Strong Towns
Cart 0
Articles Podcasts Videos About
Become a Member
Local Conversations Crash Analysis Studio Housing-Ready Cities Community Action Lab
Academy Action Lab Cohort Accelerator Housing Trap All Books
Book an Event Attend an Event Local-Motive Tour National Gathering
Cart 0
ArticlesPodcastsVideos Programs Local Conversations Crash Analysis Studio Housing-Ready Cities Community Action Lab Learn Academy Action Lab Cohort Accelerator Housing Trap All Books Events Book an Event Attend an Event Local-Motive Tour National Gathering About
Strong Towns
We support a strong America full of strong cities, towns, and neighborhoods.
Become a Member
What Do You Do With a Dream?
What Do You Do With a Dream?

Many of us have great ideas for our neighborhoods, but feel unable to act on them—and that can be discouraging. But looking at your idea in a different way may change how you see it and whether you do anything with it. 

Read More
Emma Durand-Wood, Top StoryEmma Durand-WoodOctober 5, 2023neighborhoods
Street Fight: Why We Should Fight the Good Fight for Happy, Healthy, and Beautiful Places
Street Fight: Why We Should Fight the Good Fight for Happy, Healthy, and Beautiful Places

Don’t wage a war against drivers, but don’t wage a war for them, either.

Read More
Top StoryNicholas Boys SmithOctober 4, 2023europe, safe and productive streets, car dependency, walkability, public transportation
Ontario Greenbelt Scandal Shows How Not To Do Development
Ontario Greenbelt Scandal Shows How Not To Do Development

There was a major housing development scandal in Canada this summer…but it’s not the one you think.

Read More
News, Top StoryBen AbramsonOctober 4, 2023Incremental Housing, canada, suburban development pattern, housing, incremental development
We Need to Calm Down
We Need to Calm Down

Better street design can help us chill out!

Read More
Top StoryWill GardnerOctober 3, 2023safe and productive streets, Street Design, bikeability, children
There’s Often Parking for Cars, Not for Bikes. That’s Where Bike Valets Come In.
There’s Often Parking for Cars, Not for Bikes. That’s Where Bike Valets Come In.

These Strong Towns advocates identified a lack of bike parking at recurring local events and did something about it…by creating bike valets!

Read More
Community Stories, Top StoryAsia MieleszkoOctober 3, 2023bike parking, local conversations, success stories, bikes, bike infrastructure
Baltimore’s Property Tax System Robs the Poor to Pay for the Wealthy
Baltimore’s Property Tax System Robs the Poor to Pay for the Wealthy

In Baltimore, some of the city’s least wealthy individuals may be overpaying on their property taxes by nearly $300 a year, whereas some of the richest could be underpaying by $14,000 or more. 

Read More
Top StorySeairra JonesOctober 3, 2023Just Accounting for Health, transparent local accounting, property tax, maryland, Assessments, local conversations
Conor Semler: A New Decision-Making Framework for Street Design
Conor Semler: A New Decision-Making Framework for Street Design

On this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, host Chuck Marohn chats with Conor Semler, an associate planner with Kittelson and Associates who’s promoting some innovative approaches to transportation planning.

Read More
Podcast, Top StoryStrong TownsOctober 2, 2023podcast, safe and productive streets, Street Design, urban planning
How One American City Reclaimed a Highway (and It Paid Off Big Time)
How One American City Reclaimed a Highway (and It Paid Off Big Time)

Rochester, NY, made the decision to undo a past harmful highway project. Here are the challenges they faced—and the rewards they’ve seen since freeing up that valuable land for development.

Read More
Top StoryBen AbramsonOctober 2, 2023end highway expansion, highways, freeway removal, success stories, new york
Your City Uses the Sales Tax. What Now?
Your City Uses the Sales Tax. What Now?

A city may not be able to change from a sales tax system to a different approach—it might be stuck with what the state allows—but that doesn’t make them helpless to overcome the challenges the sales tax presents.

Read More
Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnOctober 2, 2023sales tax, taxes, local economy
From Non-Place to Beloved Space in Just Three and a Half Days
From Non-Place to Beloved Space in Just Three and a Half Days

This block in Tulsa, AZ, got a makeover in this community-led placemaking event, showing that you don’t need a lot of money to transform an empty space into a community asset.

Read More
Community Stories, Top StoryAsia MieleszkoSeptember 29, 2023Arizona, public space, Third Places, success stories, tactical urbanism
Congress Hears Strong Towns Ideas on Housing, Transportation
Congress Hears Strong Towns Ideas on Housing, Transportation

Strong Towns ideas made it to the U.S. Senate this month. In a hearing called “Housing Supply and Innovation,” the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs heard from expert witnesses about America’s housing crisis.

Read More
News, Top Story, BradleyBen AbramsonSeptember 29, 2023Incremental Housing, Congress, federal government
The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Doing Incremental Development in Detroit
The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Doing Incremental Development in Detroit

On this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, we chat with Marques King, a licensed architect, practicing urban designer, and small-scale developer operating out of Detroit, Michigan.

Read More
Podcast, Top StoryStrong TownsSeptember 28, 2023The Bottom-Up Revolution, developers, michigan, architecture, Incremental Development Alliance
Where Are People in Your Community Struggling?
Where Are People in Your Community Struggling?

Sometimes even the most well-meaning features of our cities present challenges to different people. What struggles would you observe in your community if you pictured it from someone else’s perspective?

Read More
Emma Durand-Wood, Top StoryEmma Durand-WoodSeptember 28, 2023urban design, active transportation, disability, children, safe and productive streets
To Address Public Washroom Shortage, This City Took an Incremental Approach
To Address Public Washroom Shortage, This City Took an Incremental Approach

It can be difficult to find a free public restroom. Here’s how one city in Alberta is tackling the problem, through small, immediately effective solutions.

Read More
Community Stories, Top StorySeairra JonesSeptember 27, 2023public space, canada, small bets, homeless, Community Action Lab
“City of Yes”: New York City Mayor Proposes Major Housing Reform
“City of Yes”: New York City Mayor Proposes Major Housing Reform

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has proposed a substantial set of reforms to enable incremental and missing-middle housing solutions and add 100,000 new housing units to the city. 

Read More
News, Top StoryBen AbramsonSeptember 27, 2023Incremental Housing, new york, end parking mandates and subsidies, accessory dwelling unit, zoning
Let’s Ditch the Stroads
Let’s Ditch the Stroads

De-stroading the country will make everything better for everyone, including those who regularly drive, and create places we are proud of.

Read More
Top StoryAndrew PriceSeptember 26, 2023stroad, new jersey, transit
Kingston Welcomes New Zoning Code. It Has Advocates To Thank For That.
Kingston Welcomes New Zoning Code. It Has Advocates To Thank For That.

When the city of Kingston, NY, lagged on promises to rework its zoning code, this group of advocates stepped in to make it happen.

Read More
Community Stories, Top StoryAsia MieleszkoSeptember 26, 2023zoning, Incremental Housing, Form-Based Code, new york, success stories
Things vs. Devices: How Technologies Like Cars Shape Us
Things vs. Devices: How Technologies Like Cars Shape Us

Are cars really helpful tools or disruptive devices? Here’s some guidance from ethicist Albert Borgmann on the distinction.

Read More
Owens, Top StoryTiffany Owens ReedSeptember 26, 2023cars, car dependency, technology
Checking My Bias on Automated Traffic Enforcement
Checking My Bias on Automated Traffic Enforcement

We ran an article and a podcast about speed cameras, and got some thought-provoking responses in return from readers and listeners. Here’s one in particular that grabbed our attention.

Read More
Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnSeptember 25, 2023enforcement, traffic engineering, safe and productive streets
Strong Towns Is Jane Jacobs in Action
Strong Towns Is Jane Jacobs in Action

If you love Jane Jacobs or want to learn more about her views and how Strong Towns advocates are working to make them a reality, you will want to explore this conversation between Chuck Marohn and Charles Pignal.

Read More
Podcast, Top Story, TrendingStrong TownsSeptember 25, 2023jane jacobs, podcast, guest podcast
Newer Older
 

Helping cities, towns and neighborhoods take local action to grow safe, livable and financially resilient.

 

Get Involved

Become a Member
Sign Up for Emails
Pitch a Story
RSS Feed

Resources

Books
Action Lab
Blog Roll
Shop
Press

About

About Us
Team | Board
Employment
Contact Us

Site

Privacy Policy
Comment Policy
FAQ
Search

Each month, this website is funded by Strong Towns members.

Join the movement to keep the message going.
Become a Member

Strong Towns is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Our work is performed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Please share with others to use for good.

 
Strong Towns
1511 Northern Pacific Rd,
Brainerd, MN, 56401
8442181681 [email protected]
Hours