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

City Engineers Are Unbelievably out of Touch on Parking Reform

City engineers rely on faulty logic and misrepresentations to maintain the status quo. Here are the top four arguments against parking reform and why they’re wrong.

Parking
City Engineers Are Unbelievably out of Touch on Parking Reform
It’s Not Just Houston That’s Broke. So Are Silicon Valley Cities.

Santa Clara, CA, might be one of the wealthiest cities in the country, but it still has the same financial struggles as places like Houston.

Accounting
It’s Not Just Houston That’s Broke. So Are Silicon Valley Cities.
Here’s the Real Reason Houston Is Going Broke

Houston’s fiscal problems are less critical than other major cities with large budget shortfalls—yet, their mayor is correct when he said his city is broke, that the financial approach of the city is clearly not working. Here’s why.

Accounting
Here’s the Real Reason Houston Is Going Broke
Strong Towns' Guide to the Election Year

Every four years, a small but vocal portion of our audience calls on Strong Towns to react to the politics surrounding national elections. This is our response.

Strong Towns' Guide to the Election Year
Make Safe Streets a Culture War and We All Lose

Demonizing the 91% of Americans who drive by putting them into the category of "asshole humans” is a bad and ultimately losing strategy for creating safer streets.

Streets
Make Safe Streets a Culture War and We All Lose
Christmas Cookie Inflation Index, 2023 Update

"I have long believed that Americans are being gaslit when it comes to inflation, that official statistics understate the inflation we all experience."

Accounting
Christmas Cookie Inflation Index, 2023 Update
Christmas Cookie Inflation Index, 2022 Update

In 2019, my basket of cookie baking ingredients cost $49.94. In 2022, that same basket costs $64.48.

Accounting
Christmas Cookie Inflation Index, 2022 Update
Here’s Why We Respond in Force to One Amtrak Crash While Ignoring Thousands of Daily Car Crashes

A top-down approach to addressing accidents fails to make streets safer. A local approach could change that.

Streets
Here’s Why We Respond in Force to One Amtrak Crash While Ignoring Thousands of Daily Car Crashes
How Affordable Housing Distracts People From Housing Affordability

Building affordable housing seems like a win for cities struggling in the Housing Trap. So then why does it sometimes make things worse?

Housing
How Affordable Housing Distracts People From Housing Affordability
Driving Went Down. Fatalities Went Up. Here's Why.

Americans drove less during the early months of the pandemic, yet traffic fatalities increased. Experts thought fatality rates would've since reverted. That didn’t happen.

Streets
Highways
Driving Went Down. Fatalities Went Up. Here's Why.
Christmas Cookie Inflation Index, 2021 Update

What grandma's recipe for Christmas cookies tells us about inflation.

Accounting
Christmas Cookie Inflation Index, 2021 Update
The Strong Towns Hiring Process

We often get questions about our hiring process, so we’ve laid it all out here so that others can put it to use in building their own teams.

The Strong Towns Hiring Process