Want to better your community but don’t know where to start? Enter It’s the Little Things : a brand new, weekly Strong Towns podcast that gives you the wisdom and encouragement you need to take the small yet powerful actions that can make your city or town stronger. It’s the Little Things will feature Strong Towns Community Builder Jacob Moses in conversation with various guests who have taken action in their own places and in their own ways. In the inaugural episode, Jacob sits down with former...
Sep 12, 2018•26 min•Ep. 392
This episode is our tenth and final dispatch from the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), which took place in Savannah, Georgia in May. Chuck Marohn attended CNU and hosted a series of in-depth podcast conversations about some of the most pressing topics for cities today, with leaders, thinkers, and activists in a whole range of fields. We’ve been bringing those podcasts to your ears throughout the summer. In this episode, Chuck hosts what is now an annual tradition: a conversation with Lynn Ri...
Sep 10, 2018•37 min•Ep. 391
This is our ninth dispatch from the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), which took place in Savannah, Georgia in May. Chuck Marohn attended CNU and hosted a series of in-depth podcast conversations about some of the most pressing topics for cities today, with leaders, thinkers, and activists in a whole range of fields. Now we're bringing those podcasts to your ears throughout the summer. In this episode, Chuck has a chat with three good friends: Joe Minicozzi, Cate Ryba, and Josh McCarty from t...
Sep 06, 2018•57 min•Ep. 390
A brief update from Chuck Marohn on the podcast feed, future program changes and the North Texas Regional Gathering.
Sep 05, 2018•12 min•Ep. 389
In this week’s Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck Marohn interviews Corie Brown, the co-founder of Zester Media. Brown writes about food and the food system, and is a former staff writer for the Los Angeles Times , Newsweek , Premiere Magazine , and BusinessWeek . Earlier this year, Brown wrote a story for The New Food Economy entitled “ Rural Kansas is dying. I drove 1,800 miles to find out why .” Brown is from Kansas originally, and was aware of the state’s long, steady depopulation, but was struck b...
Aug 30, 2018•48 min•Ep. 388
Chuck and Rachel discuss Chuck's recent event in Tulsa, OK and recent article, "Autism, PTSD and the City." They also announce an upcoming slackchat about incremental development and talk about the flooding in the Texas area. Mentioned in this podcast: Event calendar Join our email list "Autism, PTSD and the City" "A World Without Projects" This week's slackchat on incremental development with Chuck Marohn, Thursday, August 31 at 1pm CT. More info. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an A...
Aug 29, 2018•32 min•Ep. 357
Does Strong Towns have a right to point out the problems with our current development pattern if we don't also have a clear solution? In this solo podcast, Chuck Marohn reflects on the state of the Strong Towns movement, its critics and its interactions with other movements like Market Urbanism and Complete Streets.
Aug 24, 2018•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 356
This is our eighth dispatch from the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), which took place in Savannah, Georgia in May. Chuck Marohn attended CNU and hosted a series of in-depth podcast conversations about some of the most pressing topics for cities today, with leaders, thinkers, and activists in a whole range of fields. Now we're bringing those podcasts to your ears throughout the summer. In this episode, Chuck interviews four attendees of CNU who are under 30 about their motivations for being ...
Aug 23, 2018•50 min•Ep. 167
This is our seventh dispatch from the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), which took place in Savannah, Georgia in May. Chuck Marohn attended CNU and hosted a series of in-depth podcast conversations about some of the most pressing topics for cities today, with leaders, thinkers, and activists in a whole range of fields. Now we're bringing those podcasts to your ears throughout the summer. In this episode, recorded in front of a smaller-than-usual crowd (it turns out that’s what happens when yo...
Aug 16, 2018•1 hr•Ep. 63
Today's Strong Towns Podcast is the audio from a recent Ask Strong Towns webcast conversation featuring President and Founder Chuck Marohn and Communications Director Kea Wilson. Once a month, we host Ask Strong Towns to give you a chance to ask your burning questions about our vision for change, and how the Strong Towns approach might apply in your unique place—and give us a chance to share our answer with the world, so it might help other Strong Citizens . Here are the questions discussed on t...
Aug 09, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 61
A long-time volunteer and contributor to Strong Towns, Andrew Burleson is a software engineer and project manager in San Francisco, California. He currently serves on the Board of Strong Towns. Andrew has been a key advocate for the transition of the group from an engineering-centric blog to a broader movement-building organization. Today, Andrew joins Chuck Marohn on the podcast to discuss the 2018 trend sweeping many of America's major and somewhat-less-major cities: electric scooters. Andrew ...
Aug 02, 2018•41 min•Ep. 60
This is our sixth dispatch from the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), which took place in Savannah, Georgia in May. Chuck Marohn attended CNU and hosted a series of in-depth podcast conversations about some of the most pressing topics for cities today, with leaders, thinkers, and activists in a whole range of fields. Now we're bringing those podcasts to your ears throughout the summer. In this episode, Susan Henderson (principal and director of design at Placemakers), Hazel Borys (principal a...
Jul 26, 2018•58 min•Ep. 59
This is our fourth dispatch from the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), which took place in Savannah, Georgia in May. Chuck Marohn attended CNU and hosted a series of in-depth podcast conversations about some of the most pressing topics for cities today, with leaders, thinkers, and activists in a whole range of fields. Now we're bringing those podcasts to your ears throughout the summer. In this episode, June Williamson (associate professor of architecture at the City College of New York), Dan...
Jul 19, 2018•56 min•Ep. 57
Quint Studer is the founder of Pensacola, Florida's Studer Community Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on improving the community's quality of life and moving Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties forward. He is a businessman, visionary, entrepreneur and Strong Towns member . His new book is Building A Vibrant Community: How Citizen-Powered Change Is Reshaping America . In this engaging conversation, Chuck Marohn and Quint Studer discuss: What does it mean to be a vibrant community? How do ...
Jul 12, 2018•51 min•Ep. 56
Every month, we host Ask Strong Towns to give you a chance to ask your burning questions about our vision for change, and how the Strong Towns approach might apply in your unique place. The live Ask Strong Towns webcast is open to all Strong Towns members , but afterward, we share the audio on our podcast. Below you'll find that audio, with a conversation led by Strong Towns staff members, Chuck Marohn and Kea Wilson. In this episode, Chuck and Kea discuss several audience-submitted questions on...
Jul 05, 2018•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 54
On this episode, Rachel introduces her colleague, Jacob Moses , who is Strong Towns' new Community Builder. Jacob discusses his unique background in technical writing and grocery store management, and how he ended up at Strong Towns. Mentioned in this podcast Expand Your Impact with Social Media (webcast), 11am CT on July 25 This Is Where You Belong: Finding Home Wherever You Are by Melody Warnick The Future of Public Space by Michelle Nijhuis, Jaron Lanier, Rachel Monroe, China Mieville & m...
Jul 02, 2018•13 min•Ep. 53
This is our fourth dispatch from the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), which took place in Savannah, Georgia in May. Chuck Marohn attended CNU and hosted a series of in-depth podcast conversations about some of the most pressing topics for cities today, with leaders, thinkers, and activists in a whole range of fields. Now we're bringing those podcasts to your ears throughout the summer. In this episode, Jeffrey Tumlin, Principal and Director of Strategy at Nelson Nygaard, and Corey Ershow, Tr...
Jun 28, 2018•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 50
This week, Rachel's guest is Connor Nielsen, our summer intern who is working with both Strong Towns and our friends at the geoanalytics firm, Urban3 , to share data-related stories throughout the next few months. Connor talks about what led him to this internship and what he hopes to work on this summer. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Urban3 Connor's writing on Strong Towns Ask Strong Towns webcast , Thursday at 12pm CT Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond The Liturgists (podcast) The Good Place (...
Jun 25, 2018•13 min•Ep. 52
This is our third dispatch from the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), which took place in Savannah, Georgia in May. Chuck Marohn attended CNU and hosted a series of in-depth podcast conversations about some of the most pressing topics for cities today, with leaders, thinkers, and activists in a whole range of fields. Now we're bringing those podcasts to your ears throughout the summer. In this episode, David Rau, a New York-city based architect and Steve Mouzon, an architect and author of The...
Jun 21, 2018•43 min•Ep. 49
Rachel's guest this week is Michelle Erfurt, Strong Towns' Pathfinder. She shares an update on Strong Towns' events for the year and the amazing reach that the Strong Towns message has been having. Michelle and Rachel also dish about their latest favorite books and tv shows. If you want to book a Strong Towns event, head to this page to get in touch with Michelle . Mentioned in this podcast Chuck speaks at the International City/County Management Association's Annual Conference in Baltimore Stro...
Jun 18, 2018•20 min•Ep. 51
This is our second dispatch from the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), which took place in Savannah, Georgia in May. Chuck Marohn attended CNU and hosted a series of in-depth podcast conversations about some of the most pressing topics for cities today, with leaders, thinkers, and activists in a whole range of fields. Now we're bringing those podcasts to your ears throughout the summer. One month after the Congress, today's podcast guests are Andres Duany and Kevin Klinkenberg, who discuss th...
Jun 14, 2018•53 min•Ep. 48
This is our first dispatch from the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), which took place in Savannah, Georgia in May. Chuck Marohn attended CNU and hosted a series of in-depth podcast conversations about some of the most pressing topics for cities today, with leaders, thinkers, and activists in a whole range of fields. Now we're bringing those podcasts to your ears throughout the summer. Today's podcast guest is Monte Anderson, a developer based in Texas and a leader of the Incremental Developm...
Jun 07, 2018•37 min•Ep. 47
A few decades ago, Beth Berry lived in Austin, Texas with her four children. The pace of life in that big city eventually caught up with them and they decided to move south to Mexico to find something different. Beth started writing, cooking, walking and observing the family-centric life around her. "I was learning to not have an agenda and let curiosity lead me," she says. "The culture shifted my perspective on what I needed to do to be okay, to be worthy, to be successful by some measure." Sin...
May 31, 2018•53 min•Ep. 43
On this episode, Kea and Rachel recap the recent member drive and chat about some recent favorite books and shows. A huge thank you to the 150 new members who joined us last week . If you didn't get a chance to become a member yet, you can still do so right here, right now . Mentioned in this episode The Winners of our State vs. State New Member Contest In Defense of Housing by Peter Marcuse and David Madden Wild, Wild Country (Netflix show) Is it better to build a Strong Town from scratch? by K...
May 29, 2018•15 min•Ep. 45
Strong Towns needs your support! It's the final day of our member drive and can't accomplish our mission of changing the national conversation on growth and development without you. Become a member today: www.strongtowns.org/membership If you've been waiting — been putting this off all week — we're here to help you get past the finish line. Here's the number: 844-218-1681. Ask for Chuck. Ask for Kea. Ask for Rachel or Max or Bo or Michelle. We're all sitting here waiting for you to call. We'll c...
May 25, 2018•11 min•Ep. 44
Strong Towns needs your support! We can't accomplish our mission of changing the national conversation on growth and development without you. Become a member today: www.strongtowns.org/membership On Day 4 of the Spring member drive, Chuck recaps a typical day in the life as president of Strong Towns. Then he discusses a question he received on a recent Ask Strong Towns webcast about the negative nature of so much of what Strong Towns discusses, and whether there is any way to find hope....
May 24, 2018•24 min•Ep. 42
Strong Towns needs your support! We can't accomplish our mission of changing the national conversation on growth and development without you. Become a member today: www.strongtowns.org/membership In this first episode of our Spring member drive, Chuck reflects on a promise he made to Strong Towns three years ago, and how that decision changed the trajectory of this movement forever.
May 21, 2018•15 min•Ep. 41
Every month, we host Ask Strong Towns to give you a chance to ask your burning questions about our vision for change, and how the Strong Towns approach might apply in your unique place. The live Ask Strong Towns webcast is open to all Strong Towns members , but afterward, we share the audio on our podcast. In today’s episode, Chuck and Kea discuss several audience-submitted questions on topics ranging from TIF and bonds to historic preservation to how to campaign on a Strong Towns platform. Here...
May 17, 2018•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 40
Chuck and Rachel discuss Strong Towns' role in CNU26 in Savannah, GA, including live podcast recordings, an interactive debate, a Strong Towns 101 presentation and a meet-up. Get all the details here. MENTIONED IN THIS PODCAST Overview of Strong Towns activities at CNU How to Join in on Strong Towns Events at CNU (whether you're attending or not) "The Little Law Office That Could" by Rachel Quednau Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates: The Forgotten War That Changed American History by Brian...
May 14, 2018•29 min•Ep. 39
Kea Wilson is Strong Towns' Director of Community Engagement and, as of a couple days ago, the proud owner of a new four-family building in her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. This is the second property that she and her partner have purchased and managed as landlord and developers and today we brought her on the Strong Towns podcast to talk all about that experience. (She's also been detailing her journey toward purchasing this property in a series of articles on the website this week. ) In th...
May 10, 2018•47 min•Ep. 38
