How many kids feel safe playing on your local street?

#SlowtheCars, Roads and Streets, Sheppard, Top StorySeairra SheppardJuly 5, 2022Safety, children, play, Safe and Productive Streets, public safety, Public Safety, Pedestrian Safety, pedestrian safety, #SlowTheCars, streets

Why You Should Care About Property Taxes as a Renter

If you don’t own a home, and don’t have plans to own one anytime soon, you might think property taxes don’t concern you. But, what if we told you that they definitely do?

Finance, Sheppard, Top Story, Transparent AccountingSeairra SheppardJune 28, 2022Just Accounting for Health, tax revenue, tax base, Tax Base, property tax, homeowners, Homeownership, homeownership, rent, renters, finance, local finance, Transparent Local Accounting

We Don’t Like These Curves: What Is the J-Curve and What Is It Costing You?

These curves are costing Americans a lot, both financially and physically.

Finance, Sheppard, Top Story, Transparent AccountingSeairra SheppardJune 21, 2022Just Accounting for Health, homeowners, Homeownership, property tax, tax revenue, finance

This “Homegrown Project” Offers a Place To Thrive for Small Business Owners

These pop-up shops in Berwyn, IL, are a great example of how communities can provide low-cost, low-risk spaces for local business owners to get their foot in the door.

Incrementalism, Sheppard, Success Story, Top StorySeairra SheppardJune 14, 2022pop-up, small business, local business, incremental, incrementalism, Illinois, business, localism, small bets, success, success stories

We Need More Charming, People-Centered Places

Residents of small towns shouldn’t have to travel to a large urban downtown to get a taste of a walkable, people-centered environment.

Sheppard, Walkability, Top StorySeairra SheppardMay 31, 2022walkability, Small Towns, people centered places, Third Places, Israel, pop-up, local business, markets, Markets, midwest

CDOT Cancels Highway Expansion Plans

In a moment to be celebrated, CDOT cancels highway expansion plans, stating they "have no money" to add vehicle capacity to I-25.

#NoNewRoads, Sheppard, Success Story, Transportation, Top StorySeairra SheppardMay 24, 2022transportation, transportation spending, highways, highway spending, freeway widening, freeways, colorado, success, success stories, #NoNewRoads

To Address the Housing Crisis, We Need a Fairer Tax System

Two charts illustrate the massive housing shortage in Buncombe County, NC, and show why we need to get property taxes right.

Housing, Sheppard, Urban3, Top Story, Transparent AccountingSeairra SheppardMay 17, 2022housing, housing crisis, Housing Crisis, housing affordability, Housing, housing cost, tax revenue, Just Accounting for Health, Urban3

Should Airbnbs Be Taxed as Residential or Commercial?

How have we come to the conclusion that most short-term rentals are taxed as “residential,” when many have no residents?

Housing, Sheppard, Urban3, Top Story, Transparent AccountingSeairra SheppardMay 10, 2022Just Accounting for Health, Urban3, airbnb, property tax, tax revenue, homeowners, Homeownership, North Carolina, housing, housing market

It Isn’t Just Us, the Entire Nation Is Burdened With Property Tax Inequities

Recently, the North Carolina Ad Hoc Appraisals Committee was challenged to face their own biases and fix their broken property tax assessment system. Here’s what happened.

Something Is Clearly Wrong With the Property Tax Appraisal System

Across the country, the property tax system is causing economic hardship for homeowners—and it’s because the system itself is flawed.

Housing, Sheppard, Top Story, Transparent AccountingSeairra SheppardApril 19, 2022Just Accounting for Health, Urban3, tax base, property tax, North Carolina, Vermont, homeowners, Homeownership, homeownership, homelessness, Homelessness

The Grim Reaper of Small Towns

Our excessive expansion of the interstate highway system has destroyed urban downtowns—and it’s wiped out many small towns altogether.

#InfrastructureCrisis, Infrastructure, Sheppard, Transportation, Top StorySeairra SheppardApril 5, 2022highways, freeway widening, freeways, urban freeways, history, History, Small Towns, small towns, Infrastructure, infrastructure, transportation

Street Trees: The Roots of a Strong Town

Street trees provide a lot of pragmatic benefits to a community—and they also serve a social purpose.

Community, Sheppard, Top StorySeairra SheppardMarch 29, 2022trees, street trees, community, Neighborhoods

Can We Please Stop Fighting About Gardens

In this town where so many people have front-lawn gardens, why is anyone still arguing that they shouldn’t be allowed?

Local Food, Sheppard, Top StorySeairra SheppardMarch 15, 2022gardening, Gardening, food deserts, local food, community, Community, city council, Illinois, Small Towns, small towns

Taking a Magnifying Glass to Property Tax Inequities

What is the real reason behind our striking property tax disparities?

Sheppard, Finance, Top Story, Transparent AccountingSeairra SheppardMarch 8, 2022Just Accounting for Health, Urban3, property tax, Homeownership, homeownership, Assessments, finance, public finance

"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.

Sowing Our Roads with Salt Is No Way to Grow Stronger Towns

Because we depend so heavily on cars, what happens when roads become too icy to drive on? The answer: road salt. But there are serious consequences to relying on salt for road-clearing.

Property Tax Inequities Stir Movement for Change in Asheville

Strong Towns is partnering with Just Accounting for Health and Urban3 in a project to uncover the presence, and effects, of biases in tax assessment standards.