Thank you, Alabama

I had a good pair of events this week in Birmingham with some people very enthused to help their communities become Strong Towns. It was really nice to be back in Alabama and I'm hoping for an opportunity to go back soon. In the meantime, here's what the schedule for sharing the Strong Towns message in person looks like for the next couple of months.

April 24-25 - Stevens Point, WI  - Half day training session, AICP Credits will be offered - Register Here
April 28 - Dallas, TX - Curbside Chat
April 30 - Dallas, TX - Member Appreciation Event (Strong Towns members should have received an email this week.)
May 13 - Fargo, ND - Curbside Chat
May 14 - Grand Forks, ND - Curbside Chat
May 19 - Hays, KS - Curbside Chat
May 21 - Lewiston, ME - Conference Keynote
June 17 - Boston, MA - Conference Keynote
June 18 - Denver, CO - Strong Towns on Tap
June 23 - Detroit, MI - Conference Panel
June 30 - Des Moines, IA - Conference Keynote

In case you missed it....

Featured
Strong Towns Gift Guide: DOT Decoder
Asia Mieleszko
Strong Towns Gift Guide: DOT Decoder
Asia Mieleszko

The terms chosen to describe upcoming road work often misrepresent the actual projects, ascribing a positive or negative bias that affects how political leaders interpret and underwrite them. The DOT Decoder is the perfect gift for decoding three common terms used by departments of transportation and their engineers.

Asia Mieleszko
The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Building a Coalition for Long-Term Change
Strong Towns
The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Building a Coalition for Long-Term Change
Strong Towns

In this episode, host Tiffany Owens Reed is joined by Chloe Groome and Aaron Feldman, co-leads of the Local Conversation group Strong Towns Chicago, to discuss the initiatives their group is working on and their coalition strategy for driving change.

Strong Towns
How a Walking Audit Can Help You Quickly Improve Street Design
Edward Erfurt
How a Walking Audit Can Help You Quickly Improve Street Design
Edward Erfurt

Conducting a walking audit is an quick, easy and free step that anyone can take to start improving their place. In this article, trained architect and urban designer Edward Erfurt demonstrates how to do so, using a recently completed sidewalk project in his community as an example.

Edward Erfurt
While You Wait: 3 Ways To Make Your City More Joyful, Hopeful and Active This Advent
Tiffany Owens Reed
While You Wait: 3 Ways To Make Your City More Joyful, Hopeful and Active This Advent
Tiffany Owens Reed

Advocacy work means a lot of waiting and hoping for a better future. That makes it a lot like Advent (the weeks before Christmas on the Christian calendar). But waiting during Advent isn’t discouraging or boring: It’s hopeful, active and joyful. Here are a few ways to bring that approach to your community, whether you celebrate Christmas or not.

Tiffany Owens Reed
Bottom-Up Shorts: How a Rodeo Arena Can Strengthen a Rural Community
Strong Towns
Bottom-Up Shorts: How a Rodeo Arena Can Strengthen a Rural Community
Strong Towns

In this episode, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Joshua Hopkins, the newly elected mayor of Chugwater, Wyoming, to discuss how a rodeo arena he built is benefiting his community.

Strong Towns
The Truth About Parks and Rec
Ben Abramson
The Truth About Parks and Rec
Ben Abramson

Parks and recreation departments handle a lot more programs and face a lot more challenges than many people may realize. So, here are a few things that newly elected officials should know about this department as they step into their role.

Ben Abramson
From the Federal Government to RV Parks: A Housing Q&A
Strong Towns
From the Federal Government to RV Parks: A Housing Q&A
Strong Towns

On this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck continues answering housing questions submitted by Ohio State University students, covering topics from building codes to local action.

Strong Towns
The Best Books I Read in 2024
Charles Marohn
The Best Books I Read in 2024
Charles Marohn

An annual tradition, here is Chuck Marohn’s list of favorite books that he read in 2024.

Charles Marohn
Changing Our Places (and Ourselves) One Step at a Time
Emma Durand-Wood
Changing Our Places (and Ourselves) One Step at a Time
Emma Durand-Wood

Sometimes, small advocacy efforts seem like they’re not worth the time or effort. But every small action plants seeds for future change, both in your city and in yourself.

Emma Durand-Wood
From Building Backyard Cottages to Banning Airbnbs: A Housing Q&A
Strong Towns
From Building Backyard Cottages to Banning Airbnbs: A Housing Q&A
Strong Towns

On this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck answers housing questions submitted by Ohio State University students, covering topics from the history of the housing market to financing housing development.

Strong Towns
Charles Marohn