From strongtowns.org
The Hidden Cost of America’s Infrastructure Spending Habits
1 1
Today, I want to look at a utility investment near my hometown of Brainerd, Minnesota. At first glance, it seems like an extreme case, but looking at it with a touch of scrutiny reveals a lot of insight into why America’s basic infrastructure systems are failing and will not be maintained.
#utilities #infrastructure #sustainability #deferredmaintenance
18h ago
From strongtowns.org
Is Life More Difficult for Younger Generations?
0 0
In this episode of Upzoned, host Abby Newsham is joined by Kevin Klinkenberg, an urban designer and planner, to discuss how a middle-class life has become increasingly difficult for younger generations to attain.
on Jan 15
From strongtowns.org
The Case for Investing Downtown
0 0
"Why on earth would we go back in time 70 years to model our current cities on?" Because it worked. Our cities were financially productive. Small businesses florished and remained competitive. We had vibrant, lively urban streets filled with people and activity.
on Jan 13
From strongtowns.org
Who Pays for Growth in Collier County, Florida: Part 4
0 0
New suburban development creates budget-devouring road liabilities. And the way developers are asked to mitigate their traffic impacts is only making the problem worse.
on Jan 11
From strongtowns.org
How a Walk About Nothing Can Change Everything About Public Engagement
0 0
To create change, you need community engagement. Unfortunately, many cities have complicated systems for engagement that take a lot of time and effort to work with. Here's how one community in West Virginia is cutting through that red tape.
on Jan 10
From strongtowns.org
From Building Backyard Cottages to Banning Airbnbs: A Housing Q&A
0 0
On this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck answers housing questions submitted by Ohio State University students, covering topics from the history of the housing market to financing housing development.
on Jan 8
From strongtowns.org
While You Wait: 3 Ways To Make Your City More Joyful, Hopeful and Active This Advent
0 0
Advocacy work means a lot of waiting and hoping for a better future. That makes it a lot like Advent (the weeks before Christmas on the Christian calendar). But waiting during Advent isn’t discouraging or boring: It’s hopeful, active and joyful. Here are a few ways to bring that approach to your com
on Dec 23
From strongtowns.org
Our Self-Imposed Scarcity of Nice Places
0 1
Why is it that when a place is [pick one: walkable, bikeable, beautiful, lovable, inviting, human-scale], it so often gets coded as being “gentrified” and therefore elitist? When only the rich can afford nice places, the solution isn't to stop creating such places but to create vastly more of them.
on Dec 19
From strongtowns.org
Why You Should Care About the Bus (Even if You Never Ride It)
0 0
Buses are an important part of a city’s transportation system, but they’re considered a mode of last resort for many people. Here’s why it’s important to make bus systems more appealing — and a few ideas on to do so.
on Dec 17
From strongtowns.org
Christmas Cookie Inflation Index, 2024 Update
0 0
The Christmas Cookie Inflation Index has risen 6.2% in the last year. This is compared to the official inflation rate of 2.6%.
on Dec 16
From strongtowns.org
Travel Tip: Don’t Stay in the Places You Wish Were Never Built
0 0
Driving from my dismal exurban hotel to the walkable downtown of a Florida beach town led me to a resolution: Start seeking out the kind of lodging that accentuates the best reasons for visiting a place, and hopefully discourage the kind of development that’s contributing to its demise.
on Dec 6
From strongtowns.org
How Single-Stair Reform Can Help Unlock Incremental Housing
0 0
Modern zoning, building and fire codes make it impossible to build many of the types of housing that people actually want to live in. Reforming those codes to allow for single-stair construction can help undo some of this damage.
on Dec 5
From strongtowns.org
I’m Done With Twitter, but Not for the Reasons You Might Think
0 0
I’ve mostly left Twitter/X over the past few months. Strong Towns, the organization, has pulled back substantially, as well. I want to explain why because it’s for different reasons than the increasing partisan divide (although that doesn’t help).
on Dec 4
From strongtowns.org
Transparent Local Language: Why City Officials Need To Ditch the Jargon
0 1
Local governments often use terms that downplay, minimize or obscure the severity of a situation. While this isn’t a malicious or even conscious decision, using language that is inaccurate or that the general population doesn’t understand makes it very difficult to build a strong town.
on Dec 3
From strongtowns.org
$20 Million Broke This Street. $2 Million Can Begin To Fix It.
0 0
To build a Strong Town is to develop governing habits and shared cultural understandings that result in a long run of small wins that may be individually imperceptible but cumulatively result in broad and meaningful change. Today, I want to share one of those small wins with you.
on Dec 2
From strongtowns.org
0 0
#BlackFridayParking is a nationwide event drawing attention to the harmful nature of minimum parking requirements. Share a photo, change the conversation.
on Nov 27
From strongtowns.org
A Disaster Waiting to Happen: Where Our Greenways Meet Our Highways<br/>
0 0
The East Coast Greenway spans 3,000 miles and is one of the most popular biking routes in the world. But as much as 65% of this route puts bikers in close contact with vehicles that are moving at high speeds. This has predictably terrible results.
on Nov 26
From strongtowns.org
The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Reclaiming Forgotten Spaces for the Community
0 0
Katy Clagett is a commercial real estate appraiser and activist. She joins the podcast today to talk about the ways that bottom-up projects can build community, as well as her experiences with spearheading this kind of project.
on Nov 26
From strongtowns.org
Right Place, Right Time: How Advocates in Omaha are Making Streets Safer
0 0
Here’s how advocates in Omaha, Nebraska, got their Department of Public Works to complete a quick-build street safety project so fast that “it felt like waving a magic wand.” (Hint: Find out if your community has a business improvement district, stat.)
on Nov 26
From strongtowns.org
Keeping Kids Safe One Cone at a Time
0 0
In the battle for street safety, crossing guards are on the front lines. Their verdict: The streets outside of schools are extremely unsafe. One crossing guard in Denver decided to do something about it.
on Nov 26
From strongtowns.org
Bottom-Up Shorts: How $6 Can Make a Community More Bikeable
0 0
In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Sarah, a Local Conversation leader, to talk about the bike racks she and her friends have been building and installing around their city.
on Nov 26
From strongtowns.org
Here’s Why You May See More Corner Stores in the Future
0 0
Today, host Abby Newsham is joined by Norm Van Eeden Petersman, the director of membership and development for Strong Towns, to discuss a recent resurgence of interest in mixed-use neighborhoods that has led some cities to allow for small corner stores even in residential-only neighborhoods.
on Nov 19
From strongtowns.org
Spokane’s Step-by-Step Approach to Repealing Parking Mandates
0 0
Build a bipartisan coalition. Launch a pilot project. Speak to the core issues facing your community. That’s how Spokane, Washington, was able to eliminate costly parking mandates. Here's the full story.
on Nov 19
From strongtowns.org
How One Professor is Inspiring the Next Generation of Transportation Engineers
0 0
"Be the change you want to see in the world." It’s a slogan many aspire to live by, including Professor Gingrich of Dordt University in Iowa. He’s doing just that this year, bringing his students to the forefront of the evolving traffic engineering field by training them in crash analysis
on Nov 19
From strongtowns.org
0 0
All of the land used in cities can be divided into two categories: Places and Non-Places. Places are productive destinations, while Non-Places are unproductive padding between destinations. Once these Places and Non-Places are marked on a map, it becomes obvious how much land cities waste on Non-Pla
on Nov 18
From strongtowns.org
Limiting Housing Is Actually Causing All That Traffic
0 0
Fearing traffic congestion, pollution and water scarcity, the city of Santa Barbara, California, enforced a population cap by preventing the construction of extra housing units. However, 40 years later, the lack of housing is proving to cause these issues more than prevent them.
on Nov 17
From strongtowns.org
Beyond City Hall: Why Organic Collaboration Is Better Than an Orderly Approach
0 0
Collaboration (or community input) is discussed at great length within the urban planning profession, but it’s often lost in actual practice.
on Nov 15
From strongtowns.org
The Housing Market Is a Bubble Full of Fraud, and It’s Going To Pop
0 0
The U.S. is in a massive housing bubble fueled by widespread fraud. With banks incentivized to look away and Wall Street and Washington incentivized to keep housing prices artificially high, a bottom-up approach is the only hope for bringing sanity back to the housing market.
on Nov 13
From strongtowns.org
0 0
However you feel about the results of the election, remember the power and agency you hold at the local level. Let’s keep our ideals and our vision for a better America while we simultaneously continue to do what we can to make our communities stronger.
on Nov 9
From strongtowns.org
0 0
A string of mistakes in one city shows how easily local rules can turn arbitrary and destructive.
on Nov 4
From strongtowns.org
The Housing Market Is a Bubble Full of Fraud, and It’s Going To Pop
0 0
The U.S. is in a massive housing bubble fueled by widespread fraud. With banks incentivized to look away and Wall Street and Washington incentivized to keep housing prices artificially high, a bottom-up approach is the only hope for bringing sanity back to the housing market.
on Nov 3
From strongtowns.org
Why Street Trees are so Essential for our Cities
0 0
Akron, Ohio offers a shining example of the many benefits of street trees.
on Nov 3
From strongtowns.org
No Bus Stop Seating? No Problem. (Actually, There Is Definitely a Problem.)
0 0
American bus stops often leave people exposed to the elements without even a place to sit as they wait for their buses to arrive. Here’s how advocates around the country are tackling this problem — and how their cities are responding.
on Oct 30
From strongtowns.org
Most Public Engagement is Worthless
0 0
It is the experiences of real people that should guide our planning efforts. Their actions are the data we should be collecting, not their stated preferences.
on Oct 23
From strongtowns.org
The Traffic Model Deceit: How Highway Agencies Manipulate Data To Justify Wasteful Expansion
0 0
For decades, state and federal highway agencies have justified massive projects with traffic forecast models. But a closer look reveals a troubling pattern of exaggeration, manipulation and outright falsification in these models.
on Oct 23
From strongtowns.org
A Requiem for the River Arts District
0 0
Asheville's River Arts District, North Carolina's flagship for authentic incrementalism, was destroyed by Hurricane Helene. Here's why it's so important that people continue embracing incrementalism to bring it back.
on Oct 22
From strongtowns.org
Can Courtyard Blocks Make Cities More Family Friendly?
0 0
Many cities are experiencing a rapid decline in their under-age-5 population, as a lack of family-sized housing forces families to leave for the suburbs. How should cities respond? One method is adopting courtyard blocks.
on Oct 2
From strongtowns.org
There Is No Need To Wait for a Traffic Safety Moonshot
0 0
Americans are suckers for the idea of a moonshot, of taking a big, challenging risk and earning a huge payoff. The problem is, these moonshots usually fail, especially when they're trying to fix complex, chronic problems like traffic safety. There's a better way.
on Oct 2
From strongtowns.org
The Future of Land Use and Incremental Development
0 0
Land use reform is gaining momentum and laws are evolving rapidly across North America. Here are some changes that are likely coming in the future and what impacts they might have.
on Oct 1
From strongtowns.org
6 Tips for Creating Friendly Storefronts That Draw People In
0 0
With the prevalence of online shopping, creating a compelling storefront has never been more necessary for small businesses. Here are six ways you can draw customers in with the design of your storefront.
on Oct 1
From strongtowns.org
The 30-Year Mortgage Was Bad. The 40-Year Mortgage Will Be Even Worse.
0 0
The Federal Reserve just cut interest rates. Some people are celebrating the move as making housing more attainable, but it's really just reinforcing the housing trap. Need proof? Look no further than the 40-year mortgage.
on Sep 23
From strongtowns.org
No One Left Behind: Nondrivers Are Facing the Housing Crisis Too
0 0
Greenfield development may be appealing to people who are fighting the housing crisis, especially on cheap rural land. But if these developments are the only places with housing affordability, people who can't drive — whether due to age, disability, or finance — are out of luck. That's not a real so
on Sep 21
From strongtowns.org
Exploring the Role of Religious Institutions in Community Development
0 0
At the Table is a podcast that discusses how community-based ministries can contribute to the common good, and they recently invited Strong Towns President Charles Marohn to appear on an episode. Up for discussion: the Suburban Experiment and the role of religious institutions in community developme
on Sep 18
From strongtowns.org
19 Things You Can Do With a Roofless Building or an Empty Lot
0 0
When buildings burn down or fall into disrepair, they can leave gaps in a city, especially if no one wants or is able to rebuild. But that space doesn't need to go to waste. Here's 19 ways you can turn a roofless building or empty lot into a productive community hub.
on Sep 13
From strongtowns.org
Philadelphia Continues To Subsidize Unsafe Streets for Kids
0 0
Philadelphia's school district is paying parents to drive their kids to class, but at what cost? This program leaves many families behind and actually makes streets more dangerous for children.
on Sep 13
From strongtowns.org
Is Infill Microhousing the Solution to High Homelessness Rates?
0 0
One major consequence of the housing crisis is increased rates of homelessness. Real estate development and design experts in Tennessee are responding by designing multiunit housing prototypes that blend in with existing neighborhoods.
on Sep 6
From strongtowns.org
0 1
The American pattern of development creates the illusion of wealth. Today we are in the process of seeing that illusion destroyed…and with it the prosperity we have come to take for granted.
on Aug 31
From strongtowns.org
Small Homes on Small Lots: How To Beat the Housing Crisis
0 0
Since enacting broad housing reforms in 2019, Durham, North Carolina, has been experiencing an explosion of missing-middle housing and housing affordability. Here are the main reforms the city enacted and how they're helping it fight the housing crisis.
on Aug 29
From strongtowns.org
Let’s Embrace Our Nonconforming Grandpas
0 0
The practice of "grandfathering in" old buildings — letting them exist without meeting current building codes — is a good one. However, buildings lose this protected status if their owners perform renovations or additions, resulting in many buildings declining or sitting empty. It doesn't
on Aug 28