Ella Carre and Kaneika Lovett, homeowners; Jason Dorsey, executive vice president Windsor Companies; Zachary Graham, senior vice president Crawford Hoying; Phillip Denning, executive vice president The Port. Please give us your feedback: https://forms.gle/UjrZ1jYdtvRjgKqT9   Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Contentious debates can arise in cities around adding housing or development in neighborhoods, but what power do everyday residents have? From Dayton’s Five Oaks to Cincinnati’s Hyde Park these issues have bubbled up recently, so we want to explore solutions we all have at our fingertips to influence the trajectory of our communities. To explore this topic, we sit down with a city councilmember and the executive director of a group that empowers community councils. Interview Guests: Cincinnati Councilmember Mark Jeffreys and Elizabeth Bartley, executive director of Invest in Neighborhoods. Please give us your feedback: https://forms.gle/UjrZ1jYdtvRjgKqT9   Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Housing is an extra challenge for hundreds of thousands of people, who are released from prison every year in the U.S., millions more leave local jails. The barriers they face are enormous. But some communities are working to expand access and increase supply. How are they doing it?  Interview guests: Aisha Balogun, special project associate NYU’s Housing Solutions Lab; Tom Luettke, reentry coordinator Criminal Justice Coordinating Council Lucas County, Ohio; Kari Benz, director for human services Minnehaha and Lincoln Counties, South Dakota; Trina Jackson, director of Hamilton County Office of Reentry; David Fulcher, former Cincinnati Bengals player and creator of the MANA prison ministry program. Please give us your feedback: https://forms.gle/UjrZ1jYdtvRjgKqT9   Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Religious organizations are some of the biggest landholders in the country and communities are increasingly looking to them to help solve the housing crisis. Some efforts are already underway but churches say they need zoning help to build on their properties. Faith-based development can take many forms. Is it making a difference?Interview guests: Nadia Mian, researcher Rutgers University; Pastor Monique French, Washington Heights United Methodist Church and Community-Battle Creek, Michigan; Father Benjamin Spear-Hardy II, St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church-Trotwood; Wes Young, St. Mary’s Development Corporation Please give us your feedback: https://forms.gle/UjrZ1jYdtvRjgKqT9  Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

It’s getting increasingly harder to find an affordable place to live. Sky- high rents, fluctuating mortgage rates, expensive home prices and a shortage of housing are all contributing factors. Every year there are incentives for banks to create affordable housing. How much are they doing and is it making a difference? Interview guests: Damon Allen, senior vice president Federal Home Loan Bank-Cincinnati; Susan Thomas, President Fifth Third Bank Community Development Corporation and co-chair National Housing Crisis Task Force, Roddell McCullough, chief corporate responsibility officer First Financial Bank; Kenya Taylor, vice president community manager Chase Bank; Elisabeth Risch, executive director Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) Please give us your feedback:https://forms.gle/UjrZ1jYdtvRjgKqT9  Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

If the U.S. builds as many homes as it did last year, experts predict it will take an average of seven and a half years to close the housing gap. How do we speed up construction? One way might be to increase the production of 3D printed houses. This technology is starting to take off in Texas and a few other states. Could it make sense in other parts of the country?  Interview guests: Interview guests: Sandy Curth, PhD researcher who designs and builds sustainable 3D printed structures; Dr. Ali Memari, director Pennsylvania Housing Research Center and Penn State Bernard and Henrietta Hankin Chair in Residential Building Construction; John Smoll, owner Open Vision Builders Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Vacant land owned by the government may be able to help ease the housing gap. Most of it near urban areas and transit lines, is controlled by local governments. And with the help of the Center for Geospatial Solutions (CGS), communities are starting to realize they may have land to build more housing. Interview guest: Director of the Center for Geospatial Solutions Jeff Allenby explains how his nonprofit agency can quickly comb through reams of data to locate land for potential housing. Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Responding to a study in 2023, Northern Kentucky is trying to increase their housing stock. Local leaders and non-profits collaborated to create a menu of options called Home for All: Northern Kentucky Housing Strategies. We look at some of the 50 solutions included and talk to stakeholders about the next steps.Interview guests: Tara Johnson-Noem, Executive Director at Northern Kentucky Area Development District; Mayor Ron Washington, Covington Kentucky; Stephanie Stiene, Director of Financial Wellness and Volunteer Engagement; Judge/Executive Gary W. Moore, Boone County; Brent Cooper, President & CEO at Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce; Colton Simpson, Deputy Judge Executive in Grant County, KY; Seth Cutter,  Vice President of Public Affairs - CVG Airport; Sharmili Reddy, Executive Director of Planning and Development Services of Kenton County; Wonda Winkler, President & CEO at Brighton Center, Inc.; Bradie Bowen, Covington KY Resident (Former teacher and administrator for 22 years)Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

More than half of Americans say they would consider living in a tiny home, defined as large as 600 square feet. As traditional homes get more expensive the interest is increasing. Also, many see tiny homes as a possible solution to homelessness. Local efforts are underway to create villages of them.Interview guests: Alam Graham, CEO Mobile Loaves & Fishes (Community First Village) in Austin, TX; Juan (John) Perez, Co-Founder and President Vista Village in Columbus, OH; Debbie Watts Robinson, CEO Miami Valley Housing Opportunities; Earl Crossland and Larry Plum, Co-Founders Tiny Homes for Humanity in Cincinnati; Clermont County Commissioner Bonnie BatchlerBrick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

The federal government gives developers the equivalent of $10 billion a year to build low-income housing in the form of a tax credit. Without this government subsidy, known generally as Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), there would be a lot fewer affordable units. There are limitations, including the funding. Is there a better way to do it?  Interview guests: Anthony Orlando, PhD, associate professor of finance, real estate and law at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona;  Roger Valdez, director of The Center for Housing and Economics; Ryan Gleason, executive director Ohio Housing Council; Mary Burke Rivers, executive director Over-the-Rhine Community Housing; and Ben Eilerman, director of real estate Over-the-Rhine Community Housing. Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

An effort to improve one man’s suburban Dallas neighborhood is now spreading across the country, even touching South Bend, Indiana. Incremental developer Monte Anderson coined the term “gentlefication,” valuing people and buildings as he envisions what an area could look like. He’s teaching other cities how to do it.Interview guest: South Dallas community developer, landlord, and “town maker” Monte Anderson helps others find their “farm.”Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

The U.S. housing stock is old and getting older and its deterioration is causing health, safety and financial concerns. Saving it is cheaper and more sustainable than building new. But preservation is still expensive. How do we preserve housing before more low-cost rental units are lost? Interview guests: Executive Director Ohio Community Development Corporation (CDC) Association Torey Hollingsworth, Dayton Housing Inspection Division Manager James McDaniel, Chairperson Dayton Home Repair Network Aileen Hull, and CMHA CEO Greg JohnsonBrick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Over time, property is almost guaranteed to go up in value. That’s a problem if you have a limited income and want to buy a house. Unless the house is in a community land trust (CLT) which retains ownership of the land and restricts the resale price of the home. CLTs are slowly gaining steam across the US and there is evidence this model is working.  Interview guests: Civil rights activist who helped start the first US CLT Shirley Sherrod, Executive Director Atlanta Land Trust Amanda Rhein, Executive Director Yellow Springs Home, Inc. Emily Seibel and Renting Partnerships founder Margery Spinney. Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Ask ten people what a thriving community looks like to them and you will likely get ten different answers. But usually at the top of the list is access to affordable housing and healthcare. With 2025 approaching, Brick by Brick went searching for answers, talking to adults and teens. Interact for Health reports on roadblocks and successes for Southwest Ohio. In Dayton plans are underway for a wellbeing index, and a Middletown neighborhood is already seeing improvements after the installation of a community garden.Interview guests:Interact for Health Vice President Ashlee Young, Founder of Dayton’s Collaboratory Peter Benkendorf and Middletown Connect Program Manager DeAnna Shores.Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Thousands of people in Cincinnati and Dayton either can’t find a home they can afford or can’t afford the one they live in. Both cities are taking steps to address the housing crisis. What are they doing and is it enough? Brick by Brick hosts two city leaders, from Dayton and Cincinnati, to talk through possible solutions. Interview Guests: Cincinnati Councilmember Jeff Cramerding and Dayton City Commissioner Shenise Turner-Sloss. Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Modular construction, built inside a climate-controlled factory and then trucked to a site for assembly, has been slow to catch on in the U.S. It makes up less than 4-percent of the housing stock, compared to 15-percent in Japan and 45-percent in Scandinavia. Is it the answer to increase the housing supply? And what about other ideas like container homes? Interview guests: McKinsey & Company Senior Partner Jose Luis Blanco, Dayton City Manager Shelley Dickstein, Unibilt President Greg Barney and InnovaLab Ohio Chief Operating Officer Tamara SullivanBrick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Old buildings make up an increasing share of the U.S. rental stock. Experts say a healthy supply of these aging apartments help cities and neighborhoods thrive. But fixing them up takes money and political will. Atlanta Developer Marjy Stagmeier, who wrote the book Blighted, renovates rundown apartments and has an education model she says others can replicate. Interview guest: Atlanta developer, landlord, author and affordable housing “solutionist,” Marjy Stagmeier. Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Look around and you’ll see plenty of vacant buildings. Can they be turned into housing? Adaptive Reuse is on the rebound and estimates say ninety-percent of real estate development in the next decade will involve adaptive reuse, or repurposing buildings for something other than their intended use. Most cases involve offices or hotels but factories, warehouses, malls and schools are also undergoing transformations. We even found a bowling alley transformed into housing. Interview guests: CBRE Senior Associate Marianne Taylor, Executive Director UC Real Estate Center Carl Goertemoeller, and CEO G.F. Bailey Co., Tim ForbessBrick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Cities that want to add hundreds of housing units at a time are embracing the addition of large-scale apartments alongside other types of housing. These big multifamily housing projects are on track to break national records this year and add an estimated 2-million units by 2028. But will the current economic climate allow the building boom to continue and do communities want large-scale apartments in their neighborhoods?  Interview guests: Yardi Matrix Manager of Business Intelligence Doug Ressler, Vice President of the Greater Cincinnati Northern Kentucky Apartment Association Justin Seger, and Assistant Anderson Township Administrator Steve Sievers Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Housing Choice Vouchers are portable subsidies that low-income families can use to lower their rents in the private market. But is this 50-year old solution to the housing crisis working as well as it should? The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and local entities like the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority and Greater Dayton Premier Management, which receive the federal funds from HUD to issue the vouchers, are trying to make changes but budgetary constraints are hampering their efforts. Interview guests: HUD Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing Rich Monocchio, Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority CEO Greg Johnson and Greater Dayton Premier Management CEO Jennifer Heapy.Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Shane Phillips says we’re not building as much housing as we did in the 1960s when we had 120 million fewer people. He says the scarcity has caught up with us and offers up 54 ideas to tackle the housing crisis. In The Affordable City Phillips suggests everything from letting renters decide what they value to prioritizing the three S’s: Supply, Stability and Subsidy. Interview guest: Shane Phillips, urban planner, policy expert, podcast host and author of The Affordable City. Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Cincinnati’s South Cumminsville is a largely low-income African American neighborhood along the once polluted Mill Creek. Seventy-percent of people live within a block of property with possible contamination and asthma rates among children are high. A nonprofit organization is helping  green it up through retrofits and near net-zero homes. Residents are hopeful and city leaders hope it can be replicated in other communities.Interview guests: Executive Director of WIN Sister Barbara Busch, President of the South Cumminsville Community Council Derrik Feagin, VP Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio Ken Wilson and Cincinnati Vice Mayor Jan Michele Lemon-Kearney.Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

As evictions and the number of people experiencing homelessness remain high, keeping people in their homes could come down to an algorithm. If homeless prevention agencies got a heads up on who was at-risk and what types of bills they were having trouble paying, they could help prevent an eviction even before an eviction notice. Cincinnati and other cities are trying it. Maidstone, England has data to back it up. Interview guests: Kevin Finn, president of Strategies to End Homelessness; Amy Riegel, executive director of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio; Raúl Ordóñez, University of Dayton professor of electrical and computer engineering, and more. Brick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

Vacant and abandoned property accelerates the decline of neighborhoods. How can we make this land more productive? An increasing number of governments and non-profit organizations are turning to land banks as a partial solution. Interview guests: National Land Bank Network Director Brian Larkin, Montgomery County Land Bank Senior Advisor Mike Grauwelman, The Port’s Executive Vice President Philip Denning, Common Orchard Project Director Chris SmythBrick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

If we had an abundance of entry level units, there would be a lot of different opportunities,” says Charles Marohn. “A person who is in their first job, a person who’s just getting started with their family, a couple that has just gotten married, people should be able to move up when they’re ready.” In his book Escaping the Housing Trap, Marohn says because we can’t afford for housing prices to fall, one strategy is to look around your neighborhood and instigate a building boom of 600 sq. ft. houses. Among other things, in an interview with Brick by Brick, he talks about what a difference incremental developers can make.Interview guest: Engineer, Author and Strong Towns CEO Charles MarohnBrick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey

We don’t have enough houses or apartments. However, plenty of people may have extra space in their house for a separate garage, attic or basement apartment. And they might even be able to build a separate structure in their backyard. California, Oregon and Washington states have built an estimated 100,000 of these, so-called-Accessory Dwelling Units or ADUs. They are now legal in Cincinnati and conditional in Dayton. Can these structures ramp up here to help fill the housing gap?Interview guests: ADU expert Kol Peterson, Miami University Assistant Architecture Professor Jeff Kruth, KeyBank Vice President Kenya Taylor, UC Berkeley researcher Mohammed AlameldinBrick by Brick WebsiteFeedback Survey