Why Strong Towns Won’t Cave to Election Year Pressures

In this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck explains how election years affect a nonpartisan nonprofit like Strong Towns. It’s kind of ugly, but it doesn’t change our mission.

Podcast, Top StoryStrong TownsNovember 15, 2024podcast, Elections, politics, member week, bipartisanship

Strong Towns Doesn’t Seem To “Fit” on a Political Spectrum. Why Is That?

It's difficult to find an accurate political label for Strong Towns. That’s because the way that we as a society talk about politics is structurally dysfunctional. A new, more nuanced way of talking about politics can help us better understand the movement — and how it unites people from all walks of life.

Top StoryBlake PagenkopfNovember 12, 2024politics, bipartisanship, localism, Strong Citizenship, member week

How Election Years Affect a Nonpartisan Nonprofit Like Strong Towns

Today, I’m going to show you what election years do to a nonprofit like Strong Towns, one dedicated to working from the bottom up, with everyone, regardless of how messy those relationships can be. It’s kind of ugly.

Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnNovember 11, 2024Elections, member week, politics, finance, bipartisanship

Whoever the Next President Is, Here’s How They Can Build a Stronger America

Chuck was recently challenged to come up with five things that the next president, whoever they end up being, should do once they’re in office. In today’s episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, he shares that list and explains why each item is important to building a stronger America.

The Power of Attention

What we pay attention to shapes what we love. So, as national problems and politics take center stage, let’s remember to pay attention locally, too. It’s where we can make the biggest impact and build the most endurance for the work ahead.

Owens, Top StoryTiffany Owens ReedNovember 1, 2024politics, advocacy, localism, Place Attachment

Want To Build Strong Towns? Step One: Don’t Be a Jerk.

If there's a single document that reflects the spirit of our work and the essence of the Strong Towns movement, it's the "Don't Be a Jerk" Agreement that we ask all Local Conversation leaders to sign. As the movement continues to grow — and as Election Day draws near — we want to make this agreement public.

Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnOctober 7, 2024local conversations, advocacy, strong towns approach, bottom-up, partisan, politics

Ron DeSantis Doesn’t Like Bike Lanes. Floridians Seem To Agree.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation to accelerate road projects, claiming it will make driving less miserable. However, driving in Florida isn’t miserable because of a lack of roads —it’s miserable because the road network is designed in nonsensical, dangerous ways that increase congestion and make it impossible to drive anywhere in a straight line.

America’s Governors Have a New Plan To Overcome Polarization

In our extremely polarized political climate, it may seem impossible to get anything done. But even as federal politicians stay locked in stalemates, American governors are fighting for increased cooperation across party lines.

News, Top StoryBen AbramsonApril 17, 2024bipartisanship, politics, state government

Where Strong Towns Stands As We Enter Another Election Year

As the U.S. enters another election year, many Americans are going to be engrossed in the conversation about national politics. And many of our readers want to know where Strong Towns stands on the issue.

Podcast, Top StoryStrong TownsApril 8, 2024podcast, politics, Elections

Strong Towns' Guide to the Election Year

Every four years, a small but vocal portion of our audience calls on Strong Towns to react to the politics surrounding national elections. This is our response.

Marohn, Top Story, Thought LeadershipCharles MarohnMarch 18, 2024politics, federal government, Elections

Who Says We Need Walkable Cities? A Former Republican Presidential Candidate.

American cities are too dependent on cars. Who says so? North Dakota Governor and former Republican presidential candidate Doug Burgum.

News, Top Story, TrendingBen AbramsonMarch 7, 2024walkability, politics, Conservatism, north dakota, Incremental Housing

Cities Can't Be About Moving Cars

Some complain that getting rid of parking mandates is just an underhanded way of making auto use harder and harder in cities. But harder for whom, exactly?

Strong Towns Doesn’t Seem To “Fit” on a Political Spectrum. Why Is That?

Before attempting to apply any political label to this movement, it’s important we acknowledge the structural dysfunction within our current political language.

Top StoryBlake PagenkopfOctober 9, 2023politics

Why We Need Strong Towns

The Strong Towns movement defies political categorization, and that can be confounding for some. Here’s a response by Autonorama’s Peter Norton to a recent conversation about Strong Towns’ political leanings (or lack thereof).

Top StoryPeter NortonSeptember 21, 2023politics, advocacy, engineers

On Learning to Not Avoid “Politics”

Advocating for stronger towns eventually means engaging with your city’s systems of governance.

Owens, Top StoryTiffany Owens ReedMay 2, 2023advocacy, public engagement, politics

On the Conservative Reaction to 15-Minute Cities

On today’s episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck Marohn dives into controversies surrounding the concept of the 15-minute city.

Podcast, Marohn, Top StoryStrong TownsMarch 13, 2023podcast, walkability, 15-Minute Cities, politics, mixed use, neighborhoods

In This Housing Fight, It’s Conservative Politicians vs. Conservative Policies

One would expect a Republican governor to endorse free-market solutions on a local level, yet housing and zoning tend to scramble traditional political debates in unexpected ways.

News, Top StoryBen AbramsonJanuary 12, 2023Incremental Housing, housing, housing affordability, housing crisis, housing cost, politics, florida

Vaccines Reduce Auto Crashes...?

The Reckless Driver™ narrative reaches a whole new level of absurdity, associating reckless driving with failure to vaccinate against COVID-19.

Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnJanuary 9, 2023car crash, politics, Street Design, stroad, safe and productive streets, covid

The Power of Talking Locally Over the Noise of National Politics

Lauren Fisher joins Chuck Marohn to talk about the Strong Towns approach to communication, as well as the power of thinking locally in our current political atmosphere.