We're changing *everything* about the North American pattern of development. You can help make it happen by becoming a member today!
All Across America
Joined October 2009
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Strong Towns retweeted
At one of our civic discussion meetings, we showed the Not Just Bikes video on the @strongtowns "Growth Ponzi Scheme" with our mayor, city manager, and planners in the room.
Both officials argued vigorously that the premise was completely inaccurate, sparking an intense back-and-forth debate.
Disagreement is part of the work. The point of gathering isn't unanimous agreement—it's getting local leaders and residents in the same room talking seriously about the systems shaping our town.
Strong Towns retweeted
What happens when a city rejects a disruptive highway expansion, but the state wants to proceed anyway? @FrontierTony joined @StrongTowns' "Upzoned" podcast to discuss a recent project in Charlotte and its lessons for transport policy. strongtowns.org/podcasts/was…
Strong Towns retweeted
The manner in which we build has a profound impact on sustainability and future taxes. Beautiful, durable, and productive buildings are vital to both our financial future and for the cultural opportunities that maintain a strong sense of community. The downtown must be a place where people want to spend their time.
Very grateful to @StrongTowns for leading this conversation nationally.
Strong Towns retweeted
Transpo agencies have been trying to reduce traffic congestion by adding roadway capacity. This has backfired spectacularly. But they have not changed their strategy and are totally undeterred by this total failure. That’s the spirit!
bethosbornesga.substack.com/…
Strong Towns retweeted
What makes a stronger, more resilient community? And are we approaching development the right way?
🎙️ Episode 09 of The Cornerstone is LIVE!
youtu.be/Vfzn6Q7doAU
Strong Towns retweeted
Among the lowest-income households, those with cars spend 40% of their income on transportation, compared with just 7% for households without cars. @SmartTransp
ssti.us/2026/10/26/when-driv…
Strong Towns retweeted
For me, the crux of this is the correctly cited need for “trust in local government’s capacity.” Without strong and effective local governments, any pro-housing agenda will fall apart.
Strong Towns retweeted
It’s crazy that this is even a thing that needs to be fixed.
Welcome to the movement!
We’re proud to become a part of the @strongtowns organization. Go visit our new website, and join the movement!
Strong Towns retweeted
Massachusetts’ average minimum residential lot size prescribed by local zoning is 26,823sf, nearly 3x the U.S. median lot size requirement.
We’ve made it illegal to build the smaller homes that once made homeownership widely attainable for Massachusetts’ middle class.
🤖 Made with AI
Strong Towns retweeted
This is why any affordability agenda must be anti-sprawl.
I think a lot of people who live in sprawl suburban "cities" like Phoenix don't understand the place that they live.
This gonna be a theme in American sprawl suburbs for the rest of this century, IMO.
Find your city, find yourself a city to live in. washingtonpost.com/nation/20…
Strong Towns retweeted
DOING THE MATH AS A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
Steven Zittergruen is a city councilor and @StrongTowns member from Iowa. In this Bottom-Up Short, he joins Norm to discuss the ways he’s making his community stronger.
Does your city councilor understand the math?
#electionsmatter
archive.strongtowns.org/jour…
Local governments must have the ability to shape growth and grow strong. Preemption can be justified to help them get “unstuck” but this kind of bulldozing over local leaders and the people they represent is wrong.
Cities must be allowed to grow and change. This is terrible policy. It prioritizes parking spots over homes, makes the same tired excuses about utilities, and bans building new housing that local leaders want.
Over the past few months, endless Albertans have told us the same story.
They saved for years to buy a single family home on a quiet street. They picked that neighbourhood on purpose, because of the park at the end of the block or the school two streets over or the neighbours who watch out for each other.
Then one morning the house next door came down, with no notice, and later a 16 unit complex went up in its place, with nowhere for anyone to park and no consideration for the neighbourhood.
Those are not complaints. They are people describing the place they built a life in with their family.
So today we are acting. Edmonton will return to the density and height rules that were in place before 2024 and common sense minimum parking requirements, utility and water infrastructure considerations are coming back. Calgary will hold the line it set when it repealed blanket rezoning. Both cities will take a hard look at their bylaws and come back with something more balanced.
Alberta needs more homes. We are building more of them than almost anywhere in Canada. But a home is more than a house, and a neighbourhood is more than a supply of lots.
Strong Towns retweeted
"By eliminating our parking minimums, we would free up space for more housing units, open space, and other community-desired uses, which are essential to making sure Chelsea is a vibrant and affordable place to live."
- @ChelseaGov_MA City Manager Fidel Maltez
Strong Towns retweeted
And as far as growing our budget, we aren't going to do that by filling the rest of Duval County with single-family houses, but by redeveloping and densifying downtown and the urban core. See the "Growth Ponzi Scheme" from @StrongTowns
Strong Towns retweeted
Thanks @aaron_renn for featuring @clmarohn and @StrongTowns - an essentially conservative approach that I hope will gain traction with your audience - The Growth Ponzi Scheme | Charles Marohn youtu.be/ZEIFYJRkicY?si=dk5a… via @YouTube
Strong Towns retweeted
This week I finally get Charles Marohn (@clmarohn) on the podcast to talk about the Strong Towns movement. aaronrenn.com/p/the-growth-p…
Strong Towns retweeted
North Carolina politicians are now acknowledging that suburban sprawl is NOT a fiscally sustainable model.
Our friends at @strongtowns tell elected officials to use "tax value per acre" as a metric for fiscal sustainability. That's how we, as citizens, receive quality services at a reasonable cost.
Does your city councilor understand the math?
#electionsmatter
