The idea of a permanent community “character” was an invention of the suburban era, and it's showing its cracks now—because it was never an attainable or desirable goal.
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In this interview with author Majora Carter, she explains an empowering truth: that you don’t have to move out of your neighborhood to live in a better one.
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This week’s Upzoned episode reflects on how the nuances of housing policy don’t lend themselves to broad stereotypes.
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Perceived threats to a home's value often prompt homeowners to shut down any discussion about neighborhood changes. But eliminating opportunities for such reactions isn’t helpful, either.
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The belief that we’re going to radically transform our cities from the top down defies reality. Despite widespread anxiety about urban growth and change, the vast majority of places aren’t changing very much at all.
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“No neighborhood should be exempt from change. No neighborhood should be subjected to radical change.” Let’s examine what this core Strong Towns principle actually means.
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Residents of this Houston neighborhood thought they were winning the lottery with a government-sponsored infrastructure project. Instead, they endured a seven-month-long nightmare.
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One of the realities about cities is that they change—but in America, most cities are trapped in a regulatory environment that makes change extremely costly.
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The way we grow our cities today produces a few winners and many losers. Here's how to get back to places that serve all of us.
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More research from the Upjohn Institute, following an attention-grabbing study last year, helps us understand the cause-and-effect chains that result when a new apartment building opens in a low-income area.
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We asked the Strong Towns community what their "neighborhood resolutions" are for 2020. This is what they said.
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Get in shape. Get organized. Read more. Most New Year’s resolutions are focused on personal improvement. These are important, but what if this year we resolved to improve our places too?
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I asked my daughter a simple question on the way to school one morning. Her response gave a valuable kids-eye-view of the neighborhood…both as it is and as it could be.
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When its only supermarket pulled out, a neighborhood suddenly found themselves living in a “food desert.” Could it end up being a blessing in disguise?
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Think small acts of neighborliness mean nothing more than signs of a welcoming neighborhood? Discover how Strong Towns contributor Steve MacDouell introduced “micro-neighborliness” to shift the morale of residents in neighborhoods across London, Ontario.
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I asked my daughter a simple question on the way to school one morning. Her response gave a valuable kids-eye-view of the neighborhood…both as it is and as it could be.
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Strong Towns member Ben Harrison shares his experience serving on a citizen advisory committee and why you should run for something in your own community, including how to pitch your vision to city staff, how to introduce Strong Towns principles, and, how serving on these committees can help you feel closer to your community.
Regina Portillo—Executive Director at City Makery in Laredo, Texas—shares how you can partner with local government to create and foster ideas for your community, including how to encourage people to share their ideas, how to encourage people to act on those ideas, and how to get local government involved in the process.
Thor Erickson—a longtime leader in the neighborhood and civic nonprofit sector—shares how you can use nonprofits to build strong neighborhoods in your own community, including how to bring your unique perspective to neighborhood investment, how to partner with your local government, and how to get your community behind your mission.
Andy Diaz—founder at Urban Acres in Peoria, Illinois—shares how you can use local food to build community in your own neighborhood, including how to find the right investment for your neighborhood, how to grow your efforts incrementally, and why cities like Peoria and beyond need more $1,000 heroes (not $1 million heroes).