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

WE COULDN'T DO THIS WORK WITHOUT YOU.

THANK YOU.

THOMPSON: WITH THE NEED FOR HOUSING STILL AT HISTORIC HIGHS IN MANY AREAS, ONE SMALL SOLUTION COULD POSSIBLY PLAY AN EVEN BIGGER ROLE: TINY HOMES.

ROGERS: THERE'S A CERTAIN SEGMENT THAT, WITH THE RIGHT SUPPORTS AND HOUSING, CAN GET BACK ON THEIR FEET, CAN REESTABLISH, REBUILD THEIR LIVES, AND THEN EVENTUALLY GO ON TO MAINTAIN INDEPENDENT HOUSING ON THEIR OWN.

THOMPSON: ON TODAY'S SHOW, A LOOK AT HOW THE SMALLER FOOTPRINT APPROACH IS SERVING COMMUNITIES IN NEED, BUT COULD ALSO BE A VIABLE OPTION FOR MANY MORE.

BUT FIRST.

VOLTZ: I AM NOT SURE HOW LONG IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN US TO OWN A HOME IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR COUNTY CORP 10 YEARS AGO.

THOMPSON: AS A KEY NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNER RESPONDING TO MANY HOUSING NEEDS IN DAYTON, COUNTY CORP HAS BEEN DEVELOPING WITH THE COMMUNITY FOR 46 YEARS.

TODAY, A LOOK AT WHAT THEY DO, THEIR IMPACT ON NEIGHBORHOODS AND WHAT YOURS CAN DO TO WORK WITH THEM TOO.

LET'S GET INTO IT.

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

HELLO AND WELCOME TO BRICK BY BRICK; SOLUTIONS FOR A THRIVING COMMUNITY WHERE WE EXPLORE WHAT'S WORKING IN SOUTHWEST OHIO NEIGHBORHOODS.

I'M YOUR HOST, ANN THOMPSON, HERE AGAIN WITH OUR TEAM OF INTREPID JOURNALISTS, EMIKO MOORE AND HERNZ LAGUERRE, JR.. LAGUERRE: HELLO.

MOORE: GOOD TO BE HERE.

THOMPSON: TODAY WE HAVE A DOUBLE SCOOP OF SOLUTIONS, BOTH OF WHICH ARE MOSTLY FOCUSED ON ADDING MORE HOUSING FOR THE COMMUNITY.

AND EMIKO, LET'S START WITH YOU.

COUNTY CORP HAS BEEN AROUND FOR NEARLY 50 YEARS IN THE DAYTON AREA, AND IT WOULD SEEM THAT THEY'RE MORE ACTIVE THAN EVER.

MOORE: YES THEY ARE.

THEY ARE COMMITTED TO HELPING OUR NEIGHBORS WITH SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

THEY HAVE RENTAL PROPERTIES FOR THOSE WITH INCOME LIMITS.

FOR FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS THEY HAVE PROGRAMS SUCH AS A HOME BUYER EDUCATION OR DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

AND THEY ALSO HAVE A FEW HOMES FOR SALE, WHICH I'LL SHARE LATER IN THE PROGRAM.

AND WE ALL KNOW HOW EXPENSIVE HOME REPAIRS ARE.

THEY HAVE A HOME REPAIR PROGRAM THAT HELPS RESIDENTS AFFORD TO STAY IN THEIR HOME.

THOMPSON: SO THEY'RE TARGETING DIFFERENT SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION, PEOPLE WHO NEED TO PRESERVE THEIR HOMES, WHO ARE RENTING THERE ARE PLACES TO STAY, AND ALSO FUTURE HOMEOWNERS.

MOORE: THAT'S RIGHT.

THOMPSON: SO HERNZ, WHEN IT COMES TO TINY HOMES, HOW BIG A DEAL ARE THEY?

AND I WONDER WHAT THEIR IMPACT IS.

LAGUERRE: YEAH, I'LL SAY THEY'RE A PRETTY BIG DEAL.

YOU KNOW, THE VISTA VILLAGE TINY HOMES IN COLUMBUS, THEY DON'T JUST SERVE AS HOUSING, BUT AS A PLACE WHERE RESIDENTS COULD TRANSITION THEIR LIVES INTO BETTER LIVES.

PLUS, IT APPEARS TO BE A COST EFFECTIVE WAY FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO GO ABOUT REBUILDING THEIR HOUSING STOCK.

SO WE'LL SEE HOW THAT DEVELOPMENT CAME TO BE.

AND WE'LL ALSO SEE HOW A SIMILAR DEVELOPMENT OUT IN CINCINNATI MIGHT LOOK AS WELL.

THOMPSON: GREAT.

WE'LL LOOK FORWARD TO BOTH YOUR STORIES.

SEE YOU IN A BIT.

SO LET'S JUMP INTO THE DETAILS AROUND THIS UNIQUE MONTGOMERY COUNTY ORGANIZATION CALLED COUNTY CORP.

IT'S A PRIVATE, NONPROFIT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION THAT OFTEN ACTS AS A PROBLEM SOLVER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WITH HOUSING ISSUES.

ADAM BLAKE IS VICE PRESIDENT OF HOUSING.

BLAKE: YEAH, THE GOALS ARE PRETTY SIMPLE.

IT'S ENRICHING THE LIVES OF THE RESIDENTS OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY BY PROVIDING SAFE, DECENT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

THOMPSON: AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING WAS AND IS DESPERATELY NEEDED.

IN 1980, WHEN COUNTY CORP WAS FORMED, DAYTON HAD LOST HALF ITS POPULATION.

THOUSANDS OF HOMES WERE BOARDED UP AND MANY OF THEM FELL INTO DISREPAIR.

EVEN TODAY, A RECENT HOUSING SURVEY RATING THE EXTERIOR OF EVERY SINGLE DAYTON HOME SHOWS MORE THAN A THOUSAND HOMES ARE SET FOR DEMOLITION AND ANOTHER 5000 ARE ON THE BRINK.

COUNTY CORP.

USES FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND PHILANTHROPIC FUNDS TO CREATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND TURNAROUND ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THE HELP OF PARTNERS.

BLAKE: IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR US TO TAKE A DOLLAR AND INVEST WHERE NOTHING ELSE IS GOING ON.

WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS LEVERAGE ANY FUNDING THAT WE HAVE WITH OTHER SUCCESSFUL, POSITIVE, EXISTING PROGRAMS.

THOMPSON: IN THIS WAY, COUNTY CORP.

CAN BE A CATALYST AT ALL ECONOMIC LEVELS, CREATING MORE THAN 1000 HOUSING UNITS SINCE ITS INCEPTION.

ONE EXAMPLE IS WOLF CREEK, WHERE DOZENS OF NEW HOMES ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

AS BRICK BY BRICK'S EMIKO MOORE REPORTS, THE NONPROFIT AND OTHERS ARE FOCUSING ON THIS WEST DAYTON NEIGHBORHOOD, WHICH HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF HOMES IN POOR CONDITION.

MOORE: IN THE HEART OF WEST DAYTON CHRIS VOLTZ FINDS THE HISTORICAL NEIGHBORHOOD A GREAT PLACE FOR HIS FAMILY OF SIX.

VOLTZ: SO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS THE WRIGHT DUNBAR VILLAGE, RIGHT ACROSS THE RIVER ON THE WEST SIDE OF DAYTON DOWNTOWN.

AND IT'S JUST A GREAT COMMUNITY WHERE THE WRIGHT BROTHERS GREW UP AND THEN PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR ALSO GREW UP.

MOORE: HISTORY IS THE BACKDROP OF HIS SURROUNDINGS.

HIS HOME EXTERIOR, A REPLICA OF NEIL ARMSTRONG'S CHILDHOOD HOME, AND THE WRIGHT BROTHERS LEGACY JUST DOWN THE STREET.

VOLTZ: MY SON WILL PROBABLY HAVE THIS AS A FUN FACT, LIKE HE LEARNED TO RIDE HIS BIKE IN THE PARKING LOT OF THE WRIGHT BROTHERS BIKE SHOP.

IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A COOL THING.

NO ONE WILL REALLY CARE PROBABLY ABOUT THAT STAT, BUT IT'S A FUN FACT THAT YOU SHARE WITH PEOPLE.

MOORE: 11 YEARS AGO, VOLTZ, A PASTOR AND LEADER OF A NONPROFIT MINISTRY, AND HIS WIFE, GRACE, WERE RENTERS, SQUEEZED INTO A 900 SQUARE FOOT SPACE WHEN A FRIEND RECOMMENDED BUYING A HOME THREE TIMES THE SIZE THEY LIVED IN.

VOLTZ: AND I TOLD HIM, "BOB, THERE'S NO WAY I CAN AFFORD A HOUSE, LIKE I CAN'T AFFORD A DOWN PAYMENT.

NOTHING."

AND HE TOLD ME ABOUT THE PROGRAM.

HE'S LIKE, "NO, THERE'S THIS PROGRAM THROUGH COUNTY CORP, YOU ACTUALLY, I KNOW YOU DON'T MAKE VERY MUCH MONEY.

I KNOW YOU CAN QUALIFY TO BUY THIS HOUSE.

THAT'S WHY YOU SHOULD TRY TO BUY IT."

MOORE: WITH THE HELP OF COUNTY CORP., VOLTZ WAS ABLE TO BECOME A NEW HOMEOWNER.

VOLTZ: ALL WE HAD TO DO WAS HAVE $1,000 THAT WE BROUGHT TO CLOSING TO PUT DOWN.

AND THEY DIDN'T JUST PAY THE DOWN PAYMENT FOR YOU, BUT THEY PAY IT AND THEN THEY ROLL IT INTO YOUR MORTGAGE PAYMENT, SORT OF TO HELP YOU GET OVER SOME OF THOSE COSTS.

MOORE: STEVE NAAS IS PRESIDENT OF COUNTY CORP.

NAAS: COUNTY CORP'S MISSION HAS REVISED OVER THE YEARS, BUT IT'S REALLY STAYED TRUE TO THE SAME ULTIMATE GOAL, WHICH IS TO DELIVER SAFE, DECENT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE ARE OPERATING WITHIN.

MOORE: TODAY, THAT INVESTMENT IN THE VOLTZ FAMILY IS PAYING OFF.

NAAS: WE ARE REALLY PLEASED WITH OUR WORK THERE HELPING FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS GET INTO THE TRANSFORMATIONAL WEALTH OPPORTUNITY THAT HOME OWNERSHIP REALLY CAN FACILITATE.

MOORE: FOR HOMEOWNER VOLTZ, IN JUST TEN YEARS THE VALUE OF HIS HOME HAS SHOT UP.

VOLTZ: THE MARKET IS DEFINITELY SWUNG UP, BUT I MEAN, OUR HOUSE IS PROBABLY FOUR TIMES WHAT IT WAS WHEN WE BOUGHT IT.

THE VALUE HAS SHOT UP DRASTICALLY SINCE WE BOUGHT IT.

AND THE SAME THING IS TRUE OF OTHER HOUSES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

MOORE: USING AMERICAN RECOVERY PLAN FUNDS, COUNTY CORP IS NOW HELPING SPARK THE NEARBY WOLF CREEK NEIGHBORHOOD WITH FOUR MARKET RATE HOMES.

CORA DIGGS WITH HOWARD HANNA REALTORS LISTED TWO OF THE FOUR HOMES FOR COUNTY CORP AND RELIES ON THEIR QUALITY OF WORK.

DIGGS: OH, IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL.

THEY'RE VERY GOOD.

I KNOW I GOT A NICE HOUSE WHEN I WALK IN.

I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE FURNACE WORK AND, UH, AND IS THE ELECTRIC OKAY, OR THE ELECTRIC BOX UPDATED?

I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ALL THAT.

ALL I HAVE TO DO IS JUST WALK IN AND SHOW THE PROPERTY, AND THE PROPERTY WILL SELL ITSELF.

MOORE: ONE OF HER LISTINGS IS PRICED AT $275,000, THE OTHER AT $325,000, AND BOTH HAVE TAX ABATEMENTS.

COUNTY CORP ALSO RECENTLY BROKE GROUND IN WOLF CREEK FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES FUNDED WITH LOW INCOME TAX CREDITS.

NAAS: WE'RE RIGHT AT BROADWAY AND WEST FIRST, AND THIS IS ONE OF THE SITES FOR WOLF CREEK HOMES, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT THAT'S COMING, JUST STARTED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO.

EIGHT OF THEM WILL BE RIGHT HERE.

AND THEN WE HAVE THE REMAINING 19 THAT WILL BE IN THE NEXT FEW BLOCKS AS WE MAKE OUR WAY THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

MOORE: THE CITY IS WORKING TO CONNECT THESE HISTORIC AREAS TO THE MULTI-USE TRAIL NETWORK ACROSS THE AREA.

NAAS: THE LEVY IS PRETTY PREDOMINANT, AND THERE'S RELATIVELY FEW ACCESS POINTS IN THIS STRETCH HERE.

SO THIS IS A SLOPE THAT IS VERY EASILY NAVIGABLE, EQUITABLE WITH OTHER AREAS ALONG THE MIAMI RIVER AND OTHER PLACES WHERE THE TRAIL NETWORK CONNECTS TO.

MOORE: AS THE NEIGHBORHOOD CONTINUES TO REVITALIZE, CHRIS VOLTZ SHARES THE DIFFERENCE COUNTY CORP HAS MADE FOR HIS FAMILY.

VOLTZ: I AM NOT SURE HOW LONG IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN US TO OWN A HOME IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR COUNTY CORP TEN YEARS AGO.

I CAN'T KNOW HOW THINGS WOULD HAVE PANNED OUT, BUT IT WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE BEEN AT LEAST FIVE MORE YEARS.

AND AT THAT POINT, THE MARKET HAD BEEN CHANGING, SO IT MAY NEVER HAVE HAPPENED FOR US IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR COUNTY CORP.

SUCH A BLESSING FOR OUR FAMILY, CONTINUES TO BE A BLESSING FOR OUR FAMILY TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS, AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL.

MOORE: FOR BRICK BY BRICK, I'M EMIKO MOORE.

THOMPSON: MEANWHILE, A DAYTON SUBURB TO THE NORTH IS ALSO GETTING HELP FROM COUNTY CORP.

SEVEN YEARS AFTER A SERIES OF TORNADOES BLEW THROUGH TROTWOOD, THERE'S A HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM UNDERWAY, AND DOZENS OF MUCH NEEDED APARTMENTS ARE PREPARING TO OPEN.

EVEN NOW, TROTWOOD DESPERATELY NEEDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

DRIVE AROUND THE CITY AND YOU'LL SEE.

AFTER THE TORNADOES, SOME APARTMENT OWNERS DECIDED NOT TO REBUILD.

COUNTY CORP HEARD ABOUT IT AND GOT FUNDING TO OPEN WORKFORCE HOUSING LIKE THIS.

AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER YOU'VE SEEN ANY ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS, BUT I WONDER WHAT THE APARTMENTS ARE GOING TO BE LIKE.

BLAKE: THEY'RE GOING TO BE BEAUTIFUL.

THEY'RE ALL OF THE MODERN AMENITIES THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT IN ANY APARTMENT WILL BE FEATURED IN THESE.

AND IT'S EXCITING FOR US TO BE INVOLVED IN A PROJECT WHERE WE ARE BRINGING PEOPLE BACK TO TROTWOOD THAT HAD TO LEAVE BECAUSE THEY LOST THEIR HOUSING.

AND THOSE ARE HOUSEHOLDS.

SO THAT'S CHILDREN THAT WERE IN THE SCHOOLS, BUT THOSE HOUSEHOLDS HAD TO MOVE OUT OF THE CITY BECAUSE THERE WASN'T AN APARTMENT FOR THEM TO LIVE IN.

SO THIS WILL HELP BRING ALL OF THAT BACK.

IN TOTAL, WE HAVE 63 UNITS IN THIS DEVELOPMENT RANGING FROM 1 TO 3 BEDROOMS.

THIS IS ONE OF THE LARGER THREE BEDROOM UNITS.

SO YOU CAN SEE YOU HAVE A NICE LIVING ROOM, KITCHEN AREA AND THEN THE BEDROOMS AND BATHROOMS.

THOMPSON: RIGHT DOWN THE STREET THERE ARE TWO OTHER MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENTS, AS WELL AS A 50 UNIT COMPLEX FOR SENIORS BUILT FIVE YEARS AGO, AND THAT'S NOT ALL.

WE'RE LOOKING AT ONE OF THE HOMES THAT COUNTY CORP.

BUILT, AND THERE WERE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE DISPLACED, AS WE MENTIONED.

YOU REALIZED THAT NOT ALL OF THEM WANTED TO REMAIN RENTERS, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST IN HOME OWNERSHIP.

SO WHAT DID YOU DO NEXT?

BLAKE: SO WE BEGAN WORKING WITH THE DISASTER LISTS THAT FEMA HAD, AND WE IDENTIFIED ALL OF THE TENANTS WHO WERE DISPLACED BY THE TORNADOES, REALIZING THAT THOSE APARTMENTS WERE NOT GOING TO GET IMMEDIATELY REBUILT, IF AT ALL.

WE NEEDED TO CREATE A HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM FOR SOME OF THOSE RESIDENTS THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO OBTAIN A MORTGAGE.

THOMPSON: COUNTY CORP BUILT 19 HOMES IN PHASE ONE, AND SO FAR FIVE IN PHASE TWO.

BLAKE: WE'RE HELPING PEOPLE CREATE GENERATIONAL WEALTH THROUGH HOME OWNERSHIP.

VERY OFTEN, THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PURCHASING THESE HOMES ARE THE FIRST PERSON IN THEIR FAMILY EVER TO OWN A HOME.

A LOT OF PEOPLE, LIKE MYSELF, HAVE BENEFITED FROM THE EQUITY THAT HOME OWNERSHIP PROVIDES, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO TRANSFER HERE.

THOMPSON: THIS HOME OWNERSHIP PROGRAM IS SO SUCCESSFUL THAT COUNTY CORP HAS EXPANDED IT TO FAIRVIEW AND IS EYEING OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.

ALONG WITH THE HOUSING EFFORTS, COUNTY CORP IS ALSO WORKING TO UPLIFT YOUTH AGES 16 TO 24 WHO ARE EITHER NOT GOING TO SCHOOL OR WORKING THROUGH ITS YOUTHBUILD PROGRAM.

FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, COUNTY CORP HAS RECEIVED A GOVERNMENT GRANT TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE LEARN A TRADE AND GET CERTIFIED.

SOME STUDENTS NEED ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS.

FARLEY: WE HAVE DEDICATED FULL TIME STAFF THAT WORK WITH THEM TO ACCESS THE LOCAL RESOURCES HERE IN DAYTON.

SO WHETHER WE NEED TO GO TO A FOOD PANTRY, IF THEY'RE DEALING WITH FOOD INSECURITY OR THEY NEED CLOTHING, OR WE HAVE TO WORK WITH DAYBREAK FOR HOUSING IF THEY'RE HOMELESS.

BUT DAYTON IS A WONDERFUL COMMUNITY.

THOMPSON: COUNTY CORP THEN FOLLOWS AND SUPPORTS THEM FINANCIALLY FOR A YEAR AFTER GRADUATION.

AND THE SUCCESS RATE IS 90%.

FROM IMPACT TO LIMITATIONS, THERE ARE LIMITATIONS FOR THE PROGRAM AND OTHERS THAT COUNTY CORP RUNS, AND THEY COME DOWN TO FUNDING.

COUNTY CORP VICE PRESIDENT OF HOUSING ADAM BLAKE SAYS ORGANIZATIONS LIKE HIS FEEL THREATENED BY WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING AT A NATIONAL LEVEL AROUND HOUSING FUNDING.

HOWEVER, THE INTERESTING PART IS THE ORGANIZATION HAS THRIVED BY DIVERSIFYING ITS FOCUS NOT ONLY ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT ALSO THE PRESERVATION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

THROUGH PRESERVATION IT HAS ATTRACTED A LOT OF GRANT AND PHILANTHROPIC DOLLARS.

BLAKE SAYS THE PRESERVATION PART HAS OPENED DOORS TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT FUNDS WHICH CAN BE PUT TO GOOD USE.

COUNTY CORP IS ALSO CONTINUING TO LEND ITS EXPERTISE TO ORGANIZATIONS AROUND THE STATE AND SERVE AS THE DEVELOPER FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN PLACES LIKE AKRON AND EVEN ATHENS, OHIO, TOO.

THOSE EFFORTS HELP SUPPORT THE LOCAL MISSION AS WELL.

MORE THAN HALF OF AMERICANS SAY THEY WOULD CONSIDER LIVING IN A TINY HOME, MOSTLY DEFINED AS BETWEEN 100 AND 600 SQUARE FEET.

AND THE INTEREST IS GROWING, ESPECIALLY AS TRADITIONAL HOMES REMAIN OUT OF REACH FOR MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS.

WHILE THE AVERAGE SIZE OF A TINY HOME AROUND 225 SQUARE FEET MAKES IT ABOUT 5 TO 10 TIMES SMALLER THAN THE AVERAGE HOME, BUILDING ONE CAN BE EXPONENTIALLY CHEAPER.

NOT ACCOUNTING FOR THE LAND COST, ZONING AND OTHER COSTS ASSOCIATED, THE AVERAGE COST FOR A DO IT YOURSELF BUILD IS BETWEEN $20-50,000 IN MATERIALS.

PROFESSIONAL BUILDS WILL LIKELY RUN $50-150,000.

MEANWHILE, PREFABRICATED OR KIT HOMES CAN RUN $30-80,000.

HERE IN OHIO, TINY HOMES ARE TYPICALLY ALLOWED.

HOWEVER, THEY STILL HAVE TO MEET BUILDING CODES AND THE SMALL PRINT IN YOUR OWN COUNTY AND ZONING DISTRICT IS WHAT YOU REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT TO SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING FOR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.

FOR INSTANCE, IN CINCINNATI, YOU CAN BUILD THEM ANYWHERE THAT A SINGLE FAMILY HOME CAN BE BUILT, BUT YOU STILL MUST MEET SETBACK AND OTHER HOUSING CODE REQUIREMENTS.

IN CINCINNATI YOU COULD ALSO USE THE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT ORDINANCE IF YOU WANTED TO BUILD A TINY HOME RIGHT ON THE SAME LOT AS YOUR PRIMARY HOME BY FOLLOWING ALL OF THOSE RULES.

HOWEVER, BUILDING A BUNCH OF TINY HOMES, COTTAGE COURT STYLE ON ONE LOCATION IS NOT AS EASY AND REQUIRES DIVIDING THE LOT UP AND SEEKING ALL THE APPROVALS YOU MIGHT TYPICALLY NEED FOR A PLANNED DEVELOPMENT.

TINY HOMES ARE ALSO ALLOWED ON SINGLE FAMILY ZONED LOTS IN THE CITY OF DAYTON.

HOWEVER, THEY DO REQUIRE A FOUNDATION AND MUST MEET OTHER KEY LOCAL CODES.

WITH THAT SAID, WHETHER SOMEONE IS LOOKING TO LOWER THE COST TO GET INTO HOME OWNERSHIP, CONSIDERING A MORE MINIMALIST LIFESTYLE, OR JUST WANT TO BRING ADDITIONAL HOUSING TO THE AREA, TINY HOMES COULD BE A MORE AFFORDABLE OPTION TO CONSIDER FOR NATURALLY ADDING DENSITY TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.

ANOTHER KEY AREA THAT TINY HOMES ARE SEEING ADOPTION AND BIG IMPACT IS IN THE RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS.

BRICK BY BRICK'S HERNZ LAGUERRE, JR.

GOT A CLOSE UP LOOK AT ONE SUCCESSFUL TINY HOME VILLAGE DOING JUST THAT: VISTA VILLAGE IN COLUMBUS.

TAKE A LOOK.

REPASS: I MEAN, IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO GET INTO VISTA VILLAGE, I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT.

LAGUERRE: DILLON REPASS IS A RESIDENT OF THE TINY HOME COMMUNITY IN THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF EASTSIDE OF COLUMBUS CALLED VISTA VILLAGE.

AFTER GETTING CLEAN AND AN ADDICTION REHAB CENTER AND HELPING OTHERS DO THE SAME AS AN INTAKE COORDINATOR, JOINING THIS COMMUNITY IS ANOTHER CHAPTER OF HIS COMEBACK STORY.

REPASS: THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS HAS JUST BEEN TRYING TO GET MY LIFE BACK TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, MAKE A BETTER LIFE FOR ME AND MY SONS AND VISTA VILLAGE HAS BEEN A HUGE PART OF THAT.

LAGUERRE: DILLON'S COMMITMENT TO RECOVERY IS PERSONAL.

WE SEE THIS ON HIS ARM WITH A TRIBUTE TATTOO TO HIS MOTHER, HEATHER.

REPASS: IT'S JUST A MEMORIAL, JUST A HEART WITH A BANNER THAT SAYS HEATHER WITH A COUPLE DOVES FLYING AROUND IT.

AND, YOU KNOW, UM, SHE WAS MY BEST FRIEND.

IN 2021 I LOST MY MOM TO AN OVERDOSE AND, UM, IT'S DRUGS TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME: A CHILDHOOD, MY MOM.

AFTER LOSING MY MOM I JUST AM TRYING TO DO MY BEST TO SAVE SOMEBODY ELSE'S MOM, DAD, BROTHER, SISTER, AUNT, UNCLE, IT JUST, UM, IT MEANS A LOT TO ME TO BE ABLE TO BE HERE.

LAGUERRE: DILLON'S STORY EMBODIES VISTA VILLAGE'S MISSION PEREZ: WE WANT TO CREATE A PLACE FOR SECOND CHANCES.

LAGUERRE: JOHN PEREZ IS A CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF THE FAITH BASED ORGANIZATION VISTA VILLAGE.

WITH CASE MANAGERS ASSIGNED TO EACH RESIDENT TO HELP THEM LEVEL UP, YOU CAN SEE THIS COMMUNITY ISN'T JUST FOCUSED ON HOUSING.

PEREZ: MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE FOCUS ON WHAT LIFE CAN BE ONCE YOU GO THROUGH OUR PROCESS.

PART OF OUR CHALLENGE IS OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE THINK THAT NOTHING IS GIVEN.

EVERYTHING IS EARNED.

AS LONG AS YOU'RE FOLLOWING THE RULES AND YOU'RE MAINTAINING PROGRESS, YOU CAN LIVE HERE FOR UP TO 18 TO 24 MONTHS.

NOT A HARD, FAST RULE.

IF A PERSON'S WORKING THE PLAN, THE CASE MANAGEMENT PLAN, THEN THEY COULD STAY LONGER, RIGHT?

WE'RE ALL ABOUT SUCCESS, NOT ABOUT CREATING ADDITIONAL HOMELESSNESS.

LAGUERRE: VISTA VILLAGE WAS INSPIRED BY THE SUCCESS OF TINY HOME COMMUNITIES LIKE VETERANS COMMUNITY PROJECT IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, AND COMMUNITY FIRST VILLAGE IN AUSTIN, TEXAS.

THESE HOMES ARE A QUARTER OF THE SIZE OF A STARTER HOME.

THE ONES IN COLUMBUS WERE BUILT BY THE MODULAR HOME BUILDING COMPANY UNIBILT IN DAYTON.

PEREZ: OUR HOUSES WERE ALL CONSTRUCTED IN INDOORS AND BROUGHT TO US, SO WE FELT THAT WAS A COST REDUCTION.

OVERALL, BY THE TIME WE WERE DONE, THE PROJECT WAS $8.5 MILLION.

LAGUERRE: OF THAT $8.5 MILLION, NEARLY 7 MILLION CAME FROM INDIVIDUALS AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO STEPPED UP BIG FOR THESE TINY HOMES.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LEXI ROGERS SAYS SOME EVEN DONATED $100,000 TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SPONSOR A HOUSE FUNDING CAMPAIGN.

ROGERS: EACH HOUSE THAT'S IN THIS COMMUNITY WAS SPONSORED BY A GENEROUS DONOR.

IN RETURN, THEY GOT TO PICK OUT THE COLOR OF THE HOUSE.

THEY GOT TO PICK OUT THE INTERIOR FINISHES, ALL THOSE PERSONAL TOUCHES AND REALLY MAKE IT THEIR OWN HOME.

AND THEN IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'VE INVITED THEM OUT TO MEET THE RESIDENT ONCE THE RESIDENT MOVES INTO THEIR HOME AND THEY GET TO NAME THE HOME AS WELL.

LAGUERRE: INITIALLY, SOME MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WERE HESITANT TO THE TINY HOMES IDEA.

ROGERS: THEIR HESITATIONS WERE UNDERSTANDABLE.

I MEAN, IT'S A BRAND NEW CONCEPT.

LAGUERRE: BUT VISTA VILLAGE RESPONDED TO THE COMMUNITY'S CONCERNS BY ADDING ADDITIONAL PARKING, MAINTAINING THE HOMES, VETTING THE RESIDENTS, AND MORE, WHICH REALLY HELPED COMMUNITY BUY IN.

ROGERS: WE'RE CONSTANTLY HEARING FROM THEM, "HEY, WE'RE SO SURPRISED HOW QUIET IT IS OVER THERE."

WE HAVE SOME OF THESE RESIDENTS HELP DIGGING PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR CARS WHEN WE HAD THE HEAVY SNOW.

SO THEY REALLY EMBRACED THE COMMUNITY NOW THAT THEY'VE SEEN, IT'S NOT EXACTLY -- IT'S A LOT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THEY INITIALLY EXPECTED IT MIGHT BE.

LAGUERRE: NOW WE HEAD SOUTHWEST FROM COLUMBUS, IN THE CITY OF CINCINNATI, WHERE IN THE MADISONVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD AN ORGANIZATION CALLED TINY HOMES FOR HUMANITY COULD POTENTIALLY BUILD A TINY HOME COMMUNITY FOR VETERANS, PENDING CITY AND COMMUNITY COUNCIL APPROVAL.

ON A PLOT OF VACANT LAND BEHIND THE GAINES UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, THE CEO, EARL CROSLIN, ALONG WITH THE CHURCH'S REVEREND PAULA STEWART AND BOARD MEMBER BRUCE BRADLEY, WE SEE WHERE THE HOMES WOULD BE BUILT.

CROSSLAND: THERE AREN'T ANY OTHER TINY HOME DEVELOPMENTS LIKE THIS IN HAMILTON COUNTY OR THE CINCINNATI AREA.

AND WE SEE THIS AS A MODEL OF WHERE CHURCHES CAN PROVIDE THEIR LAND AND HELP SOLVE THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING ISSUE.

LAGUERRE: AND ACCORDING TO THE REVEREND, THE COMMUNITY IS EAGER FOR THE DEVELOPMENT.

REV.

STUART: PEOPLE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN WHAT HAPPENS TO VETERANS BECAUSE THEY'VE SERVED THE COUNTRY AND THEN TO BE, YOU KNOW, TO GO WITHOUT SERVICES, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE VERY EMPATHETIC AND COMPASSIONATE ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT VETERANS ARE TAKEN CARE OF.

BRADLEY: WELL, I GUESS AS FAR AS THE LAND, WE'VE HAD IT FOR OVER 20 YEARS AND WE WERE LOOKING FOR PURPOSES FOR THE LAND.

AND THIS LOOKS LIKE THE IDEAL PROJECT FOR US RIGHT NOW.

LAGUERRE: AND IF VISTA VILLAGE IS ANY INDICATION, TINY HOMES MAY BE THE RIGHT FIT FOR INDIVIDUALS LIKE DILLON TO COMMIT TO A BETTER LIFESTYLE.

DOING THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING, ASPIRING TO DO MORE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM WOULD HAVE SAID, YOU KNOW, SEEING YOU WHERE YOU ARE RIGHT NOW?

REPASS: I'M NOT SO SURE IF SHE WOULD HAVE ANY WORDS.

I THINK SHE WOULD JUST, UM, BE JUST AS HAPPY AS I AM.

I KNOW SHE'S LOOKING DOWN, AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE ONLY REASON, SOME DAYS, IS WHY I KEEP GOING.

YOU KNOW?

I GOT A GUARDIAN ANGEL NOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IS HELPING TO MAKE THESE MOVES FOR ME.

SO, UM, I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HER AGAIN.

LAGUERRE: VISTA VILLAGE IS CURRENTLY AT CAPACITY, BUT THEY'RE EXPANDING INTO PHASE TWO IN THIS AREA RIGHT BEHIND ME.

THEY PLAN ON BUILDING 60 SINGLE FAMILY TINY HOMES, TEN OF WHICH WILL BE PERMANENT HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY.

PHASE TWO WILL COST ABOUT $20 MILLION.

THEY PLAN TO BREAK GROUND IN 2027 AND OPEN THEIR DOORS TO RESIDENTS IN 2028.

FOR BRICK BY BRICK, I'M HERNZ LAGUERRE, JR.

IN COLUMBUS, OHIO.

THOMPSON: BESIDES THE PLANNED TINY HOME DEVELOPMENT IN MADISONVILLE, BRICK BY BRICK HAS BEEN FOLLOWING ONE IN CLERMONT COUNTY.

VETERANS VILLAGE HAS HAD TO CHANGE ITS ORIGINAL PLAN BECAUSE OF ZONING AND WILL NOW BUILD 19 APARTMENTS INSTEAD OF INDIVIDUAL HOMES.

THE PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO BE FINISHED IN THE FALL OF 2027.

ORGANIZERS SAY IT WILL STILL SERVE THEIR MISSION.

IN DAYTON ON NEEDMORE ROAD NEAR OLD TROY PIKE WE'RE ALSO KEEPING AN EYE ON THE TINY HOME DEVELOPMENT CALLED BEACON PLACE VILLAGE.

THEY'RE STILL FUNDRAISING.

THE PLAN IS FOR 40 COTTAGES FOR PEOPLE EXITING HOMELESSNESS.

THE $9.5 MILLION DEVELOPMENT SERVES AS A PROTOTYPE FOR FUTURE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT TINY HOMES AS A SOLUTION OR THE ROLE RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPERS LIKE COUNTY CORP ARE PLAYING IN BRINGING NEW HOUSING INTO REALITY?

WOULD YOU LIVE IN A TINY HOME YOURSELF?

EXPLORE THESE SOLUTIONS AND THE MANY OTHERS WE'VE COVERED SO FAR IN TWO SEASONS HERE ON BRICK BY BRICK.

YOU CAN FIND ARTICLES, RESEARCH, HERNZ AND EMIKO'S STORIES, AND MORE.

JUST VISIT THE SHOW PAGE ON CETCONNECT.ORG OR THINKTV.ORG.

AND WHILE YOU'RE THERE, DROP US A NOTE BY CLICKING ON ONE OF THE BIG GREEN BUTTONS.

TODAY'S SOLUTIONS REALLY FOCUSED ON ADDING HOUSING IN DIFFERENT WAYS FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF NEIGHBORS AND NEIGHBORHOODS.

NOW IT'S TIME FOR OUR TEAM TAKEAWAYS.

AND JOINING ME AGAIN ARE HERNZ AND EMIKO.

LAGUERRE: HELLO.

MOORE: HELLO.

THOMPSON: I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS, BUT I AM SO IMPRESSED WITH THE NIMBLENESS OF COUNTY CORP AND HOW, WHEN IT COMES TO FUNDING, THEY REALIZE THAT FEDERAL FUNDS MIGHT BE CUT BACK FOR HOUSING.

SO THEY TURN TO PRESERVATION AND REALIZED THERE WERE ADDITIONAL GRANTS THAT THEY COULD GET FOR FIXING UP HOMES.

MOORE: IT'S REALLY ADVANTAGEOUS FOR CITIES TO WORK WITH NIMBLE ORGANIZATIONS, LIKE A COUNTY CORP, TO HELP OVERSEE AND MANAGE A CONSTRUCTION SITE.

AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE WOLF CREEK AND WRIGHT DUNBAR NEIGHBORHOODS OF WEST DAYTON THAT COUNTY CORP IS BUILDING MARKET RATE AND AFFORDABLE HOMES IN THERE.

SO IT'S REALLY AN EXCITING TIME TO WATCH.

AND THIS AREA IS SO STEEPED WITH RICH HISTORY, THESE NEIGHBORHOODS.

THIS IS WHERE THE WRIGHT BROTHERS PLAYED, WALKED AROUND.

THIS IS THEIR CHILDHOOD HOME AREA.

ALSO THE HOME OF THE POET PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR.

I MEAN, THEY GREW UP TOGETHER WITH THE WRIGHT BROTHERS AND WENT TO SCHOOL TOGETHER.

THERE'S SO MANY STORIES THERE.

THOMPSON: SO TRUE.

WELL, HERNZ, WHEN IT COMES TO TINY HOMES, ON THE SURFACE, SOME PEOPLE MIGHT THINK, WELL, HOW HARD CAN IT BE JUST TO BUILD A BUNCH OF LITTLE HOUSES?

BUT THEY FACE THE SAME ZONING REGULATIONS AS SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.

AND WE SAW THAT CLERMONT COUNTY AND ITS PROJECT HAD TO PIVOT AND IS NOW GOING TO BE BUILDING MULTI-FAMILY UNITS.

AND ALSO WHAT TAKES SO LONG, APPARENTLY, IS RAISING ALL THE MONEY.

IT COSTS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY UP FRONT, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND TIME TRYING TO FIND IT.

LAGUERRE: YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT, ANN.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S WHAT MAKES WHAT VISTA VILLAGE ACCOMPLISHED JUST THAT MUCH MORE INCREDIBLE.

YOU KNOW, THEY WENT INTO THE COMMUNITY, ADHERED TO ALL THE CONCERNS THAT PEOPLE HAD ABOUT THIS RELATIVELY NEW DEVELOPMENT WITH THESE TINY HOMES, AND THEY INCORPORATED IT INTO THE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH I THINK WAS THE SECRET TO GETTING SO MUCH BUY IN FROM THE COMMUNITY.

ON TOP OF THAT, EVEN WHEN IT CAME TO THE FUNDING, I THOUGHT THE WAY VISTA VILLAGE WENT ABOUT IT WAS INTERESTING AS WELL.

OF THE $8.5 MILLION THAT IT TOOK TO CONSTRUCT THE NEIGHBORHOOD, 7 MILLION CAME FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

AND JOHN WAS TELLING ME THAT IN THAT 7 MILLION, MAJORITY OF IT WAS FROM INDIVIDUALS, SMALL BUSINESSES, WHICH SHOWS HOW MUCH THE COMMUNITY SAW THE NEED AND WAS WILLING TO INVEST INTO A NEED AS WELL.

THOMPSON: INCREDIBLE.

LAGUERRE: ANOTHER THING THAT I FIND INCREDIBLE ABOUT TINY HOMES IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT BRINGS BACK THIS WHOLE HOUSING FIRST DEBATE, RIGHT?

I THINK THE OPPONENTS OF HOUSING FIRST WILL POINT TO THE HIGH COST.

AND, YOU KNOW, IS IT WORTH IT TO INVEST SO MUCH INTO A TYPE OF MODEL?

WHAT'S THE PROOF?

BUT THE PROOF OF VISTA VILLAGE OFFERS ANOTHER TAKE.

I THINK THEY USE THE HOUSE AS A FOUNDATION TO HELP THESE RESIDENTS REBUILD THEIR LIVES AND THEREFORE INVEST BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY, WHICH HAS EXPONENTIAL RETURN UPON INVESTMENT.

I KNOW IT'S STILL FAIRLY NEW.

THE DEVELOPMENT STARTED IN JANUARY 2025, BUT IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO KEEP AN EYE ON TO SEE HOW THEY CONTINUE TO DEVELOP, AND HOW THEY EXPAND INTO PHASE TWO.

THOMPSON: YEAH, AND ALSO WE'LL BE FOLLOWING THE OTHER LOCAL PROJECTS IN CINCINNATI, DAYTON AND CLERMONT COUNTY.

LAGUERRE: EXACTLY.

THOMPSON: THANKS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS.

LAGUERRE: NO PROBLEM.

THOMPSON: THAT'S OUR SHOW.

IF YOU ENJOY EXPLORING COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS WITH US, NOW'S THE TIME TO HELP SUPPORT THIS TYPE OF JOURNALISM BY PROVIDING SOME FEEDBACK.

YOU CAN SCAN THE QR CODE IN THE CORNER OF YOUR SCREEN OR HEAD ONLINE FOR A SHORT SURVEY.

JUST VISIT CETCONNECT.ORG OR THINKTV.ORG TO FIND OUR SHOW PAGE.

LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS SO WE CAN ALL GO ON THAT SOLUTION STORY TOGETHER.

FOR HERNZ LAGUERRE, JR.

AND EMIKO MOORE, I'M ANN THOMPSON.

WE'LL BE BACK SOON WITH MORE SOLUTIONS.

TAKE CARE.