Charles Marohn

Charles Marohn (known as “Chuck” to friends and colleagues) is the founder and president of Strong Towns and the bestselling author of “Escaping the Housing Trap: The Strong Towns Response to the Housing Crisis.” With decades of experience as a land use planner and civil engineer, Marohn is on a mission to help cities and towns become stronger and more prosperous. He spreads the Strong Towns message through in-person presentations, the Strong Towns Podcast, and his books and articles. In recognition of his efforts and impact, Planetizen named him one of the 15 Most Influential Urbanists of all time in 2017 and 2023.

Articles by Charles Marohn

The Inflated Numbers That Unlock Billions

How known modeling errors keep the federal expansion machine running.

Highways
The Inflated Numbers That Unlock Billions
New York City and the Myth of a Balanced Budget

What the city reveals about the fundamental flaw in how we do public finance.

Accounting
New York City and the Myth of a Balanced Budget
Innovation Theater

How federal transit funding rewards visible transformation over real performance.

Streets
Innovation Theater
What Is Enough?

New Zealand is confronting a reality many cities are still avoiding.

Accounting
What Is Enough?
A State-Level Housing Intervention I Support

What to do when “allowed” doesn’t mean “possible.”

Housing
A State-Level Housing Intervention I Support
A Highway in the Middle of a Neighborhood

How federal funding distorts local streets.

Streets
A Highway in the Middle of a Neighborhood
The Highway Expansion Lightning Lane

Federal transportation funding fast-tracks highway expansion while cities wait years to fix dangerous streets.

Highways
The Highway Expansion Lightning Lane
Three Ways of Understanding the Housing Crisis

Why supply, demand, and structure lead to very different theories of change.

Housing
Three Ways of Understanding the Housing Crisis
What If Federal Transportation Spending Is the Reason Your City Feels Broke?

If your city is under strain in a time of unprecedented investment—that’s a signal.

Highways
What If Federal Transportation Spending Is the Reason Your City Feels Broke?
We’ve Been Fighting the Wrong Transportation Fight

It’s time to close the interstate construction era and redefine the federal role in transportation.

Highways
We’ve Been Fighting the Wrong Transportation Fight
The Housing Debate Is Finally Catching Up to Reality

Arguments that ignore finance, power, and legitimacy are breaking down.

Housing
The Housing Debate Is Finally Catching Up to Reality
Why Minnesota’s Northstar Service Was Doomed From the Start

What happens when transportation is designed for funding, not function.

Highways
Streets
Why Minnesota’s Northstar Service Was Doomed From the Start