The Next Generation of Strong Towns Leaders

The next generation of local leaders won’t consign themselves to serving as wards of the state. Instead, they’ll step up as the highest level of organizing for members of a community.

Local Government, Marohn, Membership, Top StoryCharles MarohnNovember 18, 2021local government, leadership, member drive, membership

The Bottom-Up Revolution is... Saying "Yes" to Your City

City Councilor and Strong Towns member Mason Thompson is committed to making Bothell, WA, a resilient place to live.

Podcast, The Bottom-Up Revolution, Success Story, Local Government, Membership, Member Post, Top StoryStrong TownsNovember 11, 2021The Bottom-Up Revolution, taking action, city council, local government

Holy Leaping Dollars, Batman!

Unless we start making better accounting choices today, we’ll be facing service cuts and tax increases every year going forward. …That is, until the day we can’t anymore.

Sorry, but a $10 Million Sewer System Won't Fix Your Economy

This small town in Maine is hoping to breathe life back into its Main Street…but is looking for solutions in all the wrong places.

#InfrastructureCrisis, Infrastructure, Local Government, Quednau, Top StoryRachel QuednauOctober 26, 2021sewers, public investment, Infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure spending, Small Towns, small towns, local government

My Journey from Free Market Ideologue to Strong Towns Advocate, Revisited

I’ve had to reconcile my foundational belief in markets with my experiences working with cities. This has been a painful process.

Marohn, #InfrastructureCrisis, Engineering Profession, Engineering Reform, Infrastructure, Local Government, Top StoryCharles MarohnOctober 25, 2021Market Urbanism, Local Government Aid, infrastructure cost, Minnesota, small towns, Infrastructure, infrastructure, engineers, engineering profession, local gov

2 Things Local Leaders Can Do to Fix Their City's Broken Transportation

#1: Stop framing every problem as a transportation problem.

Local Government, Podcast, Confessions Book, Transportation, Top StoryStrong TownsOctober 14, 2021transportation, localism, public transportation, leadership, Confessions of a Recovering Engineer, confessions book, Podcast, guest podcast, Institute for Local Self-Reliance

We Live in a "People Aquarium"…and the Water Is Running Out

What can we do at the most immediate, local level when water reservoirs run low?

Local Government, Member Post, Sanphillippo, Suburban Experiment, Top StoryJohnny SanphillippoOctober 5, 2021water, California, Granola Shotgun, climate, environment, subsidiarity, local government, local regulation

The Bottom-Up Revolution is... a Strong Towns Advocate and Mayor

Strong Towns member Rob Green went from Coast Guard officer to neighborhood association president to mayor of Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Podcast, The Bottom-Up Revolution, Success Story, Membership, Local Government, Top StoryStrong TownsSeptember 30, 2021Taking Action, The Bottom-Up Revolution, local conversations

Can Navigating Your City's Budget Be...Fun??

Making city budgets accessible to the average citizen is crucial for building stronger places. Here’s 4 examples of cities that made their budgets not only accessible, but even fun!

#StrongCitizens, Finance, Local Government, Davis, Success Story, Top StorySarah DavisSeptember 23, 2021finance, local finance, municipal finance, local government, local gov, cities, budget, success, success stories

A Highway Cap in El Paso: False Road to Equity?

El Paso and TxDOT are using concepts aimed at making things better for people impacted by urban highway projects...to justify something that makes them worse.

CNU, Infrastructure, Local Government, Transportation, Top StorySito NegronSeptember 3, 2021local government, El Paso, Texas, transportation, race, highways, CNU

The Bottom-Up Revolution is... Connecting Neighbors and Harnessing the Power of Fun

Cate Ryba is Chief Operating Officer at Urban3, as well as a former city councilor, dog park creator, neighborhood revitalizer and fun run founder.

Podcast, The Bottom-Up Revolution, Success Story, Neighborhoods, Urban3, Local Government, Top StoryStrong TownsSeptember 2, 2021Taking Action, The Bottom-Up Revolution, Urban3, local government, city council, community

The Patient Option

The question for a city with a history of embracing the suburban experiment is now, "Where should your energies be expended?"

Herriges, Local Government, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesAugust 12, 2021retail, Lockport IL, Lockport Week, suburban retrofit, Land Use

Getting Involved In Your City Is Tough...but Worth It. Here's Why.

Civic engagement doesn’t just improve our communities, it improves us as individuals, too.

Community, Local Government, Taking Action, Top StoryTiffany OwensAugust 5, 2021community, community engagement, activism, local government

Sustainable Source of Income Snatched Away from Seattle's Black Churches

Churches in Seattle could provide affordable housing for their communities, while gaining a sustainable source of income…if they weren’t being obstructed by city leaders.

Upzoned, Podcast, Faith, Housing, Local Government, Top StoryStrong TownsAugust 4, 2021Podcast, Upzoned, housing, housing crisis, churches, Seattle

Cities Need More Flexibility in How They Tax

Cities are the economic engines of our society, yet as a recent report shows, their fiscal stability can be seriously affected by local tax limitations.

Finance, Herriges, Local Government, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJuly 29, 2021tax revenue, municipal finance, state government, local finance, property tax

A Preview of Bi-Partisan Compromise on Infrastructure (Sorry, It's Not Good)

We should not be cheering on simulacrums of reform when the majority of spending is going to programs that are making us weaker as a country, as cities, and as neighborhoods.

#InfrastructureCrisis, #NoNewRoads, Infrastructure, Local Government, Marohn, Politics, Transportation, Top StoryCharles MarohnJuly 6, 2021MoveMN, Infrastructure, transportation, walkability, bikeability, #NoNewRoads, infrastructure cult, local government, Minnesota

Mayors Leading the Push for Reparations Programs

A new coalition of 11 U.S. mayors has announced an initiative to establish pilot reparations programs aimed at reducing the racial wealth gap.

Success Story, Herriges, Local Government, Neighborhoods, Race, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJuly 1, 2021success stories, redlining, race, local government, local politics

It's Time to Bring Decision-Making Down to the Local Level (Part 2)

Local decision-making must become more accessible to everyday people. Here's how to make that happen in your place.

Dukes, Local Government, Member Post, Neighborhoods, Politics, Top StoryAlexander DukesJune 29, 2021local government, local regulation, Municipalism, subsidiarity, neighborhood, Neighborhoods

It's Time to Bring Decision-Making Down to the Local Level

To increase faith in our democracy we must make local decision-making more accessible and meaningful to everyday people.

Federal Government, Local Government, Top StoryAlexander DukesJune 28, 2021local government, state government, federal government, subsidiarity, Decisions

When Do Legal Restrictions on Homes Become "Takings"?

The “Takings Clause” prohibits the government from taking private property without just compensation. But what if it’s interpreted in unexpected ways?

Housing, Local Government, Federal Government, Sanphillippo, Top StoryJohnny SanphillippoMay 4, 2021housing, San Francisco, Law, Homeownership, local regulation