The open letter everyone’s talking about, the welcome collapse of the “professional persona,” and the high cost of making political assumptions. These are a few of the stories from around the web the Strong Towns staff were reading and talking about this week.
Read MoreIt’s become common for the media to run stories about a supposed pandemic-induced flight to the suburbs. But there’s a problem: it’s not supported by data.
Read MoreOur best hope for making longterm change is showing our children what strong cities look like. These family-friendly presentations—from Charles Montgomery, Jeff Speck, and others—can help.
Read MoreWith global supply lines disrupted, people are getting “social” again to buy local food. To build lasting resilience, we’re going to need to keep it up.
Read MoreFive key issues illustrate the difference between the typical top-down approach to economic recovery and the bottom-up, Strong Towns approach.
Read MoreThe federal government wants to help convert repurpose empty commercial space into apartments. Is this a plan that helps solves two problems at once — the affordable housing crisis, and repurposing the malls that now stand empty in our cities — or a bad idea?
Read MoreThe entire suburban experiment is dependent on federal subsidies. What’s a truly conservative approach to growing our cities? Freeing them up to develop in ways that are adaptable, responsive to local needs, and economically resilient.
Read MoreThink budget-busting infrastructure spending isn’t happening in YOUR city? Ask these two questions to find out.
Read MoreIn many cities, supply of commercial spaces far outstripped demand even before the pandemic. Clustering businesses together can be good for consumers, good for business owners, and good for landlords too.
Read MoreMany factors affect how much your local economy is being impacted by COVID-19. One is whether your city is cripplingly dependent on just one or two revenue sources. And especially if you’re dependent on sales taxes.
Read MoreA proposed waterpark next to Mall of America is in trouble. And the city that wasn’t supposed to be “on the hook” for the project very much is.
Read MoreTowns and cities whose economies relied on tourism are in major trouble. Even when the economy recovers, these places won’t soon go back to business as usual. Nor should they.
Read MoreDo you have some travel ahead of you this holiday weekend? If so, this might be a good time to check out several great podcasts that friends of the Strong Towns movement have recently launched.
Read MoreKansas City has spent decades buying into the “Growth Ponzi Scheme,” forever pursuing new growth to pay off old debts. Now the bills are coming due.
Read MoreIt’s only natural on a birthday to reflect on where we’ve been, where we are now, and what we want the future to look like. On America’s birthday, we should do the same. “Where do we go now?” We get to decide.
Read MoreL.A.’s freeways—like urban freeways in many cities—have a shameful past. They’re making the city financially weaker in the present too. So what should their future be?
Read MoreData, expert studies, and best practices abound for planners and policymakers. But they’re no substitute for humbly putting people at the center of our cities’ investments and attention.
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