Habitat for Humanity offers a wide range of programs to help people become homeowners, giving the organization a unique perspective on the housing crisis. Strong Towns sat down with two representatives to learn about this perspective, including how Habitat is handling high building costs and why Habitat owners participate in the construction of their homes.
Read MoreWith work patterns shifting as technology advances, retrofitting suburban office buildings has become increasingly important to developers and planners. Here are five ways you can make your office building more appealing and resilient.
Read MoreLast week in Colorado, advocates for people-centered cities and incremental housing pulled off a massive win, sending a bill package full of land-use reforms to be signed into state law. Here’s how they did it.
Read MoreThe lament, “There’s nothing to do here,” might sound like teenage grumbling, but there may be more wisdom to it than meets the ear. Maybe we should look at our cities through the lens of organic social activities, both because they're enjoyable and because it gives us a chance to reconsider our values and the relationship between our design choices and our community’s social life.
Read MoreSocial media tells us that snarky, callous remarks get the most attention and have the biggest impact. But when Tristan Cleveland sat down for a real conversation with his opponents, he realized that urbanists must approach people with empathy and understanding. That's the only way to change minds and create real change.
Read MoreThe Messy City is a podcast that discusses urban planning and design issues. Its host, Kevin Klinkenberg, recently invited Strong Towns President Chuck Marohn to appear on an episode. Up for discussion: Chuck’s new book, sports stadiums, and Disney World.
Read MoreMany people become members of country clubs to enjoy the luxurious amenities they offer. But when membership is mandatory for keeping your home, those amenities quickly become a financial prison.
Read MoreWhen COVID-19 put her career on pause, opera singer Ally Smither found a new passion: fighting highway expansion.
Read MoreHitsville U.S.A. is known for producing artists, recordings and a distinctive Detroit sound, but it also represents an important element of a strong city: mixed-use development. If Detroit hadn’t let Berry Gordy turn the first floor of his home into a recording studio, Motown Records might not exist today.
Read MoreBrian Boland is the founder of Bridge Forward Cincinnati, an advocacy group working to reclaim 19 acres of city land from urban highways by changing the design of the Brent Spence Corridor Project.
Read MoreIt’s natural to feel grief when local officials ignore calls to make your city a stronger and safer place. But while the grief is real, the changes your advocacy inspires are real too.
Read MoreTrying to decide on your next smallest step? Chances are, your city already has systems in place to address infrastructure concerns. Strong Towns member Danny Williams demonstrates how you can use those systems to produce positive change.
Read MoreSarasota County, Florida, is planning to use hundreds of millions of dollars to subsidize housing. But this money isn’t going toward low-income housing — it’s going toward road construction for gated communities.
Read MoreAn initiative that encourages people to use a bike instead of a car seems like a good thing, but does National Bike to Work Day actually encourage bikeability?
Read MoreEconomic productivity, cost-effectiveness and safety: stroads fail at all three. Advocates in Port Huron, Michigan, are working to make their city recognize that, so they can turn the dangerous Huron Avenue into a thriving community center.
Read MoreIncremental development is a low-risk, high-reward method of building a strong town. Here’s some do’s and don’ts to get you started.
Read MoreSpecial assessments are a way local governments can fund projects that will add value to homeowners’ property. When used to fund regular maintenance, though, they’re self-serving, irresponsible and unfairly target the poorest members of the community. It’s time to demand better.
Read MoreDo you have a favorite food truck? These micro businesses are often features of their communities, and they represent an important stage of incremental development. But strict zoning laws can put these businesses at risk. Hot Dog House FL learned this the hard way when parking mandates evicted them from their main operating location.
Read MorePublic art can do more than add personality and beauty to a space — it can change the way people behave, bring the community together and avoid the resistance other changes to city policy face. It’s time to stop overlooking this powerful and accessible tool and start making our towns stronger, one bucket of paint at a time.
Read MoreFrom arbitrary restrictions to overly harsh penalties, many homeowners associations (HOAs) do little to endear themselves to their neighborhoods. But your city may have more responsibility for these conditions than you realize.
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