The Southern California Regional Gathering in Santa Ana, CA will explore how the internationally influential Strong Towns approach can help make SoCal financially strong, prosperous and resilient.
Whether you’re a citizen leader, a government leader, a built environment professional or anything in between, you are welcome to participate.
Tentative Gathering Agenda
Note: All details, times and presenters are subject to change. Click through for more information on each day of programming.
+ Wednesday, December 4th: Pre-gathering kickoff event.
The Frida Cinema
305 E 4th St #100, Santa Ana
6:00pm-7:00pm
Free advanced registration required.
Strong Towns president Charles. L. Marohn, Jr. will deliver a special edition of the Strong America presentation to commence the SoCal regional gathering.
In the Strong America presentation, Strong Towns President and Founder Charles L. Marohn, Jr. highlights some of the most powerful stories in his book Strong Towns: A Bottom Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity, and uses those insights to highlight a path to community prosperity that’s as unique as your place.
Using an innovative, hands-on approach, The Strong America presentation begins by showcasing why so many towns in North America are struggling financially despite decades of robust growth. Then we go deeper into one element of the Strong America book that is particularly applicable to your local community. Designed to be dynamic and bespoke to each town, the Strong America presentation is part community conversation, part lecture from an expert, and the catalyst you need for your place to become financially stronger.
+ Thursday, December 5th. Gathering Day 1: Leading Voices in the Strong Towns: SoCal Conversation.
The Frida Cinema
305 E 4th St #100, Santa Ana
8:00am to 5:00pm
$100. Advanced registration required.
- 8:00-8:30am: Registration. (Coffee and light breakfast.)
- 8:30-10:00am: Strong Towns 101. (Chuck Marohn, Strong Towns; Joe Minicozzi, Urban3).
Learn the basics of Strong Towns thinking, including an exploration of the idea of cities as human habitat, the nature of complex, adaptive systems, the implications of the Growth Ponzi Scheme for local government, and how to understand financial productivity and build wealth within a city. - 10:00-10:30am: Break.
- 10:30am-11:45am Housing and Neighborhood Investment. (Chuck Marohn & Daniel Herriges, Strong Towns)
Discover what it means to make high-returning investments within human habitat, including the nature of competition in an infinite game, what makes a high-returning public investment, the "barbell" investment strategy as applied to local government, and identifying the best investments to make within a neighborhood. - 11:45am-12:00pm: Pre-lunch remarks. (Michele Martinez, Emeritus Mayor Pro Tem, Santa Ana)
- 12:00-1:30pm: Adjourn for working lunch. (Strong Towns Staff)
Strong Towns staff will lead casual conversations on various topics (e.g., housing, transportation, design) at nearby restaurants. Gathering attendees can choose to join one of these targeted conversations or spend the lunch break independently. Please note that the cost of lunch is not included in your registration. - 1:30-1:45pm: Reconvene for afternoon session.
- 1:45-2:30pm: Strong Towns Podcast Live Recording: Redevelopment Agencies Roundtable. (Chuck Marohn, Strong Towns; Steven Greenhut, R Street; Mike Madrid, Grassroots Lab)
Chuck Marohn will moderate a roundtable discussion on the pros and cons of redevelopment initiatives in their historic and current forms. Steven Greenhut will present the cons of redevelopment agencies, and Mike Madrid will present arguments in support of redevelopment. - 2:30-3:20pm: Transportation in the Next American City. (Chuck Marohn, Strong Towns.)
Chuck Marohn explores how transportation spending and will help local decision-makers determine where to spend precious transportation dollars to get the best return on your investment. - 3:20-3:40pm: Break.
- 3:45-4:00pm: Afternoon remarks. (Rex Richardson, City Councilmember for Long Beach and First Vice President of the Southern California Association of Governments)
Councilmember Richardson will discuss initiatives in his community that are related to Strong Towns ideas, including housing, transportation, economic inclusion and more). - 4:00-5:00pm: Upzoned Podcast Live Recording. (Chuck Marohn, Strong Towns; Joe Minicozzi, Urban 3; Kea Wilson, Strong Towns).
Join Upzoned Hosts Kea and Chuck with special guest Joe Minicozzi for a special extended conversation on a breaking news story related to the Strong Towns conversation and the Southern California region. Surprise topic to be announced. - 5:00-6:30pm: Adjourn for dinner.
- 6:30-8:30pm: Documentary Film Screening: Owned: A Tale of Two Americas (Featuring a post-screening discussion with producer Giorgio Angelini.)_
+ Friday, December 6th. Gathering Day 2: Crafting an action plan to make SoCal stronger.
Delhi Center
505 Central Avenue, Santa Ana
8:30am - 12:30pm.
$150 add-on. Attendees must also purchase a registration for Day 1.
This optional in-depth workshop will give a small group of attendees a unique opportunity to create an action plan for real change in your place, with the support of the Strong Towns staff.
- 8:30-9:30am: Reconvene; welcome remarks and brief participant presentations on an issue they are struggling with in their communities.
- 9:30am-11:45am: Action Plan Work Session. (Participants, Strong Towns Staff.)
Attendees will split into topic groups and, with the assistance of the Strong Towns team, work through a process to create their own action plans for addressing the local issue they have identified. - 11:45am-12:15pm: Group reflection by attendees.
- 12:15-12:30pm: Concluding Remarks (Chuck Marohn, Strong Towns)
- 12:30pm: Adjourn.
