Advocacy work means a lot of waiting and hoping for a better future. That makes it a lot like Advent (the weeks before Christmas on the Christian calendar). But waiting during Advent isn’t discouraging or boring: It’s hopeful, active and joyful. Here are a few ways to bring that approach to your community, whether you celebrate Christmas or not.
Read MoreThe practice of "grandfathering in" old buildings — letting them exist without meeting current building codes — is a good one. However, buildings lose this protected status if their owners perform renovations or additions, resulting in many buildings declining or sitting empty. It doesn't have to be this way.
Read MoreAs a Strong Towns advocate, you likely face a lot of opposition from rigid systems and even other advocates. This opposition claims that you’re not qualified enough to have an opinion or that you’re trying to change things in the wrong way. It’s easy to get discouraged by this barrage, but remember: there’s always something you can do to make a difference.
Read MoreIt’s natural to feel grief when local officials ignore calls to make your city a stronger and safer place. But while the grief is real, the changes your advocacy inspires are real too.
Read MoreAs an advocate, it’s easy to feel discouraged when you can’t prompt any big changes in your community, or even among your loved ones. Be patient: Just as many small actions can help cities grow incrementally stronger, the small impacts you have on others can lead to big changes over time.
Read MoreThe problems with "community input" are many and obvious. One misguided response is to favor more top-down policy making, simply overriding the objections of local "NIMBYs." But there is a third way.
Read More“No neighborhood should be exempt from change. No neighborhood should be subjected to radical change.” Let’s examine what this core Strong Towns principle actually means.
Read MoreOur cities are littered with the bones of policies that failed because we tried to solve complex problems with top-down, technocratic solutions. So how does change happen?
Read MoreSo you want to invest in real estate in your town—but you’re not so keen on taking out a mortgage and rolling up your sleeves. Is there another way to buy in to your community’s future?
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