Heading to CNU

Programming next week is going to be focused on the 23rd Congress for the New Urbanism. We're podcasting throughout and will be sharing updates as we go. Chuck is headed to Wisconsin this weekend for an event, the on to Dallas.

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
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
The Keys to a Healthy City Finance Department: A Conversation With Shayne Kavanagh
The Keys to a Healthy City Finance Department: A Conversation With Shayne Kavanagh

Chuck is joined by Shayne Kavanagh, senior manager of research for the Government Finance Officers Association. Kavanagh discusses the role of finance officers as “decision architects” and shares some tactics they can use to improve their processes. (Transcript included.)

Introducing the Strong Towns Finance Decoder
Introducing the Strong Towns Finance Decoder

The Finance Decoder reveals the long-term trends hidden behind annual balanced budgets. For Kansas City, those trends are deeply problematic.

How One Couple Is Making Homeownership Attainable in Arkansas
How One Couple Is Making Homeownership Attainable in Arkansas

A couple in Arkansas are showing how small-scale projects can breathe life into downtown and make homeownership more attainable for the next generation.

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is...Empowering a Network of Advocates
The Bottom-Up Revolution Is...Empowering a Network of Advocates

Tiffany is joined by Montana Gau, a Local Conversation leader in Denver. They discuss how Gau built the group into a registered nonprofit with several hundred members and how his role shifted from advocating “on the ground” to creating a space where others can more effectively advocate. (Transcript included.)

Urbanists Have a Communication Problem, and It’s Costing Us Great Cities
Urbanists Have a Communication Problem, and It’s Costing Us Great Cities

Advocates must adjust the way they talk about city planning. Overuse of jargon and a strict focus on logical debate alienates people, but focusing on the concrete benefits of better urban design — or, even better, showing those benefits — can make change more appealing.

Can We Take Community Wealth Back From Walmart and Kroger?
Can We Take Community Wealth Back From Walmart and Kroger?

In this episode, Abby is joined by Edward Erfurt to discuss the emergence of food deserts in the United States. They talk about the causes of this dilemma and ways that everyday people can address these food shortages in their communities. (Transcript included.)

Cle Elum’s Costly Mistake: A Cautionary Tale for Cities Under Pressure to Grow
Cle Elum’s Costly Mistake: A Cautionary Tale for Cities Under Pressure to Grow

Public officials may feel forced to approve large, expensive projects. But in doing so, they are making high-stakes financial commitments with taxpayer money, often without fully understanding the long-term consequences. The results can be devastating.

Bottom-Up Shorts: How Decorah, Iowa, Is Becoming a Strong Town
Bottom-Up Shorts: How Decorah, Iowa, Is Becoming a Strong Town

Travis Goedken is the city manager of Decorah, Iowa. He joins Norm to talk about the practices and reforms that are making Decorah strong, including making its budgeting easier to understand for residents and finding creative loopholes in restrictive state housing laws. (Transcript included.)

How One Elected Official Is Making Public Accounting Public
How One Elected Official Is Making Public Accounting Public

An overwhelming amount of information without context can be just as opaque as secrecy. That’s why transparency in city budgeting isn’t just about making numbers available — it’s about making them understandable. One city official in Maryland is making it his mission to do just that.

How To Finance Housing in a Smart and Local Way: A Housing Q&A
How To Finance Housing in a Smart and Local Way: A Housing Q&A

What cities have successfully financed housing at the local level? How does tax increment financing work? When should cities stop subsidizing large-scale housing projects? Strong Towns President Chuck Marohn answers all these questions and more in this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast. (Transcript included.)

Denver Is Tired of Subsidizing Parking
Denver Is Tired of Subsidizing Parking

Denver wants to repeal parking mandates citywide. This will help the city fight the housing crisis by reducing the costs and regulatory hurdles of development.

The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Re-Localizing the Benefits of Housing Development
The Bottom-Up Revolution Is…Re-Localizing the Benefits of Housing Development

Ryan Andrews is the CFO of a small-scale development company and capital fund in Bend, Oregon. In this episode, he discusses the importance of local investment and explains how to channel the profits from housing development back to locals. (Transcript included.)

Strong Towns