Building a safer, cleaner, greener Cincinnati for all must be our focus | Opinion
Neighborhoods that are safe, clean and green are the building blocks for people in Cincinnati to thrive. Providing safety is arguably the main purpose of government. If our neighborhoods are not safe, then not much else matters. Similarly, our neighborhoods need clean air, water that is free from lead, streets that are kept clean, greenspace to gather with family and friends, and most importantly, we need a roof over our head that is affordable. That’s the Cincinnati that I’m working to build.
Over the past few years, we have made progress on making our city safer, but there’s much to still do:
Violent crime is at a 10-year low, but it’s still too high − especially among our youth. We have fully funded police recruit classes, deployed an Alternative Response to Crisis model to deescalate non-violent mental health calls, and fully funded the gun intelligence unit that is closing more than 75% of cases compared to the national average of 50%. Our focus needs to be on reducing gun violence by addressing its root causes, as well as other non-violent, quality of life crimes that disrespect our communities.
Pedestrian-vehicle crashes were at a nine-year low last year behind a record investment in speed humps, bump outs and other measures to slow down traffic, the increased ability to reduce speed limits in the city, and the passage of the Complete Streets ordinance that I introduced, which ensures streets are designed for people, not just speeding cars. Better road design must be paired with more consistent enforcement. As any parent would tell you, rules without enforcement means there are no rules. Moreover, we need to make sure everyone understands the rules of the road. Toward that end, I’m working with Cincinnati Public Schools leadership to bring back Driver’s Education in the district, which has been absent for 15 years.
Ensuring our neighborhoods are clean and green is also key:
Litter and blight are out of control, and our current approach is clearly not enough. I’m committed to working with ODOT, to clean up our highways and entrance/exit ramps, and the city manager to form a systemic solution for these issues. I’ll be rolling out a Quality-of-Life Sub-Committee/Working Group to focus on innovative solutions built in partnership with communities.
A green city means one with more reliable public transit, which Metro is building in partnership with the city. Additionally, it means completing the regional trail system (the CROWN) that will extend the 17-mile Wasson Way trail to 34 miles, stretching around the city. A comprehensive transit system that includes a robust trail system and enhanced bus services is imperative for the 30% of our city that does not own a car.
There’s a saying that the greenest home is an existing home. One of our biggest opportunities is to increase housing production to enable more affordability by reforming our outdated zoning code. We started that by passing my ordinance to legalize Accessory Dwelling Units, allowing residents to build out a basement, garage, or carriage house, but we need to do more to enable more housing to be built.
These are not our only challenges as a city. We have a looming budget deficit, 52% of our school children are chronically absent, and systemic poverty persists across the city. Resolving all of these issues is going to require continued partnership of our local government, non-profits, and engaged citizens dedicated to building a safer, cleaner and greener Cincinnati where there is opportunity for everyone to thrive. That’s the vision of Cincinnati that I’m committed to building. I’ve got my sleeves rolled up, and I’m ready to continue working towards it.
Cincinnati Councilman Mark Jeffreys serves as vice chair of the Climate, Environment, Infrastructure Committee.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati needs safe, clean, green neighborhoods to thrive
