What Causes Traffic Problems? Updating Your Mental Model

Part of why we can't agree on constructive solutions to traffic congestion is that our basic mental model of what causes traffic is wrong. But what if we made a slight update to that model?

Herriges, Transportation, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesAugust 24, 2022traffic congestion, traffic engineering, transportation, congestion, density, Development, development

Can Hamilton, Ontario, Hold the Line on Development—Literally?

This Canadian city made an unprecedented decision to stop expanding its urban growth boundary. What comes next?

Growth Ponzi Scheme, Herriges, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesAugust 17, 2022Growth Ponzi Scheme, growth, sprawl, infill, Infill Development, canada, Canada, suburban experiment

Is Wall Street Actually Taking Over the Housing Market?

Are Wall Street-backed investors the reason you can’t afford a house? The truth is a bit more complicated than that.

Housing, Herriges, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJuly 27, 2022housing, housing cost, housing crisis, Housing Crisis, housing market, homeowners, Homeownership, homeownership

Community Is Important. But “The Community” Is an Illusion.

You should be wary of anyone who claims to speak for “the community” or “the public,” especially when it’s in lieu of telling you who will benefit from the actions they support.

Local Government, Herriges, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJuly 20, 2022community, politics, local government, city government, state government, localism, NIMBY, YIMBY, local politics

New Report: America’s Epidemic of Traffic Deaths Is Getting Worse

Our streets are still dangerous by design. This report shows what we need to do about it.

Modern Urban Planning Is Inside Out

Today, city planning departments obsess over what happens inside buildings but pay scant attention to the quality of the space outside them.

Urban Design, Herriges, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJuly 6, 2022urban design, urban planning, Parks, parks, public space, planning process, Privatization, Florida, design, Development, development

Local Control or Centralized Planning? There’s a Third Answer.

The problems with "community input" are many and obvious. One misguided response is to favor more top-down policy making, simply overriding the objections of local "NIMBYs." But there is a third way.

Local Government, Herriges, Planning Profession, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJune 29, 2022localism, local government, local regulation, local politics, bottom-up, top-down, planning process, strong towns approach, incremental, incrementalism, Small Change, small bets

Neighborhoods Were Never Meant to Be Unchanging

The idea of a permanent community “character” was an invention of the suburban era, and it's showing its cracks now—because it was never an attainable or desirable goal.

Herriges, Neighborhoods, Neighborhood Design, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJune 23, 2022neighborhood change, zoning, suburban development pattern, suburban experiment, history, History, New York, neighborhood, Neighborhoods, Neighborhood Design

A Recent Lawsuit Uses “Environmentalism” To Argue Against Walkable, Compact Development in Minneapolis. What the Heck Is Going On?

The environmental groups suing Minneapolis to block implementation of its groundbreaking 2040 Plan have a limited understanding of environmentalism, but a keen grasp of how to slow down policy reform.

Environment, Incrementalism, Herriges, Zoning, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJune 22, 2022Climate Change, climate, environment, Minnesota, Minneapolis, zoning, NIMBY, incremental growth, incremental development, incrementalism, infill

A New Guide Could Help Your Community Fix Its Parking Policies

From our friends at the Parking Reform Network: a new guide to aid local advocates and policy makers implement Parking Benefit Districts in their cities and towns.

Herriges, Parking, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJune 16, 2022Parking, parking, parking pricing, Parking Reform Network, Parking pricing, parking landing page

A Parallel Option: Social Housing (Part 3)

Social housing is not a silver bullet, but can be part of a broader vision for a fairer and more responsive housing market.

Herriges, HousingDaniel HerrigesJune 15, 2022housing, housing cost, housing affordability, housing crisis, Housing Crisis, Housing, housing policy, co-housing, social housing series

Pedal Power Needs People Power

Here’s two stories about powerful local action that Strong Towns members are taking to make their places more bike friendly.

Bikeability, Membership, Herriges, Success Story, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJune 9, 2022bikeability, bike share, bikes, biking, bike infrastructure, member drive, member testimonials, membership, success, success stories, colorado, Pennsylvania

What Is a Housing Shortage, Anyway?

Everyone’s heard of the housing shortage…so why is the “shortage” part of that phrase so poorly defined?

Housing, Herriges, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesJune 1, 2022housing, housing affordability, housing crisis, Housing Crisis, housing activism

Social Housing and the Strong Towns Approach (Part 2)

Why isn’t social housing the silver bullet it's sometimes sold as, and what it would take to be successful? (Hint: You still have to fix the market.)

Herriges, Housing, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesMay 26, 2022housing, housing cost, housing affordability, housing crisis, Housing Crisis, Housing, housing policy, co-housing, social housing series

Social Housing and the Strong Towns Approach (Part 1)

Forget what you've heard; this isn't your granddad's social housing.

Herriges, Housing, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesMay 25, 2022housing, housing cost, housing affordability, housing crisis, Housing Crisis, Housing, housing policy, co-housing, social housing series

Herriges Rezoned: A City Shaped by Many Hands

Incrementalism is not an end in itself. Nor is it about a “small-is-beautiful” aesthetic for its own sake. Instead, it’s a practical pathway toward resilient, financially sound places.

Herriges, Housing, Urban Design, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesMay 11, 2022Chaotic but Smart, traditional development pattern, small-scale developers, Charleston, incremental development, incremental, incrementalism, North Carolina, urban design, housing, Housing

Herriges Rezoned: Your City Isn't Changing as Fast as You Think

The belief that we’re going to radically transform our cities from the top down defies reality. Despite widespread anxiety about urban growth and change, the vast majority of places aren’t changing very much at all.

Herriges, Housing, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesMay 4, 2022incremental growth, infill, Infill Development, neighborhood change, housing

Herriges Rezoned: “Why Are Developers Only Building Luxury Housing?”

"Developers in my city are only building luxury housing. They're not building anything that ordinary people can afford." If you’ve said this lately, or heard someone else say it, here are five possible reasons why.

Herriges, Cost of Development, Housing, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesApril 27, 2022housing, housing market, Development, development, affordable housing, gentrification, Gentrification, missing middle

Herriges Rezoned: The Neighbor's Dilemma

NIMBYs are responding to a set of very rational incentives. That presents a challenge for those of us who hope to alter the course of the Suburban Experiment.

Neighborhoods, Engagement, Herriges, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesApril 20, 2022suburbs, community engagement, community, Community, neighborhood, Neighborhoods, NIMBY

My County's Award-Winning Smart Growth Plan is a Disaster. Here's Why.

Sarasota County, FL, is viewed as a trailblazer in the prevention of unchecked suburbanization. So why has its growth management plan has not resulted in a better pattern of development?

Herriges, Growth Ponzi Scheme, Planning Profession, Top StoryDaniel HerrigesApril 6, 2022Development, development pattern, planning profession, planning process, growth, Growth Ponzi Scheme, Smart Growth, suburbs, Florida

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