Cincinnati Scholar House

The Cincinnati Scholar House is a unique 44-unit LEED Platinum affordable housing development that provides subsidized housing and support services for low-income single parents pursuing a college degree.

The Scholar House model aims to remove the barriers that often prevent low-income single parents from pursuing post-secondary education, and in doing so, aims to break the cycle of poverty and help families achieve economic self-sufficiency. It does this by co-locating numerous support services, chief among them a high-quality early childhood education center. Other services help to connect parents with work study programs, financial aid, mentoring, and other resources. Subsidy ensures that families pay no more than 30% of their income toward rent and utilities.

The project is a catalyst for the continued positive transformation of Walnut Hills, a transitional neighborhood in Cincinnati. The success of the project is rooted in public-private partnerships between nonprofit neighborhood organizations and development groups. The project is co-owned by Cincinnati Union Bethel and Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH). Christ Church Cathedral stepped up as a key partner, fundraising to ensure sustainable operational funds for the early childhood education center and mentoring / case management program. The Model Group served as the developer and general contractor, bringing extensive experience developing affordable housing.

The project’s LEED Platinum certification, and many of its sustainable design features, followed naturally from the Scholar House mission. The project aimed to forge strong community connections to help support and transform its neighborhood, and therefore selected an infill site with exceptional access to public transit and community amenities, earning the maximum number of LEED points in the Location and Linkage category. The project also focused on creating a healthy indoor environment, selecting low emitting interior materials and commissioning third party testing and balancing of the fresh air and exhaust system to ensure compliance with design standards. Energy efficiency helped to reduce resident utility bills; the project achieved a 23% reduction from its ASHRAE baseline by incorporating an efficient envelope and mechanical systems.

Other notable sustainability strategies include: on-site management of 100% of rainwater via vegetation selection and infiltration features, 93% diversion of construction waste from landfills; material-efficient framing; and water-efficient plumbing fixtures.

By focusing on community connections, indoor health, and overall performance, the Cincinnati Scholar House aims to create an environment where their single-parent families can thrive and excel, helping to undo systemic inequities and forge a more equitable future.