The Bottom-Up Revolution Is...Small-Scale Rural Farming

Christa Theilen and Seairra Shepherd both work at Strong Towns and also serve at local farms in the rural Midwest.

Podcast, The Bottom-Up Revolution, Success Story, Taking Action, Local Food, Top StoryStrong TownsApril 14, 2022taking action, The Bottom-Up Revolution, success stories, Podcast, Farming

The Village of Providence and Its Supposedly Impossible Stuff

You might not guess by looking, but this traditional neighborhood development is an employment powerhouse.

Economic Development, Neighborhoods, Success Story, Top StorySteve MouzonApril 11, 2022Entrepreneurship, entrepreneurship, mixed use, traditional development pattern, neighborhood, Neighborhoods, alabama, success, success stories, business, local business

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is... Stopping a Harmful Highway Project

Robin Roemer worked with neighbors to successfully stop a highway project next to his child’s school in San Jose, CA.

Podcast, The Bottom-Up Revolution, Success Story, Taking Action, #NoNewRoads, Top StoryStrong TownsApril 7, 2022taking action, The Bottom-Up Revolution, success stories, Podcast, pod, highways, schools

Vernacular Is Beautiful—If We Would Just Allow It

The work of this small-scale developer shows why cities shouldn’t be so restrictive about building in their own vernacular.

Architecture, Neighborhoods, Small Scale Developers, Top StoryMatthew RobareMarch 21, 2022zoning, South Carolina, small-scale developers, architecture, aesthetics, small scale development, success, success stories, Neighborhoods, neighborhood, developers, Development, development

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is...Designing Homes that Work for Everyone

Rosemarie Rossetti is an author, speaker, and leader in the field of universal design.

Podcast, The Bottom-Up Revolution, Success Story, Taking Action, Top StoryStrong TownsMarch 17, 2022taking action, The Bottom-Up Revolution, incrementalism, success, success stories, Podcast, podcast, disability, Disability, aging in place

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is... A Special Update Episode

Wondering what our past podcast guests are up to? We checked in with four of them to hear about their progress.

Podcast, The Bottom-Up Revolution, Success Story, Taking Action, Top StoryStrong TownsMarch 10, 2022taking action, The Bottom-Up Revolution, incrementalism, success, success stories, Podcast, podcast

"We Require WAY Too Much Parking"

This Strong Towns member saw a huge problem with the parking minimums in his city—and decided to do something about it.

Native American New Urbanism: How America's Poorest County Created a Vision for the Future of Cities

This nonprofit has created a template for what a 21st-century, regenerative community could look like; one that asks us what we really want for our future—and means it.

Bringing Gentle Density to Memphis

These brothers are pushing for incremental infill development in Memphis, Tennessee, with a community they’re building just north of downtown.

There’s No Parking Like Snow Parking

This Rhode Island community came together to advocate for parking improvements in their neighborhood—and it worked.

A Trailblazing Reform Supports Small-Scale Development in Memphis

There’s no large city in America that’s doing a better job of pivoting to a Strong Towns approach than Memphis, TN. Here’s why.

Herriges, Small Scale Developers, Success Story, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJanuary 26, 2022memphis, Memphis, Tennessee, small scale developers, small scale development, missing middle, Development, development, success, success stories

Eden Center: Is This Strip Mall Paradise?

If we’re going to be stuck with strip malls, then this one in Virginia is about as fine-grained and urban as it gets.

Incrementalism, Success Story, Top StoryAddison Del MastroJanuary 18, 2022strip malls, incrementalism, immigrants, small business, local business, placemaking, success, success stories, Addison Del Mastro, fine-grained

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is... Helping Rural Residents with Disabilities to Thrive

Billy Altom is an advocate and leader for rural residents with disabilities across the nation.

Podcast, The Bottom-Up Revolution, Success Story, Rural, Top StoryStrong TownsJanuary 6, 2022The Bottom-Up Revolution, taking action, disability, rural, success, success stories

Hartford Land Bank Invests in Human Infrastructure

Connecticut’s Hartford Land Bank isn’t just stewarding the rehabilitation of its community—it’s also bringing up the next generation of local small-scale developers.

Housing, Small Scale Developers, Success Story, Top Story, StangeJay StangeJanuary 6, 2022housing, incremental development, incrementalism, housing cost, housing crisis, Housing Crisis, taking action, success, success stories

Cultivating Community Beyond Church Walls in Indianapolis

This congregation launched a non-profit organization to help its neighbors—not as an act of benevolence for them, but in solidarity with them.

Where Parking Reform Ideas Go to Die...or Not?

You might be used to good ideas getting killed by committee. Here’s some inspiration to keep pushing, regardless.

#BlackFridayParking, Marohn, Parking, Top StoryCharles MarohnNovember 24, 2021Brainerd MN, parking, parking minimums, #BlackFridayParking, success, success stories

How Far Would You Go to Make Your Community Safer?

What if you had free rein to do the things you know need to be done to fix your neighborhood street?

#SlowtheCars, Herriges, Membership, Success Story, Taking Action, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesNovember 16, 2021taking action, Hawaii, member drive, member story, membership, success, success stories, #SlowTheCars

A New Generation of Town Makers

A cohort of small developers representing over 100 properties in poor, disinvested neighborhoods are, together, the largest developer in South Bend, IN. Can their success be replicated?

This Stuff Works—I’m Living Proof

You don’t have to move into a condo or apartment tower to support—and experience the benefits of—smart urban growth.

Public Transit, Success Story, Walkability, Top StorySteve WrightOctober 8, 2021walkability, sidewalks, coronavirus, Coronavirus, public health, Public Health, success, success stories

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!