Strong Towns

Many bus routes have ditched traditional signage for digital maps and schedules that update in real time. While this benefits transit-users in some ways, it also makes it harder for them to find all the information they need to navigate a city. A combined system would be a better method, allowing for information that is both accurate and immediately accessible.

We can't wait for big government housing programs to fix the housing affordability crisis — in fact, giving buyers more money can actually push housing prices higher and make things worse. But LOCAL governments can address the crisis in ways that actually work. Local officials, here's what you should focus on: 1. Reforming the local regulatory approach to make it easier to build units, especially entry-level units at lower price points. (Click here to see how one city did it: https://buff.ly/3zPhaLd) 2. Nurturing an ecosystem of incremental developers — local heroes who are ready to build the units you need. (Click here to hear how one organization is succeeding: https://buff.ly/4bASXFO) 3. Using the powers of the local government to localize the financing of entry-level housing units. (Click here to learn more about localizing affordable housing: https://buff.ly/4f3taZG)

The magic-bullet economic promise takes many forms: A convention center that gets rebuilt every 20 years. A transportation line to nowhere. A stadium subsidy. One thing remains the same: The projects are exciting in the moment but harmful in the long term.

Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, was promised a $10 billion #Foxconn factory and 13,000 jobs. After spending $3 billion of taxpayer money, it got three empty buildings and a mountain of debt. This is the same trap that many cities fall for. The one, big, expensive project was supposed to bring wealth and prosperity to Mount Pleasant — but that’s not how it works. Here’s what we know: - A strong town relies on incremental investments (”little bets”) to built resilience — not big projects with big price tags. - In a strong town, local leaders are obsessive about budgeting. They make sure every dollar they spend will create more wealth. And they care about how much it will cost to maintain what is built. - Job creation and economic growth are the RESULTS of a healthy local economy, not the cause of one. There are no silver-bullet solutions to make a community strong and healthy. Resilience is not handed down to our cities from deals made by the governor or endorsed by the president. These things are hard-earned by citizens who care about their community. They’re built from the bottom-up.

We’re up against a nationwide financial and housing crisis, and that means we need all hands on deck. Join the movement today.

Wisconsin was promised a $10 billion #Foxconn factory and 13,000 jobs. Instead, it got three empty buildings and a mountain of debt. Sorry, Wisconsin. As Ronny Chieng put it on the Daily Show, “You got catfished.” Get the whole story: https://buff.ly/3pQ4zTI

It’s easy for advocates to point out problems in North America's built environment, but it’s a lot harder to actually work with engineers to change them. Pilot projects are a concrete, supportive way for local advocates to collaborate with engineers and create real change in their place. Here are some tips on how to do it well: 1. Focus on the short term. Pilot projects are temporary experiments. They should be quick, cheap and easy to implement. And remember: the project itself may not last long, but it can pave the way for true change. 2. Do the work. You need to make it as easy as possible for the engineers and city to agree to your plan. Your plan should explain how every aspect of the project (funding, scope, etc.) can be enacted in a low-risk way. 3. Let the numbers talk. During pilot projects, gather data to show the impact they have. Hard evidence is a powerful tool when making the case for your experimental changes to become permanent. 4. Build bridges. Be the messenger between the engineering department and the public. Translate technical decisions for the community and relay public feedback to the engineers. 5. Create opportunities for dialogue. Organize events like city crawls or bike tours. These can spark meaningful conversations about the built environment and generate valuable input. 6. Be a helper. Ask the engineers how you can help them with their work. This is a great way to identify the main sticking points in your city and to build trust. You might be surprised by how much your local engineers value community engagement and support.

Applications close on Sunday, July 14, at 11:59 p.m. CT. Submit yours ASAP! https://buff.ly/48tA0EC

The city of Winnipeg is planning a highway expansion, claiming that the benefits of the project outweigh the $243.7 million price tag. What benefits, exactly? - Saving drivers time during construction season...for two years, at least. - Making the road safer...as long as you're not on a bike. - Reducing average travel times by 0.22 minutes (13 seconds). Sound insane? That's because it is.

Sometimes, cities claim they're taking an incremental approach when they're actually just breaking a master plan into stages. The latter can seem incremental to the average person, but it really isn't and doesn't carry any of the same benefits. Incrementalism is all about starting small and building bit by bit. It's like planting a garden: you start with a few seeds, see what grows best and then expand from there. City officials and residents work together, making small improvements based on what the community actually needs. They test these changes, see how people react and then build on what works. There's no big master plan, just a community shaping itself over time. This approach tends to create unique, charming neighborhoods with real character. Breaking a master plan into stages is more like following a cookbook. The recipe's already written; you're just dividing it into smaller steps. Sure, there might be some room for feedback along the way, but the end goal is already set in stone. It's incremental in execution, not in planning. So next time your city says its taking an incremental approach, check whether it's doing so for planning, as well as implementation. That's how you create a resilient city with genuine character that actually meets its residents' needs.