Pedestrian safety, expanded senior meals and a new air quality program among season 2 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 on Wheels of Southwest Ohio and NKY recognizes food insecurity among seniors is still an issue. It’s preparing to open a new headquarters that will more than double the annual meal production.
People Working Cooperatively continues to make critical home repairs and is now improving air quality in a pilot program. One homeowner says she is heathier and less stressed without mold in her basement. We look back on these solutions and more.
Pedestrian safety
The City of Cincinnati continues to drill down on ways to increase pedestrian safety. Over the past few years it has been studying the effectiveness of speed humps or “traffic calming devices,” and is making adjustments, as we reported in this episode.
In combination with concrete bump outs, raised crosswalks and more, totaling 86 improvements in 22 neighborhoods (in 2025), there has been a 48 percent decrease in the number of drivers speeding.
This speed hump on Brotherton Ave. in Cincinnati’s Oakley neighborhood is one of the best. It was high enough to slow drivers down but it didn’t make their cars bounce. Before installation here-56 percent were speeding. After-less than 1 percent were going too fast.
This year Cincinnati looks to make 35 pedestrian safety improvements in nine neighborhoods. One of those improvements is to a dangerous intersection in Madisonville, Madison and Anderson Place.
The city will install a raised crosswalk and a pair of rectangular rapid flashing beacons for extra awareness.
On June 16 Council held a joint special meeting with the Youth & Human Services Committee & Cincinnati Public School Board members, which focused on school-zone pedestrian safety, in part.
Western Hills High School students and their teacher Jeff Demaree know the dangers of crossing the street all too well. After the 2018 death of Gabby Rodriguez who was hit by a car and the serious injuries of others in separate incidents, Demaree’s class embarked on a billboard campaign and testified in Columbus to help pass Aspen’s Law.
Christina Alcorn’s son Aspen Runnels was hit and killed by a car while a freshman at Lakota in 2024. She is now working with Western Hills High School and Elder High School on a new documentary.
Teacher Jeff Demaree explains they want to help other schools nationwide make school zones safer. “If we made a documentary about our work and what exactly we’ve done, we would be able to share it with grade schools, other high schools, so that other students can learn how to keep themselves safe as well. So, that’s the step we’re working on now, trying to be educators ourselves to be able to share the work that we’ve done with other schools.”
Meals on Wheels to more than double local senior meal capacity
Later this year Meals on Wheels Southwest Ohio and NKY will open a new headquarters in Columbia Township. Brick by Brick’s Hernz Laguerre Jr. covered the groundbreaking in the fall of 2025 and reports on this and other updates.
The organization says it “reaches over 10,000 seniors in 13 counties with its spectrum of essential services. Fueled by a successful completion of this campaign, we will be able to reach up to 30,000 seniors with an expansion of services and increased production capabilities.”
You might wonder if the programs provided by Meals on Wheels translate into better health for older adults. The organization points to 38 independent studies that found increased food security, improved diet, reduced health care costs, and more. Separate research analyzing other studies also determined a beneficial effect.
In a separate program, the City of Cincinnati and Kroger are partnering to feed people in Winton Hills. They are funding a pilot program for $100 worth of free food and delivery every month for 12 months to 200 residents.
Tiny homes initiative gets more churches on board
When we last saw Tiny Homes for Humanity, it was waiting for approval from the Madisonville Community Council to build its tiny homes community for veterans on the vacant lot belonging to the Gaines United Methodist Church. Since then, President of the organization, Earl Crossland, says its been approved and the support is outstanding.
“We were hoping to get $750,000 by June 30. And I can report that if we collect all the pledges, we will have reached that goal. So, it’s really exciting. And we’re just so, pleased with the outpouring of generosity.”
Other churches and other property owners have approached the development company to see if they could build a tiny home neighborhood on the vacant property on their land as well. Crossland says he believes the reason people are invested into this project is because of the current state of veterans in the area. “Veterans really need our help. And there are over 500 homeless veterans in the Cincinnati area. And when people hear that, their heart goes out. They just really want to help.”
The next step for the organization is to finalize the zoning for the14 Tiny Homes they plan to build. They still need to continue to fundraise their project that costs about $2 million. If everything goes according to plan, they will break ground in December of 2026 and have the project complete by the summer of 2028.
Dayton Doula effort expands
Sharon Hawkins is the founder and director of the Dayton Doula Initiative, a community-based program designed to address high rates of maternal and infant mortality among black women in the Dayton, OH area. She oversaw three cohorts to graduate through this program, and a fourth one will start this fall.
Doulas are also known as birth coaches, and participants receive scholarships for the 8-month program, which also includes business training. The services the doulas provide after completing their certification cover both childbirth and postpartum support up to one year after birth. In 2024 Medicaid coverage for doulas was passed making it accessible to all women in Ohio.
This spring, the University of Dayton’s Women’s Center supported a storytelling event where LORE story coaches helped doulas and mothers come together to be able to share their birth stories.
“I think it’s important because it gives women a chance in the space to have a voice and to have a voice empowers you,” said Sharon Hawkins.
In addition, Sharon Hawkins was recently honored as a community gem by the Dayton Daily News and because of this, some women reached out to her interested in joining an upcoming Program. Hawkins said she never expected to be recognized but is glad that the program is getting recognition.
In addition on September 17 and 18, the Public Health of Dayton and Montgomery County is organizing a regional Doula symposium at Central State West Campus and a grant from the Physicians Charitable Foundation will allow the participants for this fall Doula Initiative program to increase from 10 to around 14 to 18 people.
Program to improve air quality continues
People Working Cooperatively helps eligible homeowners by making needed repairs to their houses. We covered one such repair in our preservation episode in Season One (around 13:00).
In addition, PWC began a pilot program in 2025 to address indoor air quality. It combines the core home repair, weatherization and accessibility with other services that address moisture and potential mold exposure.
Brick by Brick watched as Director, Whole Home Innovation Center Aaron Grant removed mold from a Mt. Auburn home.
The problem was mold-damaged paneling in the basement and mold growth on the foundation wall. He says, “The client told us that since we’ve begun our services, she’s noticed an improvement in the way she feels in the house (especially in the basement), and it has lifted some of her stress about the safety of her home.”
PWC Associate Vice President of Development Bridget Kochersperger reports “We do still have a small amount of flexible funding that allows us to try this new approach for a limited number of households and we are continuing to work with our health care partners to target this work to families with respiratory illness to prioritize people at the greatest risk.”
Looking ahead
Brick by Brick is searching for more solutions. We’re looking ahead to Season 3 which will continue the focus on the need for more housing, and possible solutions to health and environmental concerns. We also plan to look at the impact of community development. Brick by Brick welcomes your ideas. Please email us at BrickbyBrick@publicmediaconnect.org and click on the big green button below.
Ann Thompson – Host, Producer
Over the last thirty years in Cincinnati, Ann Thompson has brought a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her reporting. She has reported and anchored for WVXU, WKRC, WCKY, WHIO-TV and Metro Networks and freelanced for NPR, CBS and ABC Radio. Her work has been recognized by the Associated Press and she has won awards from the Association of Women in Communications and the Alliance for Women in Media. She is a former News Director and Operations Manager. Ann has reported from India, Japan, South Korea, Germany and Belgium as part of fellowships. Ann thinks of the Brick by Brick project as “journalism for good.” She serves as host and producer. Ann lives in Anderson Township with her husband Scott. They have two boys. Jake graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2022 and Kurt attends West Point.
