The Federal Government Doesn't Own Infrastructure

The federal government pays the upfront costs for infrastructure, but the responsibility for its maintenance is yours. Forever.

Federal Government, Infrastructure, Local Government, Maintenance, Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnApril 19, 2021Infrastructure, federal government, American Jobs Plan, maintenance, infrastructure maintenance

Announcing a New Book from Strong Towns

Charles Marohn’s new book is coming out September 8, 2021—and it’s all about transportation.

Announcement, Confessions Book, Top StoryStrong TownsApril 19, 2021announcement, confessions book, Confessions of a Recovering Engineer, Confessions book tour

Friday Faves - Your Weekly Strong Towns Roundup

Busting historical myths, a Strong Towns member featured in The Atlantic, and delightful cautionary tales. These are just some of the stories from around the web that Strong Towns staffers were reading and talking about this week.

Friday Faves, Top StoryStrong TownsApril 16, 2021Friday Faves

How Local Leaders Should Adapt to the American Jobs Plan

Do no harm: put your people and their needs at the heart of your approach. Here’s how.

Federal Government, Infrastructure, Marohn, Politics, Top StoryCharles MarohnApril 16, 2021American Jobs Plan, American Jobs Plan series, federal government, federal funding, maintenance

The Bottom-Up Revolution is... Building a Cohousing Community

Lisa Leslie joined with her neighbors to help found an intentional community where families live near one another and share life together.

Podcast, Taking Action, The Bottom-Up Revolution, Success Story, Housing, Top StoryStrong TownsApril 15, 2021The Bottom-Up Revolution, community, neighborhood, Co-housing, cooperatives, taking action

The American Jobs Plan Delays Necessary Infrastructure Reform

The top-down approach puts systems ahead of people and politics ahead of place—which is not what we need if we want to actually fix our infrastructure.

Federal Government, Infrastructure, Marohn, Politics, Top StoryCharles MarohnApril 15, 2021American Jobs Plan, American Jobs Plan series, Infrastructure, federal government, infrastructure bill, top-down

Housing is About Capital Flow, and Always Has Been

Large-scale investors are dominating the housing market, at the expense of actual people who want to become homeowners.

Housing, Podcast, Upzoned, Top StoryStrong TownsApril 14, 2021housing, housing affordability, Podcast, Upzoned

Leaving Value on the Table

Why do large-scale developers bother making cool mockups for their spaces, only to end up with a bland end product?

Herriges, Public Space, Urban Design, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesApril 14, 2021urban design, granularity, public space

When it Comes to Infrastructure, the American Jobs Plan is Business as Usual

The Plan pretends to dig us out of the infrastructure hole we've dug ourselves into. In reality, it's making the hole bigger.

#InfrastructureCrisis, Federal Government, Infrastructure, Marohn, The Infrastructure Cult, Top StoryCharles MarohnApril 14, 2021American Jobs Plan series, American Jobs Plan, Infrastructure, infrastructure bill, federal government

The Half-Truth on Infrastructure at the Heart of the American Jobs Plan

The story has been that we don’t spend enough on infrastructure. But what’s the whole truth?

Federal Government, Infrastructure, Maintenance, Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnApril 13, 2021infrastructure bill, American Jobs Plan series, infrastructure maintenance, federal government

Michael Odiari: Putting a Check on Deadly Traffic Stops

Routine traffic stops don’t make anyone safer. But here’s how technology might.

Marohn, Podcast, Race, Top StoryStrong TownsApril 12, 2021policing, traffic stops, Podcast, technology

The American Jobs Plan Will Make Our Infrastructure Crisis Worse

There is nothing in the plan that is going to substantively change the trajectory of the North American development pattern.

#InfrastructureCrisis, Federal Government, Infrastructure, Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnApril 12, 2021Infrastructure, infrastructure bill, federal government, American Jobs Plan, American Jobs Plan series

Friday Faves - Your Weekly Strong Towns Roundup

Minnesota’s troubled Northstar train, a surprising fact about where crashes happen in D.C., and an impressive avian comeback story. These are just some of the stories from around the web that Strong Towns staffers were reading and talking about this week.

Friday Faves, Top StoryStrong TownsApril 9, 2021Friday Faves

And the winner is...

It’s time to crown this year’s Strongest Town winner!

Strongest Town Contest, Top StoryStrong TownsApril 9, 2021Strongest Town Competition, Strongest Town 2021, Strongest Town Winner, Lockport IL

Why is Everything "Infrastructure" Now, and Does it Matter if it Is?

The answer isn’t about the definition of "infrastructure” at all. This is an issue of how Congress functions. Or doesn't.

Federal Government, Herriges, Infrastructure, Politics, The Infrastructure Cult, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesApril 8, 2021infrastructure bill, infrastructure cult, Joe Biden, Congress, partisan

The Bottom-Up Revolution is... Bridging the Wealth Gap Through Intentional Investment

This Houston-based real estate professional and urban planner is helping build community wealth through financially strong housing and development practices.

Podcast, Taking Action, The Bottom-Up Revolution, Success Story, Housing, Small Scale Developers, Top StoryStrong TownsApril 8, 2021The Bottom-Up Revolution, real estate, taking action

How “Closed-Loop Capital” Builds Local Businesses and Stronger Local Economies

A relatively new funding mechanism helps small businesses build support in the community, even without all the resources of a larger startup.

Community, Finance, Top StoryNick MathewsApril 8, 2021Nick Mathews, local business, finance, community, crowdfunding

Has Infrastructure Become the "Ultimate Partisan Battleground"?

Instead of bringing the parties together, Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure plan has stirred up controversy. Is this the end of the Infrastructure Cult?