Data from: (if we've garbled it, blame us not them)

This record is in the data pool of...

• Fellowship for Intentional Community

ENRIGHT RIDGE URBAN ECO-VILLAGE
CINCINNATI, OHIO

In 2004, Imago, an ecological education organization on Enright Ave. brought 17 residents together to start an ecovillage in the neighborhood. They came together and committed to developing a neighborhood that valued a sense of community and would become a destination neighborhood embodying green sustainable living practices, as well as a model for revitalizing other urban neighborhoods. Its mission: Enright Ridge Urban Ecovillage, Inc. seeks to be an ecologically responsible community sharing ideas, resources and a reverence for earth.

The ecovillage was founded in 2004, became a tax-exempt organization in 2007. Tt is located on four dead-end streets just minutes from downtown Cincinnati. Enright Ave., the first street we settle on is a ¾ mile long with 80 houses and 90 households in an inner ring neighborhood,. Terry St. has seven houses and eight households and McPherson has fourteen houses with seventeen households. 35% of the residents are involved with the ecovillage 25% are open and 40% indifferent. There is no opposition because the neighborhood is a wonderful place to live because it is an ecovillage.

Housing prices and rentals are reasonably priced. We have acquired 15 buildings with 25 units that were foreclosed. We have rehabbed them and sold most to home owners, some we have kept to rent to people interested in the ecovillage. We used creative financing to purchase the first home, then came across a foundation that has lent us money for purchase and rehab, repaying it when we sell the house. Eighty-five percent of the houses in the ecovillage are owned by homeowner. We do not control who buys into the ecovillage, but most people who moving here do so because of the ecovillage. We have had a good number of young families with children move into the ecovillage over the years.

We have created an urban CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) project in and around the ecovillage, using backyards and lots. We have two farmers working for us and an intern. We have 60 shares, serving around 150 people. Shares are not restricted to the ecovillage. We see the urban CSA model as the best way to grow a significant amount of food in our urban areas, and also provide employment to farmers. Two of our CSA members have written a book called: “Starting Your Urban CSA, a Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Community-Supported Agriculture Project in Your Urban Neighborhood.”

In the late 1800’s a pub was opened across the street from what is now the entranceway to the ecovillage. It was a family run bar until the early 2000’s. At that point a person bought it and ran a disreputable establishment. When the opportunity came, the ecovillage purchased the pub with the dream of doing a green general store and pub. The pub has continued, the store is still in the dream stage. The pub has become a wonderful community gathering place and is the greenest pub in Cincinnati.

With a majority of people now living in cities, we have to find ways of making our cities more Earth friendly. The urban ecovillage is a great way of doing this. Our goal is to help other urban neighborhoods create their own ecovillage. We are willing to consult with groups interested in looking at the possibility of creating an ecovillage in their city neighborhood.

A service of the Data Commons Co-op. The project has been supported by Equal Exchange, the Cooperative Charitable Trust, the USDA, and many others - thank you! Tech volunteers over the years include: Benjamin Bradley with support from GAIA Host. Ben Mauer with support from Quilted. Paul Fitzpatrick. Ronin Tech Collective, Brattleboro Tech Collective, Sligo Computer Services. Jason Lemieux. Default map tiles courtesy of MapQuest. Default map data (c) OpenStreetMap contributors, CC-BY-SA.