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.

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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
Developers Are Finding Value in Less Profitable Projects
Zack Barowitz
Developers Are Finding Value in Less Profitable Projects
Zack Barowitz

In Portland, Maine, some established developers are venturing into filling the need for workforce housing without the help of subsidies, even though it is less profitable.

Zack Barowitz
What Would It Take to Make the Big Jump to Active Towns?
Strong Towns
What Would It Take to Make the Big Jump to Active Towns?
Strong Towns

John Simmerman and his organization Active Towns want to see a massive increase in the number of places with a culture of physical activity. Come see John speak at the Strong Towns Regional Gathering in Plano, Texas, and learn what he’s doing to help create that change.

Strong Towns
Right-Sizing Akron's Kenmore Boulevard
Daniel Herriges
Right-Sizing Akron's Kenmore Boulevard
Daniel Herriges

Akron, Ohio is tackling its stroad problem, one oversized boulevard at a time. “Right-sizing” this neighborhood main street will make it safer and more inviting and hospitable for small businesses.

Daniel Herriges
Downshifting into a Meaningful Life: A Conversation With Ruben Anderson
Strong Towns
Downshifting into a Meaningful Life: A Conversation With Ruben Anderson
Strong Towns

This week on the Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck talks with behavior change and sustainability expert Ruben Anderson about the good life, and how we fool ourselves into thinking we can use systematic rationality to create it for ourselves.

Strong Towns
Methodist Urbanism: Ocean Grove
Johnny Sanphillippo
Methodist Urbanism: Ocean Grove
Johnny Sanphillippo

One of the reasons Ocean Grove, New Jersey has endured intact is the presence of a religious community that had a higher calling and a longer event horizon than the dominant secular culture. There are lessons to be learned here even by people who may not identify with the church.

Johnny Sanphillippo
Learning From Failure
Charles Marohn
Learning From Failure
Charles Marohn

Americans need to become more tolerant of government failure. That will happen, if and when, government starts to deliver improvements iteratively, and demonstrates the capacity to learn and improve with each iteration.

Charles Marohn
The One-Week Coworking Space
Joe Nickol
The One-Week Coworking Space
Joe Nickol

The lines between work and home zones are blurring: more employers want to be in walkable, amenitized areas, and conversely, people are choosing to live closer to where they work. This Cincinnati placemaking experiment exemplifies the kind of small bets this trend is making possible.

Joe Nickol
Big Box Stores Think Their Tax Bills Should Be Lower. Are They Right?
Strong Towns
Big Box Stores Think Their Tax Bills Should Be Lower. Are They Right?
Strong Towns

Check out the second episode of our new podcast Upzoned! Kea Wilson and Chuck Marohn dig into an article on a troubling trend: big box retailers in Minnesota think they’re paying too much in property taxes, and they’re asking for a cut. But that’s a hard pill to swallow for small towns.

Strong Towns
Top 5 Stories from the Week (Sept 17–Sept 21, 2018)
Strong Towns
Top 5 Stories from the Week (Sept 17–Sept 21, 2018)
Strong Towns

The top 5 stories from September 17-21, 2018.

Strong Towns
What comes after NEXT?
Charles Marohn
What comes after NEXT?
Charles Marohn

Austin needs a new Grand Bargain, one that includes everyone and exempts no one.

Charles Marohn