Downtown Portland is full of vacant lots, surface parking, and struggling storefronts—and every one of them has a price tag. Sam and Jeremiah break down how they estimated the city’s road and pipe costs, modeled new tax revenue from redeveloping a downtown highway, and started pushing for a vacancy fee. Their approach offers a clear template for linking land use to your city’s bottom line.

Sam Kallen is a volunteer leader of Strong Towns PDX, helping people take one step closer to action. Sam works for Flywheel Companies, a Michigan-based consulting firm that works with local governments, developers, funders and nonprofits to help communities solve their unique housing challenges.

Jeremiah Via is a local leader of Strong Towns PDX, the local conversation in Portland, Oregon. Jeremiah is primarily interested in taking direct action in the streets with neighbors and understanding the city as a financial entity.