Brick by Brick

Brick by Brick discovered dozens of solutions in Season 2, that are working to solve a variety of problems. After many iterations, Cincinnati engineers created the perfect speed hump. The city has data showing traffic calming devices are slowing drivers down.  Meals on Wheels of Southwest Ohio and NKY is preparing to open a new headquarters that will more than double the annual meal production for...

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-...

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 Pow...

 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 g...

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, M...

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.   I...

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 C...

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 Cr...

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...

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...

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.   Inter...

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;...

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 Cou...

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...

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...

 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 ne...

 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 c...

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...

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 Neighborhoo...

 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...

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 re...

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 gr...

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...

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 Pennrose What challenges does your neighborhood face? What’s your housing sto...

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 Devel...