Most public engagement is “worse than worthless.” But it doesn’t have to be. These 5 basic steps will lay the groundwork for a community where residents truly guide the future of their city.
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When we let leaders make all the decisions behind closed doors, we not only risk a bad outcome—we also miss a chance to learn more about our neighbors’ needs and concerns.
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The story of a neighborhood-led effort to address blight on Detroit’s East Side.
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Here’s what happened when a passionate community advocate in Detroit listened to what residents actually wanted, rather than imposing his will from the outside.
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Local leaders must challenge the status quo around how we build our cities. Here’s how to bring colleagues and civic officials around to your position.
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Data, 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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If we’re serious about reorienting our local government towards the urgent needs of people, it’s not enough to invite them to a “table” they neither own nor control.
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The four “gears” that drive a strong community in normal times are the same ones that will move towns and cities forward after the COVID-19 crisis.
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Sometimes the best way to imagine what a Strong Towns revolution could look like in YOUR community is to hear what it looks like in someone else’s. Don’t miss this short webinar with one local movement that has been generating some of our absolute favorite success stories of 2019.
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In the age of Nextdoor and Facebook, many have (understandably) lost faith in the humble neighborhood association. But visit the oldest neighborhood association in Denton, Texas and you’ll discover why they can still play a big role in building strong towns.
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The most successful companies iterate. Before they go “all-in” on a new product, they prototype, test, learn and adapt. If only there was a similar process cities could use before committing massive resources to something that may not work. Oh wait, there is! In defense of the much-maligned pilot project.
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Strong Towns member Austin Taylor—Parking and Sustainability Coordinator for Provo City, Utah—shares how you can use tactical urbanism to create safer streets, including how to plan your intervention, how to get local government involved, and how to use your intervention to create lasting change.
Greg Wright—Executive Director at CREATE Portage County—shares how you can foster creative (and financially resilient) communities where you live, including how to inspire creative residents, how to demonstrate the economic impact of creativity, and why you should root all initiatives in a “small and smart” way.
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.
Learn how one Texas-based Strong Towns member used the Strong Towns message to ask city council candidates the hard questions that—when we grapple with them—lead to stronger cities and towns.
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Many of the cities we live in are under intense economic, social, and environmental stress. But how do we start to change the local planning status quo when the public doesn’t trust planners or policy experts?
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Ryan Short—CEO of CivicBrand—shares how you can find your community’s true essence, including how to engage with your community to ensure the creation of your brand is a grassroots effort, how to ensure your brand actually aligns with what your community offers, and how finding your community’s true essence makes your city or town stronger.
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Academic evidence doesn’t do much to shift public opinion about housing policy. What’s missing is trust—and cultivating that requires a different approach.
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