ANNOUNCER: BRICK BY BRICK IS MADE POSSIBLE THANKS TO LEADING SUPPORT FROM: AND MANY MORE, THANK YOU.

WE COULDN'T DO THIS WORK WITHOUT YOU.

THOMPSON: WHILE BUILDING NEW HOUSING IS ONE PART OF OUR REGION'S RESPONSE TO THE HOUSING CRISIS, THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT COIN IS MAKING SURE WE DON'T LOSE THE NATURALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING WE ALREADY HAVE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

HOLLINGSWORTH: IF WE ALLOW A LOT OF OUR EXISTING HOMES TO DETERIORATE TO THE POINT THAT THEY'RE NO LONGER HABITABLE, WE'RE GOING TO BE IN AN EVEN DEEPER HOLE THAN WE ALREADY ARE.

THOMPSON: PRESERVATION IN SOUTHWEST OHIO IS KEY BECAUSE THE HOUSING STOCK WE HAVE IS SOME OF THE OLDEST IN THE COUNTRY.

IN FACT, OHIO IS NUMBER SIX IN THE U.S. DAYTON'S EFFORT TO RATE THE CONDITION OF ALL OF ITS HOMES IS A PART OF THIS EFFORT.

MCDANIEL: WE TOOK A LOOK AT IT AND WE SAY, WHERE DO WE HAVE THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF THREES?

THREES, MEANING THAT WE HAD TO WRITE THEM A LEGAL ORDER AND WE'RE ASKING THEM TO REPAIR THEIR PROPERTY.

THOMPSON: BUT FIXING UP A PLACE TAKES MONEY.

AND IN SOME CASES OUTSIDE AGENCIES HAVE TO STEP IN TO HELP.

HULL: PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THE INCOME TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE MAINTENANCE THAT IS NEEDED ON THESE HOUSES THAT ARE CONSTANTLY AGING.

THOMPSON: ALONG WITH NATURALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SUBSIDIZED PUBLIC HOUSING ALSO NEEDS TO BE PRESERVED.

JOHNSON: WE NEED TO BE SURE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT PRESERVING THAT IMPORTANT HOUSING FOR FAMILIES.

THOMPSON: WE'LL GET A LOOK AT HOW CINCINNATI METROPOLITAN HOUSING AUTHORITY, AS WELL AS OTHERS, ARE RENOVATING PROPERTIES AND TRYING TO REIMAGINE PUBLIC HOUSING.

WE'RE FOCUSED ON PRESERVATION TODAY, THE COST TO DO IT, THE COST NOT TO DO IT, AND HOW IT CAN PROTECT RENTERS IN THE LOWEST INCOME BRACKETS.

LET'S GET INTO IT.

THIS IS BRICK BY BRICK: SOLUTIONS FOR A THRIVING COMMUNITY.

THOMPSON: AS WE'VE BEEN SAYING ALL SEASON, OUR REGION'S ABILITY TO OVERCOME THE HOUSING CRISIS OF AFFORDABILITY AND AVAILABILITY WILL DEPEND ON A NUMBER OF RESPONSES.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW BUILDERS ARE TRYING TO SCALE UP NEW CONSTRUCTION FOR ALL TYPES OF HOUSING, SINGLE FAMILY, APARTMENTS, AND MIDDLE HOUSING.

THAT WORK IS UNDERWAY, BUT MORE IS NEEDED.

WE ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE PRACTICE OF ADAPTIVE REUSE TO TURN OFFICES, WAREHOUSES OR ANY OTHER NONRESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS INTO NEW HOUSING.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE HOUSING THAT WE ALREADY HAVE?

TODAY, A LOOK AT EFFORTS TO SAVE THAT HOUSING THROUGH PRESERVATION AND REPAIR.

HELLO AND WELCOME TO BRICK BY BRICK, WHERE WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING SOLUTIONS FOR A THRIVING COMMUNITY IN SOUTHWEST OHIO.

I'M YOUR HOST, ANN THOMPSON.

MUCH OF AMERICA'S HOUSING STOCK IS OLD AND GETTING OLDER.

THE MEDIAN AGE OF A HOME NOW IS 41, AND OF US HOMES BUILT BEFORE 1940 9% ARE CONSIDERED TO BE IN INADEQUATE CONDITION, MEANING LOTS OF REPAIRS NEEDED.

OHIO IS NUMBER SIX AMONG STATES WITH THE OLDEST HOMES.

THAT SAME SURVEY, USING CENSUS DATA, SHOWS CINCINNATI 17TH WITH A MEDIAN HOUSING AGE OF 46 YEARS OLD.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE CITIES WITH THE MOST HOMES BUILT BEFORE 1940, ANOTHER STUDY LISTS CINCINNATI EIGHTH.

AMONG SMALLER CITIES, DAYTON IS RANKED SEVENTH.

TOREY HOLLINGSWORTH IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OHIO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION ASSOCIATION.

HOLLINGSWORTH: 1940 IS USUALLY SORT OF THE DIVIDING LINE BETWEEN WHAT IS CONSIDERED MORE MODERN HOUSING AND HISTORIC HOMES.

AND WE HAVE A LOT OF THE HOMES THAT FIT INTO THAT HISTORIC CATEGORY, WHICH OFTEN NEED PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL REPAIRS TO CONTINUE TO BE HABITABLE AND SAFE FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE IN.

THOMPSON: MANY POINT TO PRESERVATION AS PLAYING A KEY ROLE IN SOLVING THE HOUSING CRISIS.

IT MAKES SENSE, RIGHT?

INTERVENE BEFORE A BUILDING IS TOO FAR GONE TO REPAIR AND NOT ONLY SAVE THE HOMES, BUT ALSO SAVE MONEY.

THAT'S BECAUSE THE COST OF PRESERVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS JUST A FRACTION OF BUILDING NEW.

ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION, THE US LOST MORE THAN 3 MILLION LOW COST RENTAL HOMES BETWEEN 2012 AND 2017.

LIKE SO MANY OTHER CITIES, DAYTON IS TRYING TO SAVE ITS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

MORE THAN A THOUSAND HOMES ARE SET FOR DEMOLITION AND ANOTHER 5000 ARE ON THE BRINK.

A RECENT HOUSING SURVEY RATED THE EXTERIOR OF EVERY SINGLE DAYTON HOME.

10% NEED MAJOR REPAIRS.

BRICK BY BRICK DROVE TO THE BORDER OF MIAMI CHAPEL IN LAKEVIEW TO GET A BETTER IDEA OF HOW A STREET COULD BE TRANSFORMED.

MCDANIEL: YOU LOOK AT THIS HOUSE, YOU SEE THAT THE GUTTERS ARE FALLING DOWN.

YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE PORCH, AND WE HAVE SOME OF THE SIDING AND EVERYTHING THAT'S COMING DOWN.

THOMPSON: IT'S IN ROUGH SHAPE.

MCDANIEL: IT IS, BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT IF A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEY WANT TO CHALLENGE AND THEY'LL TAKE IT ON AND THEY'LL RESTORE IT.

THOMPSON: AND WHAT NUMBER DID YOU GIVE THIS?

DO YOU RECALL?

MCDANIEL: SO THIS RIGHT HERE I -- NOW YOU CAN'T SEE ANY HOLES IN THE ROOF OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT THIS WOULD BE A THREE.

THOMPSON: THE GOAL IS TO SAVE EVERY HOUSE, SOME THROUGH LEGAL ACTION.

BUT INSPECTORS ALSO HAVE TO RECOGNIZE WHAT CAN'T BE PRESERVED.

MCDANIEL: WE RECENTLY HAD A DEMOLITION OF TWO PROPERTIES IN THIS LOCATION.

SO, UM, SO JUST -- THOMPSON: AND THAT'S RIGHT OVER HERE.

MCDANIEL: YES, THAT'S OVER HERE.

SO RIGHT THERE YOU SEE WHERE IT WAS GRADED.

AND THEY HAVE SOME STRAW DOWN.

SO HOPEFULLY AS THE SPRING COMES AND WE'LL START SEEING GRASS.

THOMPSON: BEFORE THEY DO ANYTHING, INSPECTORS TRY TO ENVISION WHAT EFFECT A DEMOLITION WILL HAVE ON A NEIGHBORHOOD, LIKE THIS ONE.

MCDANIEL: SO WE ACTUALLY TAKE PICTURES OF HOW THE STREET WILL LOOK AND HOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD WILL LOOK WITHOUT THOSE PROPERTIES.

THOMPSON: AND IT LOOKS A LOT BETTER.

AND I'M SURE THAT THE PEOPLE OVER HERE ARE PRETTY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.

MCDANIEL: MOST OF THEM COME OUT AND THEY ACTUALLY THANK US FOR ACTUALLY DEMOLISHING THE HOUSES.

THOMPSON: JAMES MCDANIEL HOPES SOMEBODY WILL BUILD ON THESE VACANT LOTS, BUYING THE PROPERTY FROM THE CURRENT OWNER.

THE DAYTON HOUSING SURVEY, UPDATED EVERY 2 TO 3 YEARS, ACTUALLY SURPRISED SOME CITY LEADERS.

THIS TIME IT FOUND 75% OF HOUSES WERE IN SOUND SHAPE, RECEIVING THE HIGHEST RATING.

REPAIRING A HOME CAN BE VERY EXPENSIVE, AND THAT'S HARD IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY.

BUT AS BRICK BY BRICK'S EMIKO MOORE DISCOVERED, ONE DAYTON ORGANIZATION IS HELPING.

MOORE: 79 YEAR OLD BARBARA GRUBER HAS MANY MEMORIES OF THE HOUSE WHERE SHE RAISED HER FAMILY IN THE TROTWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD OF DAYTON.

GRUBER: MY YOUNGEST SON WAS ONLY FOUR MONTHS OLD WHEN WE MOVED HERE, AND I REMEMBER THAT NIGHT, UH, WE FORGOT TO BRING THE FAN BECAUSE THAT SOOTHED HIM AT NIGHT.

MOORE: WHILE GRUBER WORKED MOST OF HER LIFE AT NURSING HOMES AND THEN OVER 20 YEARS AT MCDONALD'S, SHE COULD NOT AFFORD THE MANY REPAIRS HER AGING HOUSE REQUIRED, INCLUDING A LEAKING ROOF.

GRUBER: IT HAD BIG HOLES IN IT.

WHEN I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO RAIN, I'D GET MY BUCKETS AND START PUTTING THEM THROUGH MY HOUSE TO CATCH THE RAIN.

MOORE: DEFERRED MAINTENANCE OVER TIME OFTEN HAS A DOMINO EFFECT WITH HOUSING.

GRUBER: MY FURNACE FAILED COMPLETELY UNDERNEATH.

IT FAILED COMPLETELY.

I HAD TO GET SPACE HEATERS EVERYWHERE AND MY WATER FROZE UP.

MATTER OF FACT, ONE SPACE HEATER FAILED ON ME BECAUSE IT HAD TO STAY ON ALL THE TIME.

I WOULD GO IN THE BEDROOM, CLOSE THE BEDROOM DOOR AND STAY IN THERE.

AND THAT'S WHERE I LIVED FOR ONE YEAR, ONE WINTER.

THIS IS THE CEILING THAT CAVED IN ON ME WHEN I WAS -- I WAS ASLEEP.

AND, UH, IT HAD BEEN LEAKING, BUT I'D PUT THINGS UP THERE TO CATCH IT.

BUT, UH, IT CAME DOWN IN ON TOP OF ME.

MOORE: WITH WATER LEAKING, MOLD IS NOT FAR BEHIND.

GRUBER: THE MOLD WAS GROWING IN THE BACK.

I MEAN, IT WAS THICK.

YOU COULD -- I WOULD GO AND SCRAPE IT, YOU KNOW?

AND, UH, AND IT WAS KILLING ME.

I GOT TO WHERE I COULDN'T WALK, AND I GOT REAL WEAK.

MOORE: EVENTUALLY, GRUBER WAS ABLE TO GET HELP FROM A COLLABORATION OF REPAIR GROUPS, WHICH OFFICIALLY FORMED IN THE FALL OF 2023, THE DAYTON HOME REPAIR NETWORK, WHICH INCLUDES COUNTY CORPS AND THE CITY OF DAYTON, WORKS TO PROVIDE CRITICAL HOME REPAIRS FOR THOSE WITH LOW TO MODERATE INCOMES IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

EILEEN HULL IS THE CHAIRPERSON.

HULL: ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT REASONS WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER IS BECAUSE ONCE YOU GET INTO A HOUSE, YOU REALIZE THE DIVERSITY OF PROJECTS THAT ARE NEEDED.

MOORE: BARRY STRAYHORN WITH THE MIAMI VALLEY COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP, SAYS THE ALLIANCE BETTER SERVES THE CLIENT.

STRAHORN: WE REALIZE THE BENEFIT OF LEVERAGING OUR FUNDING.

FOR EXAMPLE, EACH PROGRAM, EACH ORGANIZATION HAVE DIFFERENT LEVELS THAT THEY CAN COMMIT TOWARD A PARTICULAR PROJECT.

OUR EFFORT IS TO HAVE ONE APPLICATION, STREAMLINE THAT AND JUST MAKE IT AN EASIER PROCESS FOR THAT CLIENT WHO MAY ALREADY HAVE CHALLENGES LIVING IN A HOME THAT ARE IN NEED OF CRITICAL REPAIRS.

MOORE: BUT FOR SOME, COLLABORATION REQUIRED A SHIFT IN THINKING FROM COMPETING FOR FUNDS TO SHARING RESOURCES.

DAVID MAUCH IS THE DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF GREATER DAYTON.

MAUCH: I DEFINITELY WENT IN WITH SOME SKEPTICISM, BUT THEN ONCE I GOT A FEEL FOR IT AND GOT AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO ACHIEVE TOGETHER, THAT'S WHEN IT ALL MADE SENSE TO ME.

AND I REALIZED PRETTY QUICKLY THAT WE COULD HELP MORE PEOPLE BY WORKING TOGETHER.

MOORE: GALEN CURRY, A NEIGHBORHOOD REPAIR SPECIALIST FOR HABITAT RECALLS BARBARA GRUBER USING A WALKER TO GET AROUND WHEN HE FIRST CAME TO ASSESS HER HOME.

CURRY: SHE SAID, "WELL, WE COULD GO FASTER IF YOU LET ME HOLD ON TO YOUR ARM."

SO I PUT MY ARM OUT, SHE GETS MY ARM AND WE GO WALKING.

YOU KNOW, SHE SHOWS ME EVERY PLACE.

SIX MONTHS AFTERWARDS, ONCE THE ROOF WAS PUT ON AND THE AIR STARTED CLEARING UP IN HERE, WE CAME BACK TO GET SOME UPDATED PICTURES.

AND I SAID, "MISS GRUBER, WE NEED TO TAKE THESE PICTURES AGAIN, IF YOU DON'T MIND."

I STUCK MY ARM OUT.

SHE HOPPED RIGHT UP AND TOOK OFF, AND I WAS LIKE, "WAIT, YOU NEED MY --" "I DON'T NEED YOUR ARM, YOU KNOW?

LET'S GO.

COME ON, KEEP UP."

SO.

MOORE: HULL SEES STRONG CORRELATION BETWEEN POOR HOUSING QUALITY AND HEALTH.

HULL: A LOT OF PEOPLE ALSO, IT'S VERY INTERESTING, THEY DON'T RECOGNIZE LIKE THEY'RE DEALING WITH KIND OF CHRONIC ILLNESSES OR, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT MIGHT NOT BE ONE ON ONE RELATED, BUT THEIR SYMPTOMS ARE DEFINITELY EXACERBATED BY THE CONDITION OF THEIR HOME.

MOORE: IF HABITAT HAD NOT COME IN TO TAKE CARE OF THESE THINGS, TELL US WHAT WOULD BE YOUR LIVING CONDITION TODAY?

GRUBER: I DON'T THINK I WOULD HAVE A HOUSE AND I WOULD BE DEAD.

THE MOLD WAS KILLING ME.

MOORE: THE REPAIRS ALLOW GRUBER TO AGE IN PLACE IN HER HOME AND NEIGHBORHOOD OF 44 YEARS.

GRUBER: THEY GAVE ME A BRAND NEW HOUSE PRACTICALLY, NEW CEILINGS, NEW FURNACE, NEW WATER HEATER, NEW PIPES.

IT GAVE ME A NEW LIFE.

MOORE: OTHER CITIES ARE STARTING TO TAKE NOTICE OF WHAT THE DAYTON HOME REPAIR NETWORK IS DOING.

HULL IS THRILLED THE GROUP'S SYNERGY CONTINUES TO INNOVATE AND HOPES OTHER CITIES CAN DO THE SAME.

HULL: I WILL SAY PEOPLE IN DAYTON ARE, IN MY EXPERIENCE, SUPER WILLING TO WORK TOGETHER, WHICH IS FANTASTIC.

AND I'VE HEARD THAT'S NOT NORMAL FOR CITIES.

SO IT MIGHT BE DIFFERENT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S AT LEAST SOME OF THE STEPS WE'VE TAKEN THAT CAN BE SHARED AND WE WANT TO SHARE.

THOMPSON: BACK IN THE STUDIO NOW WITH EMIKO MOORE.

THANKS FOR THAT, EMIKO.

IT WOULD SEEM THAT THIS ONE STOP SHOP PROGRAM WOULD MAKE IT A LOT EASIER FOR SOMEONE WHO NEEDS MULTIPLE REPAIRS DONE ON THEIR HOME.

REMIND US AGAIN WHO IS ELIGIBLE AND HOW DO THEY GET IN TOUCH WITH THE DAYTON HOME REPAIR NETWORK?

MOORE: SURE.

THE PROGRAM IS FOR LOW TO MODERATE INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, AND THEY STARTED OFF WITH AN ELIGIBILITY SCREENING.

THE APPLICATION COMBINES FIVE REPAIR PROGRAMS SO THE APPLICANT HAS A BETTER CHANCE OF RECEIVING ASSISTANCE.

YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN SOME CONTACT INFORMATION, BUT FOLKS CAN ALSO GO TO THE DAYTON ENERGY COLLABORATIVE'S WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION.

THOMPSON: WE'LL BE GETTING THAT INFORMATION ON OUR OWN WEBSITE, THINKTV.ORG AND CETCONNECT.ORG.

MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST EMIKO MOORE, THANKS FOR THAT.

MOORE: THANK YOU.

THOMPSON: A BIT FURTHER SOUTH, A DIFFERENT ORGANIZATION, PEOPLE WORKING COOPERATIVELY, HAS THE SAME MISSION AS THE DAYTON HOME REPAIR NETWORK, BUT A DIFFERENT MODEL.

THE CINCINNATI NONPROFIT PERFORMS MORE THAN 10,000 SERVICES A YEAR IN NEARLY 20 COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST OHIO, NORTHERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST INDIANA.

REED: SOME OF OUR PRIDE IS HELPING PEOPLE TO STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE IN THEIR HOMES.

WE CONSIDER OURSELVES AN AGING IN PLACE SPECIALIST.

THOMPSON: REED AND HIS TEAM ARE ESPECIALLY BUSY IN THE WINTER REPAIRING FURNACES AND FIXING BROKEN PIPES.

IN THIS KENNEDY HEIGHTS HOME, THEY'RE REPLACING THE BATHROOM SUBFLOORING.

WATER WAS LEAKING AND IT ROTTED OUT THE BOARDS.

THE OWNERS WANT TO PRESERVE THEIR HOME BECAUSE IT'S BEEN IN THE SAME FAMILY FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS.

REED: WHEN YOU CONSIDER LIKE, A LEGACY HOME, YOU KNOW, THESE HOUSES, A LOT OF THEM ARE PAID FOR, YOU KNOW, OR A MORTGAGE THAT WAS STARTED 20 YEARS AGO.

IT WAS STARTED AT A CERTAIN RATE AND A CERTAIN MONTHLY RATE, WHEREAS IF SOMEONE TRIES TO REFINANCE, OR A HOUSE HAS PASSED ALONG OR SOLD, YOU'RE COMPLETELY STARTING OVER.

AND SOMEONE ON A FIXED INCOME, HOW DO YOU HANDLE THAT?

WELL, YOU DON'T.

THE MORE OF THAT THAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO, THE MORE STABILITY THAT IT PROVIDES JUST ACROSS THE BOARD, A, TO AN INDIVIDUAL, B, TO A COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT KEEPS THOSE THINGS THERE AND, YOU KNOW, AT A CERTAIN COST.

THOMPSON: EVERY YEAR THE SKILLED STAFF OF PEOPLE WORKING COOPERATIVELY ARE IN 4500 HOMES, HELPING NEARLY 9000 PEOPLE.

FUNDING COMES FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES, INCLUDING CITIES, COUNTIES, THE STATE OF OHIO AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

THE TYPICAL INCOME OF ELIGIBLE HOMEOWNERS IS JUST $14,000 A YEAR.

JUST LIKE DAYTON AND SO MANY OTHER CITIES, CINCINNATI IS TRYING TO MINIMIZE THE NUMBER OF HOMES IT HAS TO DEMOLISH.

IT SAYS OVER THE LAST NINE YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN A 53% REDUCTION IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BUILDINGS ORDERED TO BE VACATED.

CINCINNATI WONDERS IF THIS IS A DIRECT CORRELATION TO NEW AND REVAMPED CITY ORDINANCES.

COMING UP ON BRICK BY BRICK, THE CINCINNATI METROPOLITAN HOUSING AUTHORITY HAS TAKEN STEPS TO SHORE UP ITS 80 YEAR OLD BUILDINGS, AND UNDERLYING THIS REPAIR MOVEMENT IS THE NEED FOR SKILLED WORKERS.

WHAT IF WE TRAIN MORE PEOPLE TO FIX HOUSES AND APARTMENTS?

HOLLINGSWORTH: AND WE THINK THAT THIS IS A REALLY GOOD MODEL AND SOMETHING THAT THE STATE OF OHIO SHOULD LOOK AT, BECAUSE IT DOES TAKE THOSE TWO ELEMENTS, THE ACTUAL HOME REPAIRS AND THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ISSUE AND PUSHES THEM TOGETHER.

THOMPSON: WHY PENNSYLVANIA MAY HAVE THE ANSWER.

BACK IN A SECOND.

THOMPSON: WELCOME BACK TO BRICK BY BRICK.

EVERY YEAR, PUBLIC HOUSING AUTHORITIES WORK TO PROVIDE PIVOTAL HOUSING SUPPORT TO LOW AND MODERATE INCOME FAMILIES.

BUT LIKE THE REST OF OUR AGING HOUSING STOCK, THE HOUSING THEY OWN REQUIRES UPKEEP TO BE USEFUL FOR OUR NEIGHBORS NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE.

PROBLEM IS, MANY OF THESE BUILDINGS ARE OLD, BETWEEN 50 AND 90 YEARS BY SOME COUNTS.

THE CINCINNATI METROPOLITAN HOUSING AUTHORITY SHARED WITH US THAT MANY OF ITS BUILDINGS ARE AT LEAST 80 YEARS OLD, AND THAT'S WHY THEY SAY PRESERVATION IS SO IMPORTANT.

WELL, THEY'RE TAKING BIG STEPS TO DO JUST THAT.

CMHA IS WORKING TO REIMAGINE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE AREA, INVESTING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OVER TIME TO UPDATE THEIR BUILDINGS.

AND AS BRICK BY BRICK HERNZ LAGUERRE, JR. SHOWS US, CREATE A MORE SAFE AND SECURE FOUNDATION FOR THOSE THEY SERVE.

LAGUERRE: YOUR HOME IS YOUR SAFE PLACE, A PLACE FOR YOU TO FEEL SECURE AND PROTECTED.

WHEN THAT SECURITY IS COMPROMISED, SO IS YOUR SAFETY.

AVIS NICHOLS HAD HER SAFETY COMPROMISED.

NICHOLS: THAT'S A STORY.

YOU REALLY WANT IT?

LAGUERRE: AVIS HAS LIVED IN THE WALNUT HILLS NEIGHBORHOOD FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS, AND LIVED ALONE IN HER FORMER APARTMENT FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS.

NICHOLS: SO I WAS TAKING CARE OF MY FATHER, SO I WAS GONE.

YOU KNOW, I WOULD LEAVE MY APARTMENT.

LAGUERRE: WHEN SHE GOT HOME EACH NIGHT, HER APARTMENT SEEMED A LITTLE OFF.

ACCORDING TO AVIS, NEITHER POLICE NOR MANAGEMENT COULD FIND WHO HAD BROKEN IN.

SO SHE GOT NEW LOCKS AND AN ALARM SYSTEM, BUT IT DIDN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

NICHOLS: IT TOOK ME THREE WEEKS TO REALLY REALIZE SOMEONE WAS COMING IN.

I CAME HOME FROM BEING OVER DAD'S AND I NOTICED MY MICROWAVE WAS SITTING IN THE SINK.

THEY MOVED MY SEWING MACHINE.

THEY LITERALLY BENT -- I DON'T EVEN WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT ANYMORE BECAUSE THAT TAKES ME, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE MY SAFETY WAS JEOPARDIZED.

LAGUERRE: AVIS WANTED A CHANGE OF SCENERY.

NICHOLS: BECAUSE I COULDN'T SLEEP, I COULDN'T EAT, I WAS TERRIFIED.

IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO GO.

LAGUERRE: SECTION 8 ADVISORS DIRECTED AVIS TO GO TO CINCINNATI METROPOLITAN HOUSING AUTHORITY FOR HELP ON FINDING A NEW SPACE.

NICHOLS: I WAS LITERALLY IN TEARS, LIKE, I'M FITTING TO DO NOW, TELLING HER MY STORY.

AND SHE WAS LIKE, OKAY, BRING -- SHE GAVE ME A LIST.

DO YOU KNOW THIS LADY GAVE ME AN APARTMENT IN FOUR DAYS?

LAGUERRE: CMHA WAS ABLE TO FIND HER A SPACE IN ONE OF THEIR RENOVATED PROPERTIES, RIVERVIEW HOUSE APARTMENTS, ALSO IN WALNUT HILLS.

THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION IS CHANGING THE WAY PEOPLE LOOK AT SUBSIDIZED HOUSING THROUGH THEIR REIMAGINING AFFORDABLE HOUSING RENOVATION INITIATIVE.

COUNCILMEMBER JOHNSON: THANK YOU.

[APPLAUSE] LAGUERRE: CEO GREG JOHNSON SHARES THE ORGANIZATION'S GOALS DURING A PRESS CONFERENCE AT MARQUETTE MANOR, ONE OF THEIR PROPERTIES THEY PLAN ON RENOVATING.

JOHNSON: AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY, REALLY HARD AS FAR AS UPGRADING OUR OFFERING TO RESIDENTS IN HAMILTON COUNTY.

AND TODAY IS ANOTHER CHAPTER AS WE MARCH TOWARDS $1 BILLION OF RENOVATION IN HAMILTON COUNTY.

LAGUERRE: SINCE 2016, CMHA SAYS IT HAS INVESTED NEARLY $250 MILLION TO RENOVATE TEN OF THEIR PROPERTIES.

THAT'S ABOUT 1600 UNITS.

THEY HOPE TO CONTINUE WITH ALL OF THE NEARLY 6000 UNITS THEY HAVE IN THEIR PORTFOLIO.

JOHNSON SAYS IT TAKES PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

JOHNSON: WHEN SOMEONE IS TALKING ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TAX CREDIT, THERE'S YOUR PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.

YOU HAVE TO USE THOSE DOLLARS COUPLED WITH THE PUBLIC DOLLARS THAT YOU HAVE OR GRANTS THAT YOU GET TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROJECT COMES TO FRUITION.

LAGUERRE: PROJECTS LIKE THIS HELP SUSTAIN HOUSING IN THE COMMUNITY AND PROVIDE SAFE AND SECURE HOUSING FOR RESIDENTS LIKE AVIS.

NICHOLS: IT'S QUIET.

I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MY SAFETY.

I FEEL SECURE.

I SLEEP GOOD.

DON'T NEED SLEEPING PILLS ANYMORE.

AND I LIKE IT.

LAGUERRE: WHAT DO YOU DO ON YOUR FREE TIME?

TELL ME.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

NICHOLS: WATCH COLUMBO.

LAGUERRE: COLUMBO?

WHAT'S COLUMBO?

NICHOLS: YOU GET OUT OF HERE.

LAGUERRE: OH, YEAH.

NICHOLS: YOU DON'T KNOW COLUMBO?

LAGUERRE: I DON'T KNOW COLUMBO.

PUT ME ON, PUT ME ON.

NICHOLS: I'LL WATCH IT IN MY ROOM.

MONTY, COME AND GET IT AT THE FOOT OF THE BED AND WATCH IT WITH ME.

LAGUERRE: THESE PROPERTIES HOUSE SOME OF THE MOST IN NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY.

IN ORDER TO RENOVATE AND REPOSITION THESE AGING PROPERTIES AND TO ACCUMULATE THE $1 BILLION PLUS INVESTMENT THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, CMHA WILL NEED EVEN MORE COLLABORATION.

JOHNSON: IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE MORE THAN $1 BILLION OF INVESTMENT.

BUT THE KEY IS, IS THAT WE CONTINUE TO NEED MORE PARTNERSHIPS.

WE NEED MORE LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS FROM THE CITY, FROM THE COUNTY, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN PRESERVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE MOST NEEDY IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND THAT'S FROM A SINGLE FAMILY PERSON, SENIORS, OR SOMEONE THAT HAS TWO KIDS, UP TO SIX KIDS.

LAGUERRE: OR A RETIREE WHO IS LOOKING TO ENJOY THE COMFORT OF A SAFE AND SECURE RESIDENCE.

THOMPSON: WE WELCOME HERNZ LAGUERRE, JR. BACK TO THE STUDIO.

HEY, HERNZ.

LAGUERRE: HEY, ANN.

THOMPSON: SO CMHA IS WORKING ON A NUMBER OF PROJECTS.

HOW EXTENSIVE ARE THE RENOVATIONS?

LAGUERRE: WELL, YEAH, THESE RENOVATIONS HELP MODERNIZE THESE AGING PROPERTIES.

SO THAT REQUIRES CHANGING THE HVAC, CHANGING ELECTRICAL, PLUMBING, CREATING ADA ACCESSIBLE UNITS.

AND THEY ALSO HAVE TO TEMPORARILY MOVE THE RESIDENTS TO DIFFERENT FLOORS WHILE THEY WORK ON THESE THINGS.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF STEPS.

AND ANOTHER ELEMENT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT CEO GREG JOHNSON.

HE TELLS ME THAT THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH VOLATILE COST.

ESSENTIALLY, ANYTIME YOU DEAL WITH CONSTRUCTION, YOU DEAL WITH UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THESE UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES INCREASE THE TIME AND THEREFORE ALSO INCREASE THE COST.

SO WITH THIS WHOLE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP MODEL, IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT THEY HAVE INVESTORS AND PARTNERS THAT UNDERSTAND THESE PROBLEMS AND HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DEAL WITH THESE PROBLEMS SO THAT THEY COULD OVERCOME THESE HURDLES AND MAKE IT TO THE DEADLINE.

THOMPSON: AND HIDDEN COSTS ARE ALWAYS AN ISSUE, BUT IT APPEARS THEY'RE MOVING FORWARD, SO THAT'S A GOOD THING.

LAGUERRE: 100%.

THOMPSON: MULTIMEDIA JOURNALIST HERNZ LAGUERRE, JR..

THANKS FOR THAT, HERNZ.

LAGUERRE: NO PROBLEM.

THOMPSON: AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, HOUSING AUTHORITIES ALL OVER THE MIDWEST ARE IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES NEEDING TO REINVEST AND UPDATE THEIR HOUSING.

GREATER DAYTON PREMIER MANAGEMENT, THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SERVING THE DAYTON AREA, HAS ALSO BEEN WORKING ON UPDATING AND/OR REPLACING ITS OUTDATED UNITS THROUGH FEDERAL DOLLARS AND PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS.

IT HAS SUBMITTED A FIVE YEAR PLAN TO HUD SPELLING OUT REDEVELOPMENT PLANS, INCLUDING THE DEMOLITION OF ONE OF ITS LARGEST PROJECTS, DE SOTO BASS, WHICH, LIKE SOME OTHER HOUSING, HAS BECOME TOO HARD TO MAINTAIN.

REPLACING 50 OF THE UNITS WILL BE THE NEARBY GERMANTOWN CROSSING, THE FIRST PHASE OF DE SOTO BASS REDEVELOPMENT.

WHEN IT COMES TO PUBLIC HOUSING, PRESERVATION CAN SAVE THE PROGRAM BIG MONEY NATIONALLY.

ACCORDING TO RESEARCHERS., IF COMMUNITIES TRY TO REPLACE EVERY UNIT LOST OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS WITH A NEW BUILD THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO MAINTAIN FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS, WE WOULD SPEND AN ESTIMATED $6.5 BILLION TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.

HOWEVER, IF HOUSING AUTHORITIES FOCUS ON PRESERVATION INSTEAD OF REPLACEMENT, THAT NUMBER DROPS TO 4.8 BILLION IN THAT SAME SPAN.

BESIDES THE COST, ANOTHER CHALLENGE TO PRESERVING OLD HOUSING STOCK IS THE SPECIALIZED SKILL TO DO IT, AND THAT CAN BE HARD TO FIND.

THAT'S WHY TOREY HOLLINGSWORTH'S NONPROFIT, THE OHIO CDC ASSOCIATION AND OTHERS ARE LOOKING TO TRAIN MORE CONTRACTORS.

HOLLINGSWORTH: MOST HOMEOWNERS, EVEN IF THEY'RE IN GREAT PHYSICAL CONDITION, ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO REPLACE THEIR OWN ROOF.

SO WE'RE LOOKING AT FOLKS WITH SKILL IN THE CONSTRUCTION TRADES.

SOMETIMES THOSE ARE REALLY SKILLED CONSTRUCTION TRADES, SO THINGS LIKE PLUMBERS, ELECTRICIANS.

AND THEN THERE ARE SOMETIMES EVEN GREATER REQUIREMENTS WHEN DEALING WITH THINGS LIKE LEAD.

THOMPSON: SHE AND OTHERS ENVISION A HOME REPAIR PROGRAM THAT WOULD PAIR WITH WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

KIND OF LIKE WHAT PENNSYLVANIA HAS BEEN DOING FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.

IT'S CALLED THE WHOLE HOME REPAIR PROGRAM.

HOLLINGSWORTH: THE STATE ALLOCATED RESOURCES OUT TO COUNTIES.

COUNTIES THEN CAN CONTRACT WITH NONPROFIT DEVELOPERS, OR THEMSELVES CAN ADMINISTER GRANTS TO HOMEOWNERS TO DO BASIC REPAIRS.

AND IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR SMALL LANDLORDS TO ACTUALLY ACCESS LOANS AS WELL.

THOMPSON: THE ORGANIZATION, HOME MATTERS TO OHIO COALITION, HAS BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THE 2025-2026 STATE BUDGET TO INCLUDE FUNDING FOR HOME REPAIR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

IT'S UNCLEAR IF THIS IDEA WILL MAKE IT IN THE BUDGET THAT COMES OUT IN JUNE, AND IF IT DOES, IT WOULD ROLL OUT IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO.

REMEMBER, IF YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PRESERVATION, ITS IMPORTANCE AND ITS CHALLENGES, THERE ARE PLENTY OF RESOURCES INCLUDING WEB ARTICLES, VIDEO AND AUDIO STORIES, AND ONLINE EXTRAS.

GO TO THINKTV.ORG AND CETCONNECT.ORG.

AND WHILE YOU'RE THERE, YOU CAN CLICK ON ONE OF THE BIG GREEN BUTTONS TO SHARE SOME FEEDBACK, A STORY IDEA, AND EVEN YOUR OWN HOUSING JOURNEY.

YOUR INPUT HELPS INFORM AND GUIDE WHAT WE DO.

THOMPSON: AN INCREASING NUMBER OF PEOPLE ARE SEEING THE BENEFITS OF PRESERVATION, LIKE A REDUCED NEED FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN A COMMUNITY'S IDENTITY AND HERITAGE, WHICH IS OFTEN A CHIEF COMPLAINT AGAINST NEW BUILDS IN NEIGHBORHOODS.

WHILE IT, LIKE ANYTHING IN HOUSING, IS STILL EXPENSIVE AND CAN SUFFER FROM COST LIMITATIONS, THE PRACTICE OF PRESERVATION IS COST EFFECTIVE.

HERE ARE SOME OF OUR OTHER TAKEAWAYS FOR THIS SOLUTION.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT'S GOOD TO REEMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF SAVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING, WHICH IS FREQUENTLY OLDER HOUSING STOCK.

OVER THE LAST DECADE FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, INCLUDING DEMOLITION, THE U.S. HAS LOST NEARLY 4 MILLION LOW COST RENTALS.

OHIO LOST 250,000 UNITS.

THIS LEAVES LOW AND MIDDLE CLASS RENTERS WITH LESS TO CHOOSE FROM, AND MUCH OF IT THEY CAN'T AFFORD.

THIS IS ONE OF THE SEVERAL REASONS WHY THERE'S SUCH A LARGE GAP IN THE NEED VERSUS SUPPLY.

IT'S CHEAPER TO PRESERVE OLD HOUSING THAN IT IS TO BUILD NEW, EVEN THOUGH THE INITIAL EXPENSE CAN BE A LOT.

SOME HOMEOWNERS ARE BENEFITING FROM THE DAYTON HOME REPAIR NETWORK AND PEOPLE WORKING COOPERATIVELY.

THESE GROUPS AND THEIR SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS COULD USE MORE FUNDING.

PENNSYLVANIA SEEMS TO HAVE THE RIGHT IDEA TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF CONTRACTORS WHO CAN DO THE WORK, WHILE ALSO PROVIDING REPAIR MONEY TO HOMEOWNERS AND LANDLORDS.

ADVOCATES IN OHIO ARE TRYING TO COPY THIS MODEL, AND ARE HOPING A SIMILAR PROGRAM WILL BE IN THE STATE'S NEXT BUDGET.

ADDITIONAL REPAIR MONEY FOR HOMEOWNERS AND LANDLORDS WILL REQUIRE A CONCERTED EFFORT FROM POLICYMAKERS, DEVELOPERS, AND COMMUNITIES.

WHEN CONSIDERING PRESERVATION, CITIES AND COUNTIES SHOULD ASK THESE SEVEN QUESTIONS, ACCORDING TO THE HOUSING POLICY PLATFORM LOCAL HOUSING SOLUTIONS: AND FINALLY, WHAT HAPPENS WITHOUT PRESERVATION?

IN MANY WAYS, THAT LAST QUESTION MAY BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TO NEIGHBORHOODS AND CITIES LIKE OURS.

IF WE CAN'T MEET THOSE HOUSING NEEDS WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION ALONE, WE SHOULD AT LEAST HOLD ON TO WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE AVAILABLE.

WELL, THAT'S OUR SHOW, AND WE HOPE YOU LEARNED SOMETHING, BECAUSE WE CERTAINLY HAVE AND WE THINK THIS CONVERSATION SHOULD GROW.

A GOOD WAY TO HELP WITH THAT IS BY TELLING YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY ABOUT IT.

ALL OF OUR TV AND PODCAST EPISODES ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE, AND YOU CAN ALSO FIND THESE EPISODES ON THE PBS APP ON YOUR SMART TV.

FOR EMIKO MOORE AND HERNZ LAGUERRE, JR., I'M ANN THOMPSON.

WE'LL BE BACK SOON WITH MORE SOLUTIONS.

UNTIL THEN, TAKE CARE.