Thank you, Alabama

I had a good pair of events this week in Birmingham with some people very enthused to help their communities become Strong Towns. It was really nice to be back in Alabama and I'm hoping for an opportunity to go back soon. In the meantime, here's what the schedule for sharing the Strong Towns message in person looks like for the next couple of months.

April 24-25 - Stevens Point, WI  - Half day training session, AICP Credits will be offered - Register Here
April 28 - Dallas, TX - Curbside Chat
April 30 - Dallas, TX - Member Appreciation Event (Strong Towns members should have received an email this week.)
May 13 - Fargo, ND - Curbside Chat
May 14 - Grand Forks, ND - Curbside Chat
May 19 - Hays, KS - Curbside Chat
May 21 - Lewiston, ME - Conference Keynote
June 17 - Boston, MA - Conference Keynote
June 18 - Denver, CO - Strong Towns on Tap
June 23 - Detroit, MI - Conference Panel
June 30 - Des Moines, IA - Conference Keynote

In case you missed it....

Featured
Pointless Parking Mandates Almost Killed a Food Hall in Pittsburgh
Asia Mieleszko
Pointless Parking Mandates Almost Killed a Food Hall in Pittsburgh
Asia Mieleszko

When the owners of Lawrence Hall bought the abandoned building, they had a vision of reviving it into a food hall that would support small businesses and help their community thrive. They never imagined that a few parking spots would put their dream on hold for seven years.

Asia Mieleszko
How Your City Can Ensure It Can Afford Its Infrastructure
Edward Erfurt and Lindsey Beckworth
How Your City Can Ensure It Can Afford Its Infrastructure
Edward Erfurt and Lindsey Beckworth

Understanding the real costs and long-term liabilities of our infrastructure is essential for the long-term prosperity of our places. Unfortunately, this detail is often overlooked in our decision-making process.

Edward Erfurt and Lindsey Beckworth
39 Collisions a Day: Fed Up Residents Fight for Safer Streets
Emma Durand-Wood
39 Collisions a Day: Fed Up Residents Fight for Safer Streets
Emma Durand-Wood

With an average of 39 collisions a day, Winnipeg, Canada, is a dangerous place for drivers and pedestrians alike. Residents have been fighting to change that for over 40 years, but progress is slow.

Emma Durand-Wood
Inside the Notorious Gridlock of Colorado's I-70
Strong Towns
Inside the Notorious Gridlock of Colorado's I-70
Strong Towns

Since the 1970s, the number of cars on I-70 between Denver and its surrounding resorts have jumped more than 500 percent, resulting in gridlock every weekend during ski season. Can this be fixed?

Strong Towns
America’s Governors Have a New Plan To Overcome Polarization
Ben Abramson
America’s Governors Have a New Plan To Overcome Polarization
Ben Abramson

In our extremely polarized political climate, it may seem impossible to get anything done. But even as federal politicians stay locked in stalemates, American governors are fighting for increased cooperation across party lines.

Ben Abramson
The Dangerous Side Effects of Free Parking
Tiffany Owens Reed
The Dangerous Side Effects of Free Parking
Tiffany Owens Reed

If offered the choice between paid and free parking, many people would probably choose the latter. But free parking may be creating more problems than it’s worth.

Tiffany Owens Reed
Why Biden’s Plan To Build, Build, Build Won’t End the Housing Crisis
Asia Mieleszko
Why Biden’s Plan To Build, Build, Build Won’t End the Housing Crisis
Asia Mieleszko

A recent tweet from the POTUS saying that we need to “build, build, build” to end the housing crisis might reassure some, but there’s reason to be skeptical about how he’s suggesting we do so.

Asia Mieleszko
Alex Alsup: How Much of the U.S.'s Housing Stock Is Locally Owned?
Strong Towns
Alex Alsup: How Much of the U.S.'s Housing Stock Is Locally Owned?
Strong Towns

What percentage of property in any given jurisdiction in the U.S. is locally owned—and are the implications of those numbers? Here to talk with us about it is Alex Alsup of Regrid, which has made the only complete national parcel map.

Strong Towns
Are Rents About to Crash?
Charles Marohn
Are Rents About to Crash?
Charles Marohn

If we listen to those concerned about housing affordability, rents are already too high and may only go higher. If we listen to those concerned about housing finance, rents are about to collapse. Can both of these narratives be true?

Charles Marohn
What We Can Learn From Abandoned Places
Ben Abramson
What We Can Learn From Abandoned Places
Ben Abramson

There’s a certain artistic quality to abandoned spaces—but if we look a bit deeper, these ruins also hold lessons about patterns of disinvestment and policy shifts that have adversely affected American communities.

Ben Abramson
Charles Marohn