Welcome to the Cincinnati Innovation Team's first newsletter! Here is a little about the i-Team and what you can expect from us:

• The i-Team was created in partnership between the City of Cincinnati and the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University.  
• We focus on advancing innovative, equity-centered solutions that support the City’s long-term goals, including those outlined in the Financial Freedom Blueprint and the Green Cincinnati Plan. 
• Our core work is focused on exploring inclusive transportation and mobility solutions particularly for those households and neighborhoods most affected by mobility constraints and inequalities. 
• In addition to our core work, the i-Team serves as a collaborative partner and internal consultant to other City departments. We support existing initiatives by bringing research, community engagement, and narrative-driven communication to teams that help accelerate progress and enable bold, future-focused transformation for the benefit of current and future Cincinnati residents. 

From left to right: Joshua Pine, Nia Baucke, & Rachel Cranmer

Joshua Pine is the i-Team's Director. He started his public innovation career with the City of South Bend working with then Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s administration on a Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayoral Challenge initiative focused on improving mobility access. He also worked on the innovation team at the National League of Cities where he served as a subject matter expert advising cities across the country during the pandemic on best practices related to creative placemaking, emerging technologies, and data storytelling. He started working for the City of Cincinnati in 2024 as the policy director for a local councilmember. Outside of work, you will likely see him riding around town on his cargo e-bike with his two young kids. 

Nia Baucke is the i-Team's Civic Designer. Her work focuses on using design, research, and collaboration to better understand community needs and turn insights into practical policies and programs. Prior to joining the Innovation Team, Nia was the Co-Founder and Principal Consultant of Cohear, a community-based consulting practice supporting public agencies and healthcare institutions, where she led large-scale engagement and research initiatives, including serving as a lead partner for the Cincinnati Futures Commission. She brings over a decade of experience working across the public, nonprofit, and policy sectors, with a strong background in qualitative research, facilitation, and equity-driven solutions design. Outside of work, Nia enjoys tennis, live music, and adventuring with her two very active kids. 

Rachel Cranmer is the i-Team's Community Storyteller. She joins the i-Team from the environmental and science communication world. Rachel has been an environmental educator for over a decade at the Cincinnati Zoo, Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, and Gorman Heritage Farm. She was also the Marketing & Outreach Coordinator for the Hamilton County Conservation District and participated in the Green Umbrella Climate Action Fellowship where she worked on local climate policy. In her role as the i-Team's Community Storyteller, Rachel translates qualitative data into compelling narratives and implements creative communication strategies. In her free time, Rachel loves being outdoors working on her homestead and crafting.  

Why Focus on Mobility?

Transportation shapes how people live, work, and connect with their communities. In Cincinnati, an average of one in five households do not own a car, with some neighborhoods as high as one in three. Many residents face long commutes, limited access to jobs and services, and barriers to fully participating in community life. Even those households with cars may wish to have more affordable, convenient, and environmentally conscious options when traveling around the city. 

Our mission overlaps, first, with the City's sustainability goals since the transportation system in Cincinnati accounts for 31% of greenhouse gas emissions. If Cincinnati is to reach its goal of 50% reduction of CO2 emission by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050, mobility must be addressed. To achieve this, the Green Cincinnati Plan lists the following mobility goals:

• Increasing the number of passenger miles traveled using public transit 25% by 2030.
• Increasing the use of zero-emission vehicles in the City to 25% by 2030.
• Increasing the number of residents within 0.25 mile of safe bike and pedestrian infrastructure 50% from 2022 levels by 2030.
• Building a policy framework that supports the creation of connected communities.

Then there are the countless economic as well as public health and safety considerations around mobility. The City's Financial Freedom Blueprint identified that "education and transportation are the top roadblocks to higher compensation and benefits" and that "getting to and from work is a barrier for 1 in 10 residents". On top of this:

• The cost of owning a car has increased nearly 41% since 2020.
• 28.4% of Cincinnati adults report being physically inactive and across the US over 80% of adolescents are not getting the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity.
• As of 2024, the Greater Cincinnati area was ranked the 22nd worst city in the US for year-round average particulate pollution and 42nd worst for smog. Poor air quality, contributed to by vehicle traffic, increases health risks and climate change is exacerbating these impacts.

There are many local community groups, organizations, businesses, and City departments already working to address these challenges. Our role is to bring partners together and test new research, outreach, and communication strategies that strengthen and connect those efforts. Throughout this work, residents’ lived experiences, local knowledge, and ideas will directly shape every pilot initiative and policy we advance. Our goal is to make transportation more affordable, accessible, healthy, and sustainable, especially in neighborhoods most impacted by these and other barriers.

Where We Are Now

Currently, we are undergoing intensive research and data collection in Evanston where we are interviewing neighborhood leaders and residents to better understand mobility challenges and co-create solutions. So far, we have hosted one focus group with another planned next week to learn more about the lived experience of residents in relation to mobility.

Top Photo: Rachel speaks at the February Evanston Community Council Meeting

Bottom Photo: Nia leads a focus group with Evanston residents

In addition to our core work around mobility, the i-Team also serves as a kind of internal consultant for other City departments. If they need help with focus groups, communication, or just innovative perspectives, we are here to help.

Housing

Our first cross-departmental collaboration officially launched last week. We joined the City Manager’s Office, the Department of City Planning and Engagement (DCPE), the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), the Department of Buildings and Inspections (B&I) on their BuildReady Initiative. BuildReady will design pre-approved building plans for multi-family housing (also called "Middle Housing"). The highlight of the initiative is an open-call, public design competition!

The i-Team is assisting with public engagement and creating communication strategies. Visit the BuildReady webpage for more information on how the future of multi-family housing is transforming in Cincinnati and how you can get involved.

Top Photo: City Planning's Andrew Halt introducing BuildReady to stakeholders

Bottom Photo: Mayor Pureval announces the initiative at a press conference this past Tuesday

In the meantime, we are also beginning pilot initiatives. Pilots are an opportunity to test ideas and see if they are effective, scalable, and the right fit for a particular community.  We are exploring some pilot initiatives focused on e-bike incentives and open streets. We encourage you to reach out to our team if you are interested in partnering on either of these initiatives!

Interested in collaborating with the i-Team? Contact Innovation Team Director, Joshua Pine at joshua.pine@cincinnati-oh.gov

The i-Team sits on the Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit's planning committee. Apply to contribute to the poster session or art exhibition, and don't forget to register for the Summit happening on June 12th.

This June also welcomes the first ever Cincinnati Climate Week! June 8th - 14th will be a decentralized week featuring organizations throughout the region who will host in-person and virtual events that spotlight local solutions, share expertise, and inspire a more resilient future. Start planning your event now and mark your calendar.