Edward Erfurt

 

Edward Erfurt is the Director of Community Action at Strong Towns. He is a trained architect and passionate urban designer with over 20 years of public- and private-sector experience focused on the management, design, and successful implementation of development and placemaking projects that enrich the tapestry of place. He believes in community-focused processes that are founded on diverse viewpoints, a concern for equity, and guided through time-tested, traditional town-planning principles and development patterns that result in sustainable growth with the community character embraced by the communities which he serves.

Recent Articles by Edward
What a Water Heater Can Teach Us About Code Reform
What a Water Heater Can Teach Us About Code Reform

Reforming the administration of a city's building or zoning code is just as important as reforming the code itself. Fortunately, shifting this approach is within the discretion of city staff, so they can turn an aggravating, time-consuming process into one that better serves everyone's needs.

Want To Create Change Quickly? Start by Taking a Walk.
Want To Create Change Quickly? Start by Taking a Walk.

When analyzing car crashes and identifying ways to prevent them, local experts — residents who are familiar with the crash sites — can often identify issues and solutions that technical experts miss. Here's how technical experts and elected officials can tap into that local expertise.

Cities Should Handle Car Crashes Like They Handle Frat Houses
Cities Should Handle Car Crashes Like They Handle Frat Houses

In many cities, officials recognize that it's better to stop a problem from occurring than try to control it after the fact. When faced with a recurring problem (like riotous parties), they pass ordinances that target its root causes. Why not do the same with street safety?

How to Make a Street Safer Before the Kids Go Back to School
How to Make a Street Safer Before the Kids Go Back to School

North America's built environment makes it too dangerous for most children to walk to school. Edward Erfurt, Strong Towns' director of community action, knows that from experience. Here's how he's planning to make the street outside his son's school safer.

Between Budget and Vision: How Redevelopment Makes Streets Stronger
Between Budget and Vision: How Redevelopment Makes Streets Stronger

When discussing redevelopment, street design isn’t what most people think of. Since North American streets are often built to completion, this kind of incremental approach seems alien. But it’s exactly what cities need to improve their economic, social and environmental conditions.

New Sound, Old Style: What Motown Can Teach City Planners
New Sound, Old Style: What Motown Can Teach City Planners

Hitsville U.S.A. is known for producing artists, recordings and a distinctive Detroit sound, but it also represents an important element of a strong city: mixed-use development. If Detroit hadn’t let Berry Gordy turn the first floor of his home into a recording studio, Motown Records might not exist today.

 
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