Don’t underestimate the power of small-scale development—if undertaken at a large scale, by many hands—to transform our cities for the better.
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Information about our city’s revenue, expenses and liabilities is usually presented in ways that disempower most people from making informed decisions. But what about folks who aren’t a Level 20 Spreadsheet Wizard? How can we use data to better tell the story of where we are now — and empower more people to write the story of their city’s future?
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U.S. drivers are killing 50 percent more pedestrians than a mere decade ago; meanwhile, European drivers are killing a third fewer. Why?
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You might think you want your government to be as streamlined as efficient as possible—until a hacker takes down your whole data network in one fell swoop.
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We tend to talk about neighborhoods in a static way: if they’re not rapidly, visibly transforming, we assume they’re not changing at all. A look at the data provides a helpful reminder that the places we live are actually changing all the time.
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In this episode of our podcast It’s the Little Things, Jacob chats with three local leaders in open data—Kyle Taylor, Jesse Hamner, and Habib—share how open data works, including how you can use open data to act on your ideas, how you can encourage your elected officials to adopt open data policies, and how open data can make your city or town stronger.
Research from the University of Virginia powerfully illustrates one of the most important trends in American cities in the 21st century so far: the return of the wealthy and educated to traditional downtowns.
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Big data should be used for problem solving, not propaganda and promotion.
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Municipalities for whom property taxes are lifeblood should treat parking for what it is: dead weight.
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Small towns ranked among some of the best for biking, according to this new tool.
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Survey data shows that residents tend to overestimate or underestimate crime risk based on other environmental factors, and their feelings of safety do not always line up with actual crime rates.
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Is there a Strong Towns approach to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure in building sustainable, resilient city and town administrations, technology-enhanced placemaking, and a better citizen experience?
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The spectre of poverty haunts hundreds of American suburbs and effects millions of Americans. Let's take a look at the data behind suburban poverty: its causes, impacts and current trends.
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Two weeks ago, we announced a crowdsourced database collecting information on the tax productivity of big box stores in comparison with other, more compact developments. We've now mapped that data for you to see.
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We want you to contribute to a comprehensive, crowdsourced database that will examine tax productivity comparing big box stores like Walmart with compact, downtown buildings. We’re working closely with our friends at Urban3 on this to build a downloadable resource and map the data when we're done.
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Using visualized data to map affordability in a local community.
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These maps illustrate the way parking lots deplete your town's tax base and alter your landscape to detrimental effect.
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If you want a simple explanation for why our economy is stalled and cannot be restarted, it is this: Our places do not create wealth, they destroy wealth.
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