The Biggest Scam in Transportation History (and how Rochester came back from it)
Highways were sold as progress- but they hollowed out our cities and drained local wealth. This is the story of how Rochester, New York, is reclaiming what was lost and proving there's a better way forward.
Mark Hoppen is a former city manager who’s been strengthening communities for decades. He talks about why someone should pursue city management, what real priorities look like in that role, and how to lead with care and practicality.
Chuck is joined by Quint Studer, the founder of the Center for Civic Engagement in Pensacola, Florida. They discuss Strong Towns’ involvement in Pensacola’s renewal and the Civic Leader Summit that will be held there in September.
Advocates in Lynchburg, Virginia, are proving that you don't need an official task force to make your city stronger. You just need to care enough to show up.
Charlottesville’s political wounds ran deep. Now, the city is turning to bikes, sidewalks, and street-level trust to chart a new course.
Adult friendships are difficult. A big part of that is our built environment, which often stifles social connection instead of supporting it. Kat Vellos is an author, facilitator, and connection coach who's working to change that.
Here are six proven techniques that allow communities to preserve mature trees while restoring sidewalks to safe, walkable condition.
Six months after wildfires destroyed record-breaking swathes of LA, only a fraction of homeowners have received permits to rebuild, let alone started construction. Chuck and Edward talk about why state attempts to encourage quick rebuilding failed.
In 2010, this community in Memphis, Tennessee, showed how resident-led, city-backed change can transform a place. That pattern is still playing out today.
Ashley Salvador is a city councilor in Edmonton, Alberta. A national leader in housing reform and urban revitalization, Ashley shares how she helped bring about a brand new tax subclass that’s making Edmonton safer and stronger.
Every town will be asked to grow. Maybe not today, maybe not all at once. But when that moment comes, how will yours go about it?
No matter how easy we make it to build, the existing housing system cannot tolerate lower prices. Chuck explains why and how we can build a better system. (Transcript included.)
When tension builds between grassroots action and bureaucratic boundaries, cities must choose: partnership or pushback.
A new ordinance removes costly parking requirements across most of Chicago, clearing the way for more affordable housing and business development.
Jeral Poskey is the founder of Swyft Cities, which is spearheading a totally new transportation system. Jeral describes the system and how it could address issues like traffic, land wasted on parking, and difficulty with infill development.
On Ash Wednesday, 1966, a highway carved up New Orleans, taking families, flowers, and futures with it. Today, the attempts to rectify those wrongs stop short of actually treating the wound.
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Places That Work: Why Everything Feels Broken and What To Do About It
Join cities across North America and change the conversation in your town by hosting a tour stop.
State preemption can remove obstacles, but it can’t build the local capacity that's required for lasting reform.