For over four decades, Working In Neighborhoods (WIN) has helped families do more than find housing — it has helped them build stability, opportunity, and a future. During National Homeownership Month, we celebrate the many ways WIN continues transforming lives across Cincinnati neighborhoods through affordable housing, financial empowerment, and community investment.
WIN began developing homes in 1985 in response to residents asking for safe, quality, affordable housing in their own neighborhoods. Since then, WIN has built 172 homes for low- and moderate-income families, with every home designed to help residents build equity and long-term wealth. In South Cumminsville alone, WIN has constructed or rehabilitated nearly 30% of the neighborhood’s single-family housing, helping raise the black homeownership rate to more than 50% — the highest in Cincinnati.
WIN’s work extends far beyond single-family homes. In 2006, WIN transformed the former St. Pius School into St. Pius Apartments, creating 18 affordable senior housing units that allow longtime residents to age in place while remaining connected to the community they love. In 2021, WIN partnered with National Church Residences and American Community Developers to bring 218 additional affordable housing units to the Beekman Corridor through The Commons at S. Cumminsville and Shelton Gardens, expanding access to both supportive and affordable housing options for local families.
At the same time, WIN helps future homeowners prepare for success long before they receive the keys to a home. Through HUD-certified homebuyer education classes and personalized one-on-one counseling, thousands of families across the tri-state have gained the knowledge and confidence to pursue homeownership. Participants learn how to improve credit, navigate mortgage programs, plan for down payments, and better understand the financial realities of purchasing a home.
Today, WIN continues building toward the future with the Near-Net-Zero Urban Village in South Cumminsville and by helping legacy homeowners throughout the Beekman Corridor rehab their homes, bringing sustainable, energy-efficient housing to underserved communities while creating new opportunities for families to thrive for generations to come.