“Preserve the trees” or “clear the way for more housing”—which side should you take? (Good news: It’s a false choice, to begin with.)

Herriges, Housing, Environment, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJanuary 12, 2022trees, street trees, environment, urban design, housing, Housing, housing activism, housing policy

Faith Communities and Walkability

Strong Towns advocates and faith communities both want to create neighborhoods with vibrant economies that benefit everyone. A good place to begin working together is around walkability.

Faith, Walkability, Top StoryJohn PattisonJanuary 12, 2022faith communities, Faith Featured, walkability, churches

The Carpetbagger’s Guide to Home Ownership

Johnny Sanphillippo takes a break from writing about his current real-estate activities to talk about how he first bought property when he was younger and infinitely poorer.

Housing, Member Post, Sanphillippo, Top StoryJohnny SanphillippoJanuary 11, 2022housing cost, housing affordability, Homeownership, homeowners, housing, Granola Shotgun, California, San Francisco

In for the Night

Two neighbors share a small moment of connection through their plans—or lack thereof—on New Year’s Eve.

Neighborhood Storyteller, Theilen, Top StoryKarla TheilenJanuary 11, 2022neighborliness, neighborhood storyteller, montana, pets

The Bell Tolls for Thee, Maine...

Many local jurisdictions put off paying the bills for big capital projects. But this month, the bell tolls for Maine.

#DotheMath, #InfrastructureCrisis, Infrastructure, Stange, Transportation, Top StoryJay StangeJanuary 11, 2022highways, highway spending, toll roads, Infrastructure, infrastructure, transportation spending, transportation, #DoTheMath

Renderings vs. Reality: A Roundup of 2021s Most Egregious Development Illustrations

If a picture can say a thousand words, it can probably also tell at least 100 lies—as demonstrated by these development projects that did not turn out as promised.

Fisher, Transportation, Urban Design, Walkability, Top StoryLauren FisherJanuary 10, 2022urban design, #PedestrianUnfriendly, pedestrian crossing, Diverging Diamond, intersections, pedestrians, Pedestrian Safety, pedestrian safety, design, walkability

Driving Went Down. Fatalities Went Up. Here's Why.

Americans drove less during the early months of pandemic, yet traffic fatalities increased—and have yet to go back down. And the “official” explanations for it are completely wrong.

#SlowtheCars, Coronavirus, Engineering Profession, Marohn, Roads and Streets, Transportation, Top StoryCharles MarohnJanuary 10, 2022traffic congestion, traffic engineering, engineers, Safety, transportation, car crash, coronavirus, Coronavirus, #SlowTheCars

Friday Faves - Your Weekly Strong Towns Roundup

German childrearing, jaywalking, and suspected Twitter bots. These are just some of the stories from around the internet that Strong Towns staff were reading and talking about this week.

Friday Faves, Top StoryStrong TownsJanuary 7, 2022friday faves

High Value, Chapter 1: The Public Hearing

A small town’s planning commission clashes over a controversial zoning request. The first chapter of this fictional series reveals the drama that can result from local decision-making.

High Value Serial, Top StoryHamilton LudwigJanuary 7, 2022High Value series, series, local government, planning process, Small Towns, small towns

Zoning Desire Paths

Just as kids ignore sidewalks in favor of walking a more efficient path through the grass, homeowners in California are voting with their toolbelts to create zoning desire paths.

Housing, Zoning, Top Story, StangeJay StangeJanuary 7, 2022zoning, housing cost, housing affordability, housing, housing crisis, Housing, ADUs, single-family, multi-family, California, suburban experiment, suburbs

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

What Can We Learn From What New Zealand Just Did?

New Zealand just passed the first national policy to both end parking requirements and allow the next increment of (residential) development everywhere. I.e., two major items on the Strong Towns wish list.

Herriges, Housing, Zoning, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJanuary 6, 2022housing cost, housing, housing affordability, housing crisis, New Zealand, zoning, parking minimums, single-family

Local Conversations: The Power of Taking Action Together

As of right now, there are roughly 100 Local Conversations happening across North America. Our dream is to turn 100 into 1,000.

Taking Action, Top StoryJohn PattisonJanuary 5, 2022local conversations, taking action

The Vital Pleasure of Existing in Public

How much do people in your community go about their lives in public or in private?

Herriges, Public Space, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJanuary 5, 2022public space, Florida, urbanism, walkability

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.

"A Nurse and a Writer Walk Into a Bar in Montana..."

Say hello to Strong Towns’ new Neighborhood Storyteller, Karla Theilen!

Theilen, Neighborhood Storyteller, Top StoryKarla TheilenJanuary 4, 2022montana, neighborhood storyteller

All Aboard for the Strong Towns Local-Motive 2022 Tour

The 2022 Local-Motive Tour is just around the corner! Get ready for 10 exciting one-hour sessions that will equip you with the tools you need to build a strong town.