Public Policy and Community Information Research

Forum Focuses on Three Grassroots Efforts To Reform The City’s Policy Of Providing Unconditional Support To Private Developers 

Thursday May 16, 2019, 12:00 Noon,

Several grassroots efforts are currently underway that would reform the City’s longterm policy of providing unconditional support to large development projects. At the next Community Issues Forum, Jenn Arens of the Peaslee Neighborhood Center, Michelle Dillingham, Executive Director of Community Shares, and John Schrider, Director of the Legal Society Aid of Southwest Ohio, will describe the Equitable Development Rubric for neighborhoods, tax abatement reforms, and a policy proposal to require housing developers to include a percentage of affordable units in their projects

Forum Focuses on The Collaborative Agreement Today –  How Is This 2002 Legal  Agreement To Improve Community/Police Relations Faring? 

Thursday May 2, 2019, 12:00 Noon,

Where do things stand with the Collaborative Agreement today? This formal agreement emerged in 2002 as the result of a federal law suit filed by Cincinnati’s African American leadership against the City for longstanding discriminatory police practices. At the next Community Issues Forum, Jason N. Cooper, Collaborative Agreement Sustainability Manager for the City of Cincinnati, and Iris Roley, Project Manager for the Cincinnati Black United Front’s Collaborative Agreement and Its Refresher, will provide an update on the Collaborative Agreement after it underwent a recent reevaluation and planning process. This luncheon presentation takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday May 2nd, Christ Church Cathedral Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.

Forum Focuses on Two Creative And Effective Programs For Teens At-Risk- Elementz And Holistically Empowering All Teens
Thursday, April 18, 2019

The teen years are a critical time in a young person’s development, and a number of factors also put many teens at-risk in today’s urban culture. At the next Community Issues Forum, Tara Robinson, Program Leader for Holistically Empowering All Teens (HEAT), and Tom Kent, Director of Elementz, will describe two programs that are succeeding in involving teens in activities that are keeping them on track for positive and productive lives. This luncheon presentation takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday April 18th, Christ Church Cathedral Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.

Forum Focuses on Appalachian Cincinnati – An Update
Thursday, April 4, 2019

Beginning in the 1940s, Cincinnati became the destination for many people migrating from rural Appalachia, and it continues to remain home for a large urban Appalachian population. How is this community faring today? At the next Community Issues Forum, Michael E. Maloney, a longtime urban Appalachian leader and scholar and one of the founders of the Urban Appalachian Community Coalition, will provide an update. This luncheon presentation takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday April 4th, Christ Church Cathedral Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.

Maureen Sullivan reads poem by Oyler Students.
Poem Script We Are From Oyler

Forum Focuses on Developing An Affordable Housing Strategy For Greater Cincinnati
Thursday, March 21, 2019

Cincinnati confronts an affordable housing crisis. LISC (The Local Initiatives Support Corporation of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky) has through its recent studies provided both evidence of this crisis and the existing vacant housing to help address it. LISC is currently working with local partners to develop an affordable housing strategy for Greater Cincinnati. At the next Community Issues Forum, Paola Garrido Estevez,  Special Projects Associate for LISC, will review LISC’s affordable housing research and its initiative to forge a housing strategy for this area. This luncheon presentation takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday March 21st, Christ Church Cathedral Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.

Forum Focuses on Improving Public Transportation In Greater Cincinnati
Thursday, March 14, 2019

A consensus exists that the current bus system administered by SORTA is inadequate. The debate now occurring is what to fix and how to fund any improvements. At the next Community Issues Forum, Mark Sanaan of the Better Bus Coalition, will discuss the needed improvements and whether the current funding proposals would be sufficient to bring them about. This luncheon presentation took place at 12:00 noon, Thursday March 14^th, Christ Church Cathedral Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.  Putting Metro on the ballot in 2019

Forum Focuses on How is Preschool Promise faring?

How is Preschool Promise faring? Passed by local voters in 2016, this initiative to make quality preschool available to every child in the Cincinnati School District is an ambitious goal. At the next Community Issues Forum, Shiloh Turner, Executive Director of Cincinnati Preschool Promise, will provide an update on its expansion since it got the green light to proceed. This luncheon presentation takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday February 28^th, Christ Church Cathedral Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.  VIDEO PART II

Forum Focuses on Homelessness In 2019: An Update By Josh Spring, Executive Director Of The Greater Cincinnati Homeless Coalition.

Thursday, February 14, 2019

U.S. Census data and other local research supply evidence that poverty and homelessness have grown worse here in recent years. This trend occurs even while several local anti-poverty initiatives have been launched. According to a report released by LISC, Greater Cincinnati has an affordable housing gap of 40,000 units. Spring will portray the current situation for homeless families and individuals, while reviewing potential policies and reforms that are needed to turn things around. As usual, time will be set aside for questions and comments from the audience  VIDEO PART II

Forum Focuses on Issues Confronting Hamilton County And Cincinnati City Governments In 2019

Thursday, January 17, 2019

What are the important issues confronting City Council and the Hamilton County Commission in 2019 and beyond? At the first Community Issues Forum of 2019, Councilman David Mann and County Commissioner Denise Driehaus will address this question as well as assessing how they sees local government’s role in future developments and plans for the city and county. This luncheon presentation takes place at 12:00 noon, Thursday January 17th, Christ Church Cathedral Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.  VIDEO PART II

Forum Focuses on Growing Poverty In Cincinnati: “All-In Cincinnati,” A New Policy Agenda And Coalition To Address It

Thursday, November 29, 2018

Cincinnati experienced a 4.2 percent increase in poverty from 2007 to 2017. Recent Census numbers reveal that 10,000 residents fell below the poverty line during that decade. All-In_Cincinnati_Final Report represents a new coalition and policy agenda dedicated to addressing both poverty and inequity in this city. At the next Community Issues Forum, a representative of the All-In Cincinnati Core Team will review the recently released report of All-In Cincinnati, and provide an update of its policy agenda and the work of the local All-In Cincinnati coalition. (The Core Team represents thirteen local organizations, including the Urban League, LISC, Project AMOS, and the Women’s Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation.) This luncheon Forum take place at 12:00 noon, Thursdays November 29th, Christ Church Cathedral  Forum Room (Third Floor), 318 East Fourth Street.  PART THREE VIDEO