From Abandoned Church to Community Anchor: How Small-Scale Development Revives Neighborhoods

If you’ve ever seen an underused property and thought, “Why doesn’t someone do something with that?”—take a look at this church in Texas.

Top StoryStrong TownsApril 15, 2025Incremental Housing, incremental development, neighborhood change, churches, texas

Ohio REALTORS™ Share Their Knowledge To Respond to Ohio’s Housing Crisis

Ohio realtors and community advocates have created a practical toolkit to help communities across the state enable infill development.

Top StoryStrong TownsApril 15, 2025ohio, housing crisis, Incremental Housing, infill, resource

Cities Are Already Defaulting on Their Debts

Cities slide into insolvency not with a dramatic collapse, but with a slow, steady drift into financial fragility.

The Numbers Don’t Lie: New Study Proves That Tactical Urbanism Can Boost Local Economy

A Japanese study is the first to quantitatively measure the economic impact of tactical urbanism. Spoiler alert: it’s good for business.

Top StoryAsia MieleszkoApril 11, 2025pedestrians, people centered places, placemaking, local economy

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is...Designing Prosperous Places

Will McCollum is the president and co-founder of Citymakers Collective, a nonprofit that teaches aspiring architects and planners how to design resilient, beautiful and prosperous places. (Transcript included.)

Podcast, Top StoryStrong TownsApril 10, 2025podcast, The Bottom-Up Revolution, people centered places, design, architecture

The ASCE Infrastructure Report Card Is Propaganda. We Deserve Better.

Every few years, the American Society of Civil Engineers releases its Infrastructure Report Card. Let’s be clear about what this report card actually is: industry propaganda, not unbiased analysis.

Will Trump's Plan To Privatize Mortgages Fix the Housing Market?

In this episode, Chuck and Abby discuss President Trump’s proposal to privatize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, organizations that back the majority of mortgages in the U.S. and have been under a government conservatorship since the 2008 financial crisis. (Transcript included.)

Podcast, Top StoryStrong TownsApril 9, 2025podcast, upzoned, Incremental Housing, federal housing policy, Fanny Mae, Freddie Mac

Bottom-Up Shorts: How To Build a City’s Economic Core

Amy Emery is a community leader focused on fostering sustainable growth and smart development in Warrenville, Illinois. She joins Norm to discuss several ways the city is working to build a core downtown. (Transcript included.)

How One Bill is Trying to Keep Texas Affordable

Texas isn’t exactly known for its housing shortage, but continued affordability isn't guaranteed. That's why lawmakers across the aisle are trying to get ahead with a new bill.

Top StoryStrong TownsApril 8, 2025affordable housing, texas, homeowners, housing policy

How To Understand and Fix Government Budgeting, With Mark Moses

Today, Chuck is joined by Mark Moses, author of “The Municipal Financial Crisis.” They cover everything from the dangers of relying on “balanced budgets” to the difference between city and business finances. (Transcript included.)

Podcast, Top StoryStrong TownsApril 7, 2025podcast, transparent local accounting, finance

Minnesota Rethinks Parking Mandates—Will Your City Keep Up?

Most cities impose strict parking regulations, which hurt local businesses, stifle development, and drain city resources. Minnesota is considering a bill that would change that.

Cities Are Not Nations: The Hard Budget Reality of Brainerd, Minnesota

Despite assertions to the contrary, a city's budget is almost exactly like a family budget.

Iowa May Legalize Backyard Cottages—Your City Can Do It First

Cities need more entry-level homes, but efforts to increase supply are often met with resistance. Iowa is considering a way around that issue: legalizing backyard cottages to increase housing supply without radically changing neighborhoods.

North Carolina is Ditching 1960s Era Zoning

North Carolina lawmakers have joined forces across party lines to make housing easier to build—here’s what they’re proposing.

Top StoryStrong TownsApril 4, 2025housing crisis, housing, North Carolina, zoning

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is...Using Art To Advocate for Street Safety

Sarah Rose is an artist and advocate from Washington. She joins Tiffany on this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to talk about how the intersection of advocacy and art is driving change in her city. (Transcript included.)

Podcast, Top StoryStrong TownsApril 3, 2025podcast, The Bottom-Up Revolution, safe and productive streets, washington, arts

Small-Scale Housing is Making a Big Impact in Seattle

Soaring home prices and tight housing supply are pushing local leaders to find creative solutions. Seattle’s embrace of backyard cottages has quietly delivered thousands of new homes right where they’re needed most.

Top StoryStrong TownsApril 3, 2025Incremental Housing, bottom-up, housing crisis, housing policy, zoning

Cincinnati Ditches the Status Quo with its Zoning Reform

Outdated zoning laws are holding cities back, restricting housing options and stalling economic growth. That’s why Cincinnati is trying something different.

Top StoryStrong TownsApril 3, 2025housing crisis, affordable housing, upzoning, midwest, Incremental Housing

Two Views, One Budget: Why Houston’s Financial Story Isn’t as Simple as It Looks

Houston’s new Popular Annual Financial Report tells a reassuring story of short-term growth and recovery, but it ignores the city's long-term financial trends. If things are going to improve, public officials need to confront reality.

Officials Are Using the Strong Towns Approach in This California Town

During a recent Planning Commission meeting in Windsor, California, Vice Chair Tim Zahner advocated for using the Strong Towns approach to make the city's streets safer.