Upzoned https://upzoned.podbean.com Sometimes, a hot new story will cross our desks that we need to talk about right away. That's where Upzoned comes in. Join Strong Towns President Chuck Marohn, Carlee Alm-LaBar, Norm Van Eeden Petersman, and other guests to talk in depth about one big story from the week in the Strong Towns conversation, right when you want it: now.

]]> Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0500 https://podbean.com/?v=5.5 en us Copyright 2018 All rights reserved. Business:Non-Profit 1440 episodic Join Abby Kinney, Chuck Marohn, and occasional surprise guests to talk in depth about just one big story from the week in the Strong Towns conversation, right when you want it: now. Strong Towns Strong Towns No false https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/3423343/upzoned_cover-art_medium.jpg Upzoned https://upzoned.podbean.com 144 144 Unpacking The Myth That Growth Pays For Growth Unpacking The Myth That Growth Pays For Growth https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/unpacking-the-myth-that-growth-pays-for-growth/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/unpacking-the-myth-that-growth-pays-for-growth/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/9aac707f-deeb-3348-89e3-ef05376b4105 Development cost charges are supposed to make growth pay for itself, but this conversation shows just how far that promise falls short. Norm Van Eeden Petersman, Michel Durand-Wood, and Dan Winer unpack Ontario’s deal to halve development charges, British Columbia’s per‑unit fee structure that punishes small infill, and Winnipeg’s court battle over impact fees. They reveal how these choices ripple into housing prices, municipal deficits, and whether existing neighborhoods ever see the gentle density and local services they’ve been promised.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Development cost charges are supposed to make growth pay for itself, but this conversation shows just how far that promise falls short. Norm Van Eeden Petersman, Michel Durand-Wood, and Dan Winer unpack Ontario’s deal to halve development charges, British Columbia’s per‑unit fee structure that punishes small infill, and Winnipeg’s court battle over impact fees. They reveal how these choices ripple into housing prices, municipal deficits, and whether existing neighborhoods ever see the gentle density and local services they’ve been promised.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 2498 278 full The $600K Snow Budget That Became a $6 Million Problem The $600K Snow Budget That Became a $6 Million Problem https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/the-600k-snow-budget-that-became-a-6-million-problem/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/the-600k-snow-budget-that-became-a-6-million-problem/#comments Wed, 08 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/078d145b-2b59-3e3c-be8d-494bcc61ac77 A Massachusetts town budgeted $600,000 for snow and ended up spending $6 million clearing its streets. Norm Van Eeden Petersman, Daniel Herriges, and Gracen Johnson trace the links between winter operations, stormwater, supply chains, labor, and land use in cities facing serious snow. Starting with Boston’s overrun numbers, they widen the lens to Ottawa’s snow storage sites and Minneapolis’ potholes, asking what happens when seasonal extremes collide with tight city budgets.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> A Massachusetts town budgeted $600,000 for snow and ended up spending $6 million clearing its streets. Norm Van Eeden Petersman, Daniel Herriges, and Gracen Johnson trace the links between winter operations, stormwater, supply chains, labor, and land use in cities facing serious snow. Starting with Boston’s overrun numbers, they widen the lens to Ottawa’s snow storage sites and Minneapolis’ potholes, asking what happens when seasonal extremes collide with tight city budgets.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 2657 277 full What LA’s Trash Problem Reveals About Its Streets What LA’s Trash Problem Reveals About Its Streets https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/what-la-s-trash-problem-reveals-about-its-streets/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/what-la-s-trash-problem-reveals-about-its-streets/#comments Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:21:04 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/98b51780-e89f-3992-99f6-8df4b5753b80 While Los Angeles gets ready for the Olympics and World Cup, residents watch trash pile up in the places tourists never see. Chuck, Norm, and Carlee trace the links between auto‑oriented growth, a strained city budget, and basic services that can’t keep up. Through one neighborhood organizer’s Saturday cleanups, they show how garbage exposes which streets are truly cared for.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> While Los Angeles gets ready for the Olympics and World Cup, residents watch trash pile up in the places tourists never see. Chuck, Norm, and Carlee trace the links between auto‑oriented growth, a strained city budget, and basic services that can’t keep up. Through one neighborhood organizer’s Saturday cleanups, they show how garbage exposes which streets are truly cared for.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 2777 276 full Why a Legal Home Addition Sparked Outrage in Fairfax County Why a Legal Home Addition Sparked Outrage in Fairfax County https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/why-a-legal-home-addition-sparked-outrage-in-fairfax-county/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/why-a-legal-home-addition-sparked-outrage-in-fairfax-county/#comments Wed, 17 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/d62eb887-1fca-3d71-ac86-78adc2efc275 A multigenerational home addition sparked national attention and local outrage in Fairfax County, Virginia. Chief Technical Advisor Edward Erfurt sits down with guest host Norm Van Eeden Petersman to explore why legally allowed housing can still feel deeply disruptive — and what this reveals about zoning, design, and incremental change.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> A multigenerational home addition sparked national attention and local outrage in Fairfax County, Virginia. Chief Technical Advisor Edward Erfurt sits down with guest host Norm Van Eeden Petersman to explore why legally allowed housing can still feel deeply disruptive — and what this reveals about zoning, design, and incremental change.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 3014 275 full Zoning Reform Is Only Step 1 in Fighting the Housing Crisis Zoning Reform Is Only Step 1 in Fighting the Housing Crisis https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/zoning-reform-is-only-step-1-in-fighting-the-housing-crisis/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/zoning-reform-is-only-step-1-in-fighting-the-housing-crisis/#comments Wed, 10 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/80086119-123b-3742-b636-8de0c59a4568 Utah wants to override local zoning to boost housing supply, but allowed by right doesn't mean possible in practice. Abby and Edward dig into the hidden barriers — complicated permits, scarce financing, and broken systems — that stop housing from actually getting built.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Utah wants to override local zoning to boost housing supply, but allowed by right doesn't mean possible in practice. Abby and Edward dig into the hidden barriers — complicated permits, scarce financing, and broken systems — that stop housing from actually getting built.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 3376 274 full What Happens When Official Decisions Clash With Community Traditions? What Happens When Official Decisions Clash With Community Traditions? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/what-happens-when-official-decisions-clash-with-community-traditions/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/what-happens-when-official-decisions-clash-with-community-traditions/#comments Wed, 03 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/c06f091e-ff00-3492-b852-96fa9316acfb Who decides when community traditions change? Lafayette, Louisiana, recently rerouted its Mardi Gras parade. The goal was to improve public safety, but the change left neighborhoods, businesses, and long-standing customs in the lurch.

Guest host Norm Van Eeden Petersman sits down with Lafayette resident and former city staffer Carlee Alm-LaBar to explore how communities can navigate change while respecting culture and shared ownership.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Who decides when community traditions change? Lafayette, Louisiana, recently rerouted its Mardi Gras parade. The goal was to improve public safety, but the change left neighborhoods, businesses, and long-standing customs in the lurch.

Guest host Norm Van Eeden Petersman sits down with Lafayette resident and former city staffer Carlee Alm-LaBar to explore how communities can navigate change while respecting culture and shared ownership.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 2612 273 full How To Fix Washington DC's New Rules for Outdoor Dining How To Fix Washington DC's New Rules for Outdoor Dining https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-to-fix-washington-dcs-new-rules-for-outdoor-dining/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-to-fix-washington-dcs-new-rules-for-outdoor-dining/#comments Wed, 26 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/4a9fe0bb-4a06-3def-9028-3cd5448f14bb Last week, we heard how DC's outdoor dining regulations threaten local businesses. Today, urban designers Abby Newsham and Edward Erfurt explore how DC could course-correct. They share creative ways that cities can maintain safety while supporting local businesses and even improving the design of their streets.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Last week, we heard how DC's outdoor dining regulations threaten local businesses. Today, urban designers Abby Newsham and Edward Erfurt explore how DC could course-correct. They share creative ways that cities can maintain safety while supporting local businesses and even improving the design of their streets.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 3102 272 full DC Is Charging Thousands for Outdoor Dining. Is This a Good Idea? DC Is Charging Thousands for Outdoor Dining. Is This a Good Idea? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/dc-charges-thousands-for-outdoor-dining-is-this-good-practice/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/dc-charges-thousands-for-outdoor-dining-is-this-good-practice/#comments Wed, 19 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/b7cc7fd1-99d6-3ff8-879c-299b10d83afe Washington DC is charging restaurants thousands of dollars to keep their streateries — outdoor dining areas built during Covid-19. Are these fees fair compensation for public space, or will they kill the local businesses they were meant to save?

Guest host Norm Van Eeden Petersman dives into this question with Carlee Alm-LaBar, a former city official who helped bring streateries to her own city.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Washington DC is charging restaurants thousands of dollars to keep their streateries — outdoor dining areas built during Covid-19. Are these fees fair compensation for public space, or will they kill the local businesses they were meant to save?

Guest host Norm Van Eeden Petersman dives into this question with Carlee Alm-LaBar, a former city official who helped bring streateries to her own city.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 1804 271 full 5 Ways Ordinary People Are Making Their Places Stronger 5 Ways Ordinary People Are Making Their Places Stronger https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/5-ways-ordinary-people-are-making-their-places-stronger/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/5-ways-ordinary-people-are-making-their-places-stronger/#comments Wed, 12 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/d1d10f2b-1f6e-37d0-b532-e8ff40356b96 Abby is joined by Carlee Alm-LaBar, the chief of staff for Strong Towns, and John Reuter, advisory board member for Strong Towns. They discuss several stories of people across the country taking action to make their communities better, from building houses to painting curbs.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Abby is joined by Carlee Alm-LaBar, the chief of staff for Strong Towns, and John Reuter, advisory board member for Strong Towns. They discuss several stories of people across the country taking action to make their communities better, from building houses to painting curbs.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3367 270 full Will Elon Musk's Data Centers Actually Help Memphis? Will Elon Musk's Data Centers Actually Help Memphis? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/can-data-centers-actually-help-cities-in-economic-decline/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/can-data-centers-actually-help-cities-in-economic-decline/#comments Wed, 05 Nov 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/014e751b-5770-3538-9f57-7d028d82cc60 Elon Musk's company xAI is building massive data centers in Memphis, promising economic transformation. But at what cost? Abby is joined by Strong Towns Blog Editor and podcast host Asia Mieleszko to dissect the billion-dollar AI infrastructure boom and explore why cities keep falling for "shiny object urbanism."

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Hey listener! You hear from us all the time, but today we want to hear from you. We want your feedback on this podcast and any other Strong Towns podcast you like to listen to. Please fill out this quick survey to share your thoughts: strongtowns.org/survey

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Elon Musk's company xAI is building massive data centers in Memphis, promising economic transformation. But at what cost? Abby is joined by Strong Towns Blog Editor and podcast host Asia Mieleszko to dissect the billion-dollar AI infrastructure boom and explore why cities keep falling for "shiny object urbanism."

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES


Hey listener! You hear from us all the time, but today we want to hear from you. We want your feedback on this podcast and any other Strong Towns podcast you like to listen to. Please fill out this quick survey to share your thoughts: strongtowns.org/survey

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 3026 269 full Historic Bridge Battle: Will 1 Town Profit While the Other Pays? Historic Bridge Battle: Will 1 Town Profit While the Other Pays? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/historic-bridge-battle-will-1-town-profit-while-the-other-pays/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/historic-bridge-battle-will-1-town-profit-while-the-other-pays/#comments Wed, 29 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/ab56698f-ef63-3d7c-8ce7-976065e6dcc5 Two towns, two states, and two historic bridges that nobody wants to pay for. Brattleboro, Vermont, wants to reactivate two historic bridges with a pedestrian greenway. Hinsdale, New Hampshire, worries about increased crime and being saddled with the majority of maintenance costs while getting fewer returns. Abby and Norm discuss this dilemma, comparing it to similar bridge projects and identifying possible next steps for activating this underutilized infrastructure.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Two towns, two states, and two historic bridges that nobody wants to pay for. Brattleboro, Vermont, wants to reactivate two historic bridges with a pedestrian greenway. Hinsdale, New Hampshire, worries about increased crime and being saddled with the majority of maintenance costs while getting fewer returns. Abby and Norm discuss this dilemma, comparing it to similar bridge projects and identifying possible next steps for activating this underutilized infrastructure.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 1410 268 full When a Town's Biggest Taxpayer Becomes Its Biggest Problem When a Town's Biggest Taxpayer Becomes Its Biggest Problem https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/when-a-towns-biggest-taxpayer-becomes-its-biggest-problem/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/when-a-towns-biggest-taxpayer-becomes-its-biggest-problem/#comments Wed, 22 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/5592f012-99a3-3c65-89c0-4aeb54ece656 What do you do with 720,000 square feet of dead mall? Towns across America are struggling to find the answer as their malls shut down, leaving budget craters and infrastructure nightmares in their wake. Abby is joined by Carlee Alm-LaBar, Strong Towns' chief of staff and a former city staffer, to explore whether the answer is a grand redevelopment plan — or thinking radically smaller.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> What do you do with 720,000 square feet of dead mall? Towns across America are struggling to find the answer as their malls shut down, leaving budget craters and infrastructure nightmares in their wake. Abby is joined by Carlee Alm-LaBar, Strong Towns' chief of staff and a former city staffer, to explore whether the answer is a grand redevelopment plan — or thinking radically smaller.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 2259 267 full 2 Towns, 2 Responses to the Housing Crisis. Which Will Succeed? 2 Towns, 2 Responses to the Housing Crisis. Which Will Succeed? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/2-towns-2-responses-to-the-housing-crisis-which-will-succeed/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/2-towns-2-responses-to-the-housing-crisis-which-will-succeed/#comments Wed, 15 Oct 2025 05:30:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/860c0563-16a4-3fdd-a61b-95c5e2862108 Littleton, Colorado, wants to ban everything other than single-family homes. The neighboring town of Lakewood wants to allow more housing variety. Norm and Abby dive into what's driving these radically different responses to the housing crisis and what happens when cities try to exempt themselves from change.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Littleton, Colorado, wants to ban everything other than single-family homes. The neighboring town of Lakewood wants to allow more housing variety. Norm and Abby dive into what's driving these radically different responses to the housing crisis and what happens when cities try to exempt themselves from change.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 2841 266 full Public Transit Will Collapse in a Year. Should We Save It? Public Transit Will Collapse in a Year. Should We Save It? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/public-transit-will-collapse-in-a-year-should-we-save-it/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/public-transit-will-collapse-in-a-year-should-we-save-it/#comments Wed, 08 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/cdc73857-112b-36be-9574-a5c95ce13654 By the end of 2026, many U.S. cities could see large parts of their public transit systems crumble under a lack of federal funding and a development pattern that was never designed to support it. In this episode, Chuck Marohn and Abby Newsham explore why transit can’t survive as a charity and how localized funding and smarter land use could create systems that actually work.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> By the end of 2026, many U.S. cities could see large parts of their public transit systems crumble under a lack of federal funding and a development pattern that was never designed to support it. In this episode, Chuck Marohn and Abby Newsham explore why transit can’t survive as a charity and how localized funding and smarter land use could create systems that actually work.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 3644 265 full LA Just Avoided 1600 Layoffs. Is That a Good Thing? LA Just Avoided 1600 Layoffs. Is That a Good Thing? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/la-just-avoided-1600-layoffs-is-that-a-good-thing/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/la-just-avoided-1600-layoffs-is-that-a-good-thing/#comments Wed, 01 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/082cab2e-440f-3939-954f-0ca95e4fdcea The city of Los Angeles recently announced that it saved 1,600 jobs that were at risk of being cut to balance its $1 billion budget deficit. But did it actually fix anything, or is it just shuffling money around to hide the problem? What role do unions play? And what should cities actually do when facing a major budget deficit?

Strong Towns Chief Technical Advisor Edward Erfurt dives into these questions with guest host Norm Van Eeden Petersman in this episode of Upzoned.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> The city of Los Angeles recently announced that it saved 1,600 jobs that were at risk of being cut to balance its $1 billion budget deficit. But did it actually fix anything, or is it just shuffling money around to hide the problem? What role do unions play? And what should cities actually do when facing a major budget deficit?

Strong Towns Chief Technical Advisor Edward Erfurt dives into these questions with guest host Norm Van Eeden Petersman in this episode of Upzoned.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2834 264 full Tulsa Offers Remote Workers $10K To Move. Is It Paying Off? Tulsa Offers Remote Workers $10K To Move. Is It Paying Off? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/tulsa-offers-remote-workers-10k-to-move-is-it-paying-off/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/tulsa-offers-remote-workers-10k-to-move-is-it-paying-off/#comments Wed, 24 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/97cb13dd-f41b-369c-8aa1-da08fea4064b The Tulsa Remote program pays remote workers $10,000 to relocate to Tulsa for a year. A study found that, for every dollar spent, Tulsa sees $4.31 in economic benefits, including increased local spending, tax revenue, and job creation. Abby is joined by John Pattinson, Strong Towns’ community builder, discuss whether this kind of program is a smart way to boost the local economy.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> The Tulsa Remote program pays remote workers $10,000 to relocate to Tulsa for a year. A study found that, for every dollar spent, Tulsa sees $4.31 in economic benefits, including increased local spending, tax revenue, and job creation. Abby is joined by John Pattinson, Strong Towns’ community builder, discuss whether this kind of program is a smart way to boost the local economy.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 1789 263 full Housing Supply Is About to Exceed Demand. Now What? Housing Supply Is About to Exceed Demand. Now What? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/housing-supply-is-about-to-exceed-demand-now-what/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/housing-supply-is-about-to-exceed-demand-now-what/#comments Wed, 17 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/606ed97a-1acb-3dfd-870e-2c29e34af6e6 As baby boomers downsize, relocate, or pass away, millions of homes are projected to rejoin the housing market by 2030, potentially exceeding housing demand by 1 million homes. In today's episode, Chuck and Abby discuss how generational shifts affect the housing market, what an excess of supply could mean for cities' financial stability, and how a simple "build, build, build" mindset could cause serious problems down the line.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> As baby boomers downsize, relocate, or pass away, millions of homes are projected to rejoin the housing market by 2030, potentially exceeding housing demand by 1 million homes. In today's episode, Chuck and Abby discuss how generational shifts affect the housing market, what an excess of supply could mean for cities' financial stability, and how a simple "build, build, build" mindset could cause serious problems down the line.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 2790 262 full Can a Tax on House Flipping Stop Canada's Housing Crisis? Can a Tax on House Flipping Stop Canada's Housing Crisis? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/can-a-tax-on-house-flipping-stop-canadas-housing-crisis/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/can-a-tax-on-house-flipping-stop-canadas-housing-crisis/#comments Wed, 10 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/ecc1531f-4db4-3ed6-b080-5d366e6ccc6b For years, investors and speculators shaped Canada's housing market. But now, people who actually live in those homes are beginning to have more influence. Today, Abby is joined by Norm Van Eeden Petersman, Strong Towns' director of membership and a Canadian, to discuss how this shift happened, how it'll affect Canada's housing market, and the implications for the rest of North America.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> For years, investors and speculators shaped Canada's housing market. But now, people who actually live in those homes are beginning to have more influence. Today, Abby is joined by Norm Van Eeden Petersman, Strong Towns' director of membership and a Canadian, to discuss how this shift happened, how it'll affect Canada's housing market, and the implications for the rest of North America.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 2426 261 full How Mortgage Fraud Makes the Housing Market More Expensive How Mortgage Fraud Makes the Housing Market More Expensive https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-mortgage-fraud-makes-the-housing-market-more-expensive/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-mortgage-fraud-makes-the-housing-market-more-expensive/#comments Wed, 03 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/4eb7f13e-8d13-32d1-b653-ede15d3ec3df Several high-profile members of the government have been accused of committing mortgage fraud recently, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Today, Chuck and Abby explore how mortgage fraud distorts the housing market, why it happens so frequently — and why no one in the financial system is interested in stopping it.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Several high-profile members of the government have been accused of committing mortgage fraud recently, including Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Today, Chuck and Abby explore how mortgage fraud distorts the housing market, why it happens so frequently — and why no one in the financial system is interested in stopping it.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 3360 260 full Are Sponge Cities the Flood Control Fix We Need? Are Sponge Cities the Flood Control Fix We Need? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/are-sponge-cities-the-flood-control-fix-we-need/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/are-sponge-cities-the-flood-control-fix-we-need/#comments Wed, 27 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/9703612f-a761-380d-87e5-c1c05d9ba254 Join Abby and guest John Pattison as they dive into the benefits and drawbacks of "sponge cities," cities that incorporate natural features like wetlands into their stormwater management infrastructure. Is this method more resilient in the long term? Do the benefits outweigh the massive cost? How does this relate to the incremental, bottom-up approach? They’ll cover all this and more in today’s episode of Upzoned.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Join Abby and guest John Pattison as they dive into the benefits and drawbacks of "sponge cities," cities that incorporate natural features like wetlands into their stormwater management infrastructure. Is this method more resilient in the long term? Do the benefits outweigh the massive cost? How does this relate to the incremental, bottom-up approach? They’ll cover all this and more in today’s episode of Upzoned.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 2412 259 full Why Data Center Electricity Use "Scares Me to the Bone" Why Data Center Electricity Use "Scares Me to the Bone" https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/why-data-center-electricity-use-scares-me-to-the-bone/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/why-data-center-electricity-use-scares-me-to-the-bone/#comments Wed, 20 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/8b853041-e052-3fcc-8b9a-2559072b012d Data centers power everything from cloud computing to artificial intelligence, and they use a massive amount of electricity, sometimes even rivaling major cities. Watchdogs claim that tech companies aren’t absorbing the costs of this electricity use, causing rate payers’ electricity bills to spike as they’re forced to subsidize these data centers. Today, Edward and Abby discuss the far-reaching implications of this kind of land use.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Data centers power everything from cloud computing to artificial intelligence, and they use a massive amount of electricity, sometimes even rivaling major cities. Watchdogs claim that tech companies aren’t absorbing the costs of this electricity use, causing rate payers’ electricity bills to spike as they’re forced to subsidize these data centers. Today, Edward and Abby discuss the far-reaching implications of this kind of land use.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 2673 258 full Why Colorado Is Facing a Senior Housing Crisis Why Colorado Is Facing a Senior Housing Crisis https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/why-colorado-is-facing-a-senior-housing-crisi/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/why-colorado-is-facing-a-senior-housing-crisi/#comments Wed, 13 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/647eb168-f81e-3c98-8d94-133e9f544164 Colorado's population is rapidly aging. Soon, one in five people in the state will be be over 65 years old. Limited housing stock means seniors are stuck in too-large homes that they can’t afford to maintain. In turn, that means there’s fewer large homes for younger families who need them.

Today, Abby is joined by Katy Clagett, an incremental developer originally from Colorado who’s working to develop infill housing options for seniors. They discuss what Colorado’s situation means for communities and how we can reshape housing to be more adaptable to the needs of all age groups.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Colorado's population is rapidly aging. Soon, one in five people in the state will be be over 65 years old. Limited housing stock means seniors are stuck in too-large homes that they can’t afford to maintain. In turn, that means there’s fewer large homes for younger families who need them.

Today, Abby is joined by Katy Clagett, an incremental developer originally from Colorado who’s working to develop infill housing options for seniors. They discuss what Colorado’s situation means for communities and how we can reshape housing to be more adaptable to the needs of all age groups.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 2670 257 full Why LA Is Struggling To Rebuild 6 Months After Wildfires Why LA Is Struggling To Rebuild 6 Months After Wildfires https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/why-la-is-struggling-to-rebuild-6-months-after-wildfires/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/why-la-is-struggling-to-rebuild-6-months-after-wildfires/#comments Wed, 06 Aug 2025 10:21:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/337c68c2-baf6-3f47-9cec-62c9b72a585e In January 2025, wildfires swept across Los Angeles with record-breaking destruction. To encourage swift rebuilding, Governor Newsom suspended environmental regulations. But six months later, only a fraction of homeowners have even received permits, let alone started the rebuilding process. Chuck is joined by Edward Erfurt, Strong Towns’ chief technical advisor, to talk about why, as well as the deeper challenges of rebuilding in fire-prone areas.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> In January 2025, wildfires swept across Los Angeles with record-breaking destruction. To encourage swift rebuilding, Governor Newsom suspended environmental regulations. But six months later, only a fraction of homeowners have even received permits, let alone started the rebuilding process. Chuck is joined by Edward Erfurt, Strong Towns’ chief technical advisor, to talk about why, as well as the deeper challenges of rebuilding in fire-prone areas.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 2588 256 full Want To Use This Rural Road? That’ll Be $50K Want To Use This Rural Road? That’ll Be $50K https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/want-to-use-this-rural-road-that-ll-be-50k/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/want-to-use-this-rural-road-that-ll-be-50k/#comments Wed, 30 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/50162ea6-d4ee-3cf7-aa89-f63cb6a445b6 In Lincoln County, South Dakota, a growing agriculture company is being charged $50,000 annually for wear and tear on township roads caused by the company's trucks and machinery.

Abby and Edward discuss the balancing act between infrastructure costs and municipal budgets, especially in rural areas with few taxpayers. They explore the public process behind this kind of decision and offer suggestions on how it could be improved.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> In Lincoln County, South Dakota, a growing agriculture company is being charged $50,000 annually for wear and tear on township roads caused by the company's trucks and machinery.

Abby and Edward discuss the balancing act between infrastructure costs and municipal budgets, especially in rural areas with few taxpayers. They explore the public process behind this kind of decision and offer suggestions on how it could be improved.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

]]> Strong Towns false No 3020 255 full Suburbs Broke the American Sunbelt. Now What? Suburbs Broke the American Sunbelt. Now What? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/suburbs-broke-the-american-sunbelt-now-what/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/suburbs-broke-the-american-sunbelt-now-what/#comments Wed, 16 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/7c665522-c1ba-3341-b677-1c06f6a1a241 Sunbelt cities like Phoenix, Dallas, and Atlanta have long prided themselves on having affordable and abundant housing. However, they’re now seeing stagnation in housing construction and rapidly rising costs. Today, Abby is joined by Rachel Leonardo, a trained architect and Strong Towns’ video creator, to discuss how rigid single-use zoning has locked cities into expensive fragility. They explore whether these cities can course correct and how they could become more resilient and prosperous in the long-term.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership, including member-exclusive perks.

]]> Sunbelt cities like Phoenix, Dallas, and Atlanta have long prided themselves on having affordable and abundant housing. However, they’re now seeing stagnation in housing construction and rapidly rising costs. Today, Abby is joined by Rachel Leonardo, a trained architect and Strong Towns’ video creator, to discuss how rigid single-use zoning has locked cities into expensive fragility. They explore whether these cities can course correct and how they could become more resilient and prosperous in the long-term.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership, including member-exclusive perks.

]]> Strong Towns false No 3220 254 full How To Stop Slumlords and Protect Urban Spaces How To Stop Slumlords and Protect Urban Spaces https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-to-stop-slumlords-and-protect-urban-spaces/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-to-stop-slumlords-and-protect-urban-spaces/#comments Wed, 02 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/06169442-106b-3016-9916-5a3be4c87a13 Today, Abby is joined by Bernice Radle, a small-scale developer and historic building preservationist from Buffalo, New York. They cover two developing stories: First, a new bill was proposed that would give the Buffalo housing court more power to sell or repair buildings taken from absentee or negligent landlords. Second, the Historic Preservation Fund is currently at risk.

Bernice and Abby discuss how these changes could affect small-scale developers and historic preservationists. Bernice also explores how these two fields are closely linked and should work together to save urban spaces.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership, including member-exclusive perks.

]]> Today, Abby is joined by Bernice Radle, a small-scale developer and historic building preservationist from Buffalo, New York. They cover two developing stories: First, a new bill was proposed that would give the Buffalo housing court more power to sell or repair buildings taken from absentee or negligent landlords. Second, the Historic Preservation Fund is currently at risk.

Bernice and Abby discuss how these changes could affect small-scale developers and historic preservationists. Bernice also explores how these two fields are closely linked and should work together to save urban spaces.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

 

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership, including member-exclusive perks.

]]> Strong Towns false No 3703 253 full A Strong Towns View of the New SpaceX Company Town A Strong Towns View of the New SpaceX Company Town https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/a-strong-towns-view-of-the-new-spacex-company-town/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/a-strong-towns-view-of-the-new-spacex-company-town/#comments Wed, 14 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/2f60337f-d941-3c0e-bbb6-c65e4794ad74 Residents of Boca Chica, Texas, have voted to turn their community into a new official city called Starbase. This new municipality is tightly controlled by SpaceX leadership and most residents are SpaceX employees, which has raised concerns about the reemergence of company towns.

In this Upzoned episode, Abby is joined by our Chief Technical Advisor Edward Erfurt to discuss the Strong Towns perspective on this story.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Residents of Boca Chica, Texas, have voted to turn their community into a new official city called Starbase. This new municipality is tightly controlled by SpaceX leadership and most residents are SpaceX employees, which has raised concerns about the reemergence of company towns.

In this Upzoned episode, Abby is joined by our Chief Technical Advisor Edward Erfurt to discuss the Strong Towns perspective on this story.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2616 252 full California Universities Face a $17 Billion Growth Ponzi Scheme California Universities Face a $17 Billion Growth Ponzi Scheme https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/california-universities-face-a-17-billion-growth-ponzi-scheme/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/california-universities-face-a-17-billion-growth-ponzi-scheme/#comments Wed, 07 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/88ed9806-8df8-3568-9636-7b708c92e1b0 As of the 2023-24 academic year, the University of California faces $9.1 billion in deferred maintenance, while California State University faces $8.3 billion. In today’s episode, Chuck and Abby explore how this problem arose, how it mirrors the challenges cities are facing, and what it'll take to manage this decline.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> As of the 2023-24 academic year, the University of California faces $9.1 billion in deferred maintenance, while California State University faces $8.3 billion. In today’s episode, Chuck and Abby explore how this problem arose, how it mirrors the challenges cities are facing, and what it'll take to manage this decline.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3357 251 full Will Privatizing Mortgages Fix the Housing Market? Will Privatizing Mortgages Fix the Housing Market? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/will-privatizing-mortgages-fix-the-housing-market/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/will-privatizing-mortgages-fix-the-housing-market/#comments Wed, 09 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/61016974-8496-3c2d-907f-20482e9029d4 President Trump has proposed the privatization of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, organizations that back the majority of mortgages in the U.S. and have been under a government conservatorship since the 2008 financial crisis. In this Upzoned episode, Chuck and Abby discuss the proposal and how it would affect the housing market.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> President Trump has proposed the privatization of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, organizations that back the majority of mortgages in the U.S. and have been under a government conservatorship since the 2008 financial crisis. In this Upzoned episode, Chuck and Abby discuss the proposal and how it would affect the housing market.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3517 250 full Can We Take Community Wealth Back From Walmart and Kroger? Can We Take Community Wealth Back From Walmart and Kroger? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/can-we-take-community-wealth-back-from-walmart-and-kroger/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/can-we-take-community-wealth-back-from-walmart-and-kroger/#comments Wed, 19 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/f71e8992-399e-39f4-95b3-4421f52a353d In this Upzoned episode, Abby is joined by Strong Towns Chief Technical Advisor Edward Erfurt to discuss the emergence of food deserts in the United States. In the 1980s, the U.S. government stopped enforcing price discrimination laws, letting large supermarkets use their size to leverage better prices from suppliers. This led to the closure of many small, independent groceries and helped create today's food deserts.

Abby and Edward discuss the shift from grocery stores being neighborhood assets to regional destinations and how that extracts wealth from communities. Then they share bottom-up ways that everyday people can address these food shortages in their communities.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In this Upzoned episode, Abby is joined by Strong Towns Chief Technical Advisor Edward Erfurt to discuss the emergence of food deserts in the United States. In the 1980s, the U.S. government stopped enforcing price discrimination laws, letting large supermarkets use their size to leverage better prices from suppliers. This led to the closure of many small, independent groceries and helped create today's food deserts.

Abby and Edward discuss the shift from grocery stores being neighborhood assets to regional destinations and how that extracts wealth from communities. Then they share bottom-up ways that everyday people can address these food shortages in their communities.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2937 249 full What Does the Future Look Like for Tiny Towns? What Does the Future Look Like for Tiny Towns? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/what-does-the-future-look-like-for-tiny-towns/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/what-does-the-future-look-like-for-tiny-towns/#comments Wed, 05 Mar 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/770913c7-7737-3a8c-a0df-5a2d8137555b Co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss the challenges faced by Victoria, Prince Edward Island, a town in Canada that only has 139 full-time residents. In an attempt to attract new residents, the town has adopted its first five-year development plan.

Chuck and Abby talk about how very small towns like Victoria show the absurdities of the Suburban Experiment best — and feel its consequences most keenly. They explore what the future could look like for communities like this and emphasize the importance of embracing the things that make a specific town special instead of trying to copy suburban subdivisions.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss the challenges faced by Victoria, Prince Edward Island, a town in Canada that only has 139 full-time residents. In an attempt to attract new residents, the town has adopted its first five-year development plan.

Chuck and Abby talk about how very small towns like Victoria show the absurdities of the Suburban Experiment best — and feel its consequences most keenly. They explore what the future could look like for communities like this and emphasize the importance of embracing the things that make a specific town special instead of trying to copy suburban subdivisions.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3314 248 full How a Popular Development Practice Backfires on Homeowners How a Popular Development Practice Backfires on Homeowners https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-a-popular-development-practice-backfires-on-homeowners/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-a-popular-development-practice-backfires-on-homeowners/#comments Wed, 26 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/2c7fd888-e8a2-3d54-9323-609544a88acb Residents of a neighborhood in Colorado are confronting a $434 million debt incurred by their community’s special taxing district, which was set up by developers to finance the neighborhood’s infrastructure. A group of neighbors are now organizing to take control of the district’s board and try to bring transparency to the financial situation.

In today’s episode of Upzoned, Abby is joined by Edward Erfurt, Strong Towns’ chief technical advisor. They discuss how using special taxing districts to fund developments is a common practice, how it leads to snowballing debt, and how difficult it is for residents to manage this kind of situation.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Residents of a neighborhood in Colorado are confronting a $434 million debt incurred by their community’s special taxing district, which was set up by developers to finance the neighborhood’s infrastructure. A group of neighbors are now organizing to take control of the district’s board and try to bring transparency to the financial situation.

In today’s episode of Upzoned, Abby is joined by Edward Erfurt, Strong Towns’ chief technical advisor. They discuss how using special taxing districts to fund developments is a common practice, how it leads to snowballing debt, and how difficult it is for residents to manage this kind of situation.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2749 247 full How To Handle the Looming Shortage of Senior Housing How To Handle the Looming Shortage of Senior Housing https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-to-handle-the-looming-shortage-of-senior-housing/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-to-handle-the-looming-shortage-of-senior-housing/#comments Wed, 19 Feb 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/d0d0ea19-f8d7-3e54-9f5f-831ddb99e7d4 The U.S. senior housing market is poised to shift from a surplus to a shortage in the next five years, as the oldest baby boomers turn 80 by 2030. In this Upzoned episode, Abby is joined by Norm Van Eeden Petersman, Strong Towns’ director of Movement Building. They unpack the implications of this market shift and discuss what building more options for older adults could look like.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> The U.S. senior housing market is poised to shift from a surplus to a shortage in the next five years, as the oldest baby boomers turn 80 by 2030. In this Upzoned episode, Abby is joined by Norm Van Eeden Petersman, Strong Towns’ director of Movement Building. They unpack the implications of this market shift and discuss what building more options for older adults could look like.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2541 246 full How To Reform Chicago Zoning: The Western Avenue Project How To Reform Chicago Zoning: The Western Avenue Project https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-to-reform-chicago-zoning-the-western-avenue-project/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-to-reform-chicago-zoning-the-western-avenue-project/#comments Wed, 12 Feb 2025 05:30:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/da698c62-fb2b-35c7-93fa-6dd70ef0ff26 In this episode, Abby is joined by Chicago aldermen Matt Martin and Andre Vasquez to discusses the Western Avenue corridor study, one of the most ambitious planning efforts Chicago has seen in decades. It includes widespread rezoning reform, and it also addresses affordable housing, economic vitality and transit efficiency. The aldermen share their approach to rezoning, emphasizing the importance of a community-first approach.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In this episode, Abby is joined by Chicago aldermen Matt Martin and Andre Vasquez to discusses the Western Avenue corridor study, one of the most ambitious planning efforts Chicago has seen in decades. It includes widespread rezoning reform, and it also addresses affordable housing, economic vitality and transit efficiency. The aldermen share their approach to rezoning, emphasizing the importance of a community-first approach.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2404 245 full Why Massachusetts Might Sue Its Cities Over Zoning Codes Why Massachusetts Might Sue Its Cities Over Zoning Codes https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/why-massachusetts-might-sue-its-cities-over-zoning-codes/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/why-massachusetts-might-sue-its-cities-over-zoning-codes/#comments Wed, 29 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/e5e529c1-c8ed-3381-b56c-965010d560b3 In 2021, Massachusetts signed a law requiring communities that are served by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) to legalize multifamily housing development near MBTA transit stations. Recently, a state court ruled that the state has the authority to sue cities and towns that don’t comply.

In this episode of Upzoned, Abby and Chuck discuss whether that’s a good idea, the broader trend of states intervening in city zoning practices, and how the root issue is actually poor transportation investment practices.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In 2021, Massachusetts signed a law requiring communities that are served by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority (MBTA) to legalize multifamily housing development near MBTA transit stations. Recently, a state court ruled that the state has the authority to sue cities and towns that don’t comply.

In this episode of Upzoned, Abby and Chuck discuss whether that’s a good idea, the broader trend of states intervening in city zoning practices, and how the root issue is actually poor transportation investment practices.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3124 244 full How Homeowner’s Insurance May Change in the Wake of California Wildfires How Homeowner’s Insurance May Change in the Wake of California Wildfires https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-homeowner-s-insurance-may-change-in-the-wake-of-california-wildfires/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-homeowner-s-insurance-may-change-in-the-wake-of-california-wildfires/#comments Wed, 22 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/c58ba1bf-2e0f-3b17-a50a-1be96b176523 In California, many major insurers have recently dropped homeowners in high risk areas from their plans, forcing them to seek alternate coverage with the state. However the state has nowhere near enough money to cover current property damage costs, a situation that will likely get worse as wildfires continue to burn.

In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss the impact of natural disasters on the insurance industry, the feasibility of government-run insurance programs, and what this might mean for California in the long term.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In California, many major insurers have recently dropped homeowners in high risk areas from their plans, forcing them to seek alternate coverage with the state. However the state has nowhere near enough money to cover current property damage costs, a situation that will likely get worse as wildfires continue to burn.

In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss the impact of natural disasters on the insurance industry, the feasibility of government-run insurance programs, and what this might mean for California in the long term.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2466 243 full Is Life More Difficult for Younger Generations? Is Life More Difficult for Younger Generations? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/is-life-more-difficult-for-younger-generations/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/is-life-more-difficult-for-younger-generations/#comments Wed, 08 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/c13a49af-9a20-359a-953f-c11c016fc479 In this episode of Upzoned, host Abby Newsham is joined by Kevin Klinkenberg, an urban designer, planner and executive director of a place management organization. They discuss how a middle-class life — especially homeownership — has become increasingly difficult for younger generations to attain. They also cover the factors that contribute to this difficulty and possible responses.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In this episode of Upzoned, host Abby Newsham is joined by Kevin Klinkenberg, an urban designer, planner and executive director of a place management organization. They discuss how a middle-class life — especially homeownership — has become increasingly difficult for younger generations to attain. They also cover the factors that contribute to this difficulty and possible responses.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2312 242 full Motivated Reasoning: The Psychology Behind Big Municipal Projects Motivated Reasoning: The Psychology Behind Big Municipal Projects https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/motivated-reasoning-the-psychology-behind-big-municipal-projects/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/motivated-reasoning-the-psychology-behind-big-municipal-projects/#comments Wed, 04 Dec 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/148ad1f9-ac5f-3826-8d2e-0890cd35f9fe In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn talk about satellite communities — towns that are developed a distance away from existing urbanized areas. They also discuss the psychological phenomena that incline people toward big projects that may solve an immediate issue (such as housing) but will cause larger difficulties later on (such as maintenance debt).

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn talk about satellite communities — towns that are developed a distance away from existing urbanized areas. They also discuss the psychological phenomena that incline people toward big projects that may solve an immediate issue (such as housing) but will cause larger difficulties later on (such as maintenance debt).

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3693 241 full Urban Forests Are the Stroads of Urban Environmental Policy Urban Forests Are the Stroads of Urban Environmental Policy https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/urban-forests-are-the-stroads-of-urban-environmental-policy/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/urban-forests-are-the-stroads-of-urban-environmental-policy/#comments Wed, 27 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/7c7f662a-6f12-3b64-8c39-2e21c1d71516 Canada needs an additional 3.5 million housing units by 2030, and that means Canadian cities — as well as many others throughout North America — are facing the challenge of building more housing without wasting natural resources like mature trees. In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss this balancing act, the high value that trees bring to a community, and why sacrificing “urban forests” for housing doesn’t have to mean sacrificing those trees.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Canada needs an additional 3.5 million housing units by 2030, and that means Canadian cities — as well as many others throughout North America — are facing the challenge of building more housing without wasting natural resources like mature trees. In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss this balancing act, the high value that trees bring to a community, and why sacrificing “urban forests” for housing doesn’t have to mean sacrificing those trees.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2621 240 full The Goldilocks Option: Why Townhouses Might Be Just Right for Housing Development The Goldilocks Option: Why Townhouses Might Be Just Right for Housing Development https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/the-goldilocks-option-why-townhouses-might-be-just-right-for-housing-development/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/the-goldilocks-option-why-townhouses-might-be-just-right-for-housing-development/#comments Wed, 20 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/9e925d3e-05a9-3287-b01d-72413d917e5b In this episode of Upzoned, host Abby Newsham is joined by Andrew Ganahl, managing partner of a real estate development company that specializes in urban infill housing. They discuss a Washington Post article about townhouses, exploring the benefits of this style of development and Ganahl’s own experiences with building townhouses in Kansas City.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In this episode of Upzoned, host Abby Newsham is joined by Andrew Ganahl, managing partner of a real estate development company that specializes in urban infill housing. They discuss a Washington Post article about townhouses, exploring the benefits of this style of development and Ganahl’s own experiences with building townhouses in Kansas City.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2439 239 full Here’s Why You May See More Corner Stores in the Future Here’s Why You May See More Corner Stores in the Future https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/here-s-why-you-may-see-more-corner-stores-in-the-future/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/here-s-why-you-may-see-more-corner-stores-in-the-future/#comments Wed, 13 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/2439aed8-bf81-3107-ac30-2bfd1f618c4b Post-COVID-19, there’s been a resurgence of interest in mixed-use neighborhoods, leading some cities to allow for small corner stores even in neighborhoods that are otherwise residential only.

In this Upzoned episode, host Abby Newsham is joined by Norm Van Eeden Petersman, the director of membership and development for Strong Towns. They discuss the role that small corner stores play in local economies, the benefits of allowing residents to continue using and creating these kinds of businesses, and how to talk to your local government about allowing this kind of use in your own community.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Post-COVID-19, there’s been a resurgence of interest in mixed-use neighborhoods, leading some cities to allow for small corner stores even in neighborhoods that are otherwise residential only.

In this Upzoned episode, host Abby Newsham is joined by Norm Van Eeden Petersman, the director of membership and development for Strong Towns. They discuss the role that small corner stores play in local economies, the benefits of allowing residents to continue using and creating these kinds of businesses, and how to talk to your local government about allowing this kind of use in your own community.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2744 238 full Deferred Maintenance Dilemma: Why Florida’s Condo Market Is Floundering Deferred Maintenance Dilemma: Why Florida’s Condo Market Is Floundering https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/deferred-maintenance-dilemma-why-florida-s-condo-market-is-floundering/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/deferred-maintenance-dilemma-why-florida-s-condo-market-is-floundering/#comments Wed, 06 Nov 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/772b3d69-5e64-33ec-9666-d04e06cf178f After the collapse of a Florida condo made national news in 2021, new safety regulations were enacted, requiring nearly 90% of Florida units to be updated. This left condo owners and buyers blindsided by a large backlog of deferred maintenance costs with no money saved to pay for them.

In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn explain that this situation is an example of the Growth Ponzi Scheme, where maintenance costs are hidden by rapid growth until they eventually come due and bury people or communities in debt. They discuss the effect deferred maintenance has on individuals and communities and explore possible paths forward.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> After the collapse of a Florida condo made national news in 2021, new safety regulations were enacted, requiring nearly 90% of Florida units to be updated. This left condo owners and buyers blindsided by a large backlog of deferred maintenance costs with no money saved to pay for them.

In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn explain that this situation is an example of the Growth Ponzi Scheme, where maintenance costs are hidden by rapid growth until they eventually come due and bury people or communities in debt. They discuss the effect deferred maintenance has on individuals and communities and explore possible paths forward.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3491 237 full Can “Urban Homesteading” Help Cities Fight the Housing Crisis? Can “Urban Homesteading” Help Cities Fight the Housing Crisis? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/can-urban-homesteading-help-cities-fight-the-housing-crisis/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/can-urban-homesteading-help-cities-fight-the-housing-crisis/#comments Wed, 23 Oct 2024 14:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/7046d638-68cc-300e-8001-0a6dff575e2c In this episode of Upzoned, host Abby Newsham is joined by John Anderson, a builder and developer in Georgia, to discuss the Strong Towns take on “urban homesteading,” where cities sell derelict houses to people for $1 in exchange for a promise to renovate the property and live there for a period of time.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In this episode of Upzoned, host Abby Newsham is joined by John Anderson, a builder and developer in Georgia, to discuss the Strong Towns take on “urban homesteading,” where cities sell derelict houses to people for $1 in exchange for a promise to renovate the property and live there for a period of time.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2916 236 full What Is the Strong Towns Response to Natural Disasters? What Is the Strong Towns Response to Natural Disasters? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/what-is-the-strong-towns-response-to-natural-disasters/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/what-is-the-strong-towns-response-to-natural-disasters/#comments Wed, 16 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/3d63f39c-316f-3ab6-b397-b423d48bee5c In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss managed retreat, where the federal government buys land from people to encourage them to move away from areas at high risk for natural disaster. According to the article, to actually move the necessary amount of people, the government needs to increase its efforts by a factor of 200.

Chuck and Abby talk about the issues with this method of natural disaster management, as well as other common approaches like rebuilding disaster areas to be more fortified, and share their thoughts on alternative responses to natural disasters.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss managed retreat, where the federal government buys land from people to encourage them to move away from areas at high risk for natural disaster. According to the article, to actually move the necessary amount of people, the government needs to increase its efforts by a factor of 200.

Chuck and Abby talk about the issues with this method of natural disaster management, as well as other common approaches like rebuilding disaster areas to be more fortified, and share their thoughts on alternative responses to natural disasters.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2803 235 full Can Vehicle to Everything (V2X) Technology Make Streets Safer? Can Vehicle to Everything (V2X) Technology Make Streets Safer? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/can-vehicle-to-everything-v2x-technology-make-streets-safer/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/can-vehicle-to-everything-v2x-technology-make-streets-safer/#comments Wed, 09 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/6df9f5ed-2494-352e-89ff-20e484056736 The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced a national deployment plan of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology, a wireless communication tool that allows vehicles to transmit data on speed, location, road condition and other basic information. The DOT plans to implement this technology in 75% of the nation's intersections over the next decade or so.

In this episode of Upzoned, host Abby Newsham is joined by Strong Towns Director of Community Action Edward Erfurt. They discuss how V2X technology works, the challenges and risks of implementing it, and the alternatives that cities can use to increase safety more quickly and cheaply.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced a national deployment plan of vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology, a wireless communication tool that allows vehicles to transmit data on speed, location, road condition and other basic information. The DOT plans to implement this technology in 75% of the nation's intersections over the next decade or so.

In this episode of Upzoned, host Abby Newsham is joined by Strong Towns Director of Community Action Edward Erfurt. They discuss how V2X technology works, the challenges and risks of implementing it, and the alternatives that cities can use to increase safety more quickly and cheaply.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3081 234 full From Silos to Success: How To Make City Building More Collaborative From Silos to Success: How To Make City Building More Collaborative https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/from-silos-to-success-how-to-make-city-building-more-collaborative/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/from-silos-to-success-how-to-make-city-building-more-collaborative/#comments Wed, 02 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/44b0d3ed-8920-37a0-8dd8-8093b5862c12 In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss the article “Toward a New Way of Educating City Builders” by Seth Zeren, a founding member of Strong Towns. They discuss the many different disciplines that are responsible for shaping the built environment, the professional silos that often develop between these disciplines, and how a shift in management or the way people think about urban development as a whole could break down these barriers.

If you’d like to hear more of Zeren’s thoughts on city building, check out his appearances on The Bottom-Up Revolution.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss the article “Toward a New Way of Educating City Builders” by Seth Zeren, a founding member of Strong Towns. They discuss the many different disciplines that are responsible for shaping the built environment, the professional silos that often develop between these disciplines, and how a shift in management or the way people think about urban development as a whole could break down these barriers.

If you’d like to hear more of Zeren’s thoughts on city building, check out his appearances on The Bottom-Up Revolution.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3965 233 full Incremental Development: Ladies Power Hour Incremental Development: Ladies Power Hour https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/incremental-development-ladies-power-hour/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/incremental-development-ladies-power-hour/#comments Wed, 25 Sep 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/63f5fe3d-2adb-38ff-acce-be103f73e9ff In this episode of Upzoned, host Abby Newsham is joined by small-scale developers Alli Quinlan and Bernice Radle. They discuss their experiences in the field of incremental development, how to make incremental development more feasible in your city, and the importance of encouraging women to become incremental developers.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In this episode of Upzoned, host Abby Newsham is joined by small-scale developers Alli Quinlan and Bernice Radle. They discuss their experiences in the field of incremental development, how to make incremental development more feasible in your city, and the importance of encouraging women to become incremental developers.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3882 232 full Is the American Dream out of Reach for Most People? Is the American Dream out of Reach for Most People? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/is-the-american-dream-out-of-reach-for-most-people/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/is-the-american-dream-out-of-reach-for-most-people/#comments Wed, 18 Sep 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/22f1cf2f-e5df-393a-95f3-cf2d7529acd1 In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss a Wall Street Journal article titled “The American Dream Feels Out of Reach for Most.” They talk about how inflation and high housing costs can put the American Dream out of reach for many people, as well as the trade-offs that people may be forced to make between different life priorities, such as career fulfillment and homeownership. They also explore the importance of strong community relationships in finding happiness.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss a Wall Street Journal article titled “The American Dream Feels Out of Reach for Most.” They talk about how inflation and high housing costs can put the American Dream out of reach for many people, as well as the trade-offs that people may be forced to make between different life priorities, such as career fulfillment and homeownership. They also explore the importance of strong community relationships in finding happiness.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3527 231 full How To Build Better Places Through Small-Scale Development How To Build Better Places Through Small-Scale Development https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-to-build-better-places-through-small-scale-development/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-to-build-better-places-through-small-scale-development/#comments Wed, 11 Sep 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/237399b1-605e-315a-b079-b5981aa7f16c This week, Upzoned host Abby Newsham and The Messy City Podcast host Kevin Klinkenberg are working together in a special collaborative episode. They are joined by Jim Heid, a Californian landscape architect turned small-scale developer, to discuss the real estate profession and why he thinks it can solve a lot of modern problems.

Heid runs the Small Scale Developer Forum and has a new book called “Building Small: A Toolkit for Real Estate Entrepreneurs, Civic Leaders, and Great Communities.”

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> This week, Upzoned host Abby Newsham and The Messy City Podcast host Kevin Klinkenberg are working together in a special collaborative episode. They are joined by Jim Heid, a Californian landscape architect turned small-scale developer, to discuss the real estate profession and why he thinks it can solve a lot of modern problems.

Heid runs the Small Scale Developer Forum and has a new book called “Building Small: A Toolkit for Real Estate Entrepreneurs, Civic Leaders, and Great Communities.”

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3611 230 full Fire Departments Can Help Make Streets Safer, and Here’s How Fire Departments Can Help Make Streets Safer, and Here’s How https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/large-fire-trucks-needed-to-save-lives-or-a-threat-to-public-safety/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/large-fire-trucks-needed-to-save-lives-or-a-threat-to-public-safety/#comments Wed, 04 Sep 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/5772f28f-af74-3fb4-9b3e-7d8e1bab6561 In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss the article “Huge Fire Trucks Are Making Us All Less Safe” by Collin Woodard. They talk about how North American fire trucks are unusual for their massive sizes, how accommodating such large trucks makes streets more dangerous and how fire departments could adapt to improve public safety.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss the article “Huge Fire Trucks Are Making Us All Less Safe” by Collin Woodard. They talk about how North American fire trucks are unusual for their massive sizes, how accommodating such large trucks makes streets more dangerous and how fire departments could adapt to improve public safety.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3436 229 full Why Cities Need To Become More Family Friendly Why Cities Need To Become More Family Friendly https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/why-cities-need-to-become-more-family-friendly/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/why-cities-need-to-become-more-family-friendly/#comments Wed, 28 Aug 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/422403bc-b47e-3b49-a3fe-132dbe1f142b In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn talk about the rapid population decline of children under five years old in large urban areas. They discuss the factors that can drive would-be urban families out of cities, how the rapidly declining population will affect services like schools and the importance of cities being able to accommodate diverse lifestyles in a dynamic way.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn talk about the rapid population decline of children under five years old in large urban areas. They discuss the factors that can drive would-be urban families out of cities, how the rapidly declining population will affect services like schools and the importance of cities being able to accommodate diverse lifestyles in a dynamic way.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3699 228 full What Los Angeles Can Learn From Paris’ Olympic Village What Los Angeles Can Learn From Paris’ Olympic Village https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/what-los-angeles-can-learn-from-paris-olympic-village/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/what-los-angeles-can-learn-from-paris-olympic-village/#comments Wed, 21 Aug 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/762fe82b-5529-3fdf-adcc-7df5253973f1 In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn talk about the Olympic Village that was built in Paris and what the city plans to do with the development now that the Games are over. They discuss the accusations of gentrification and greenwashing that Paris officials are facing, the challenges inherent in trying to complete large-scale, sustainable projects on a deadline, and lessons that both Paris and Los Angeles — which will be hosting the 2028 Games — can take from past hosts.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn talk about the Olympic Village that was built in Paris and what the city plans to do with the development now that the Games are over. They discuss the accusations of gentrification and greenwashing that Paris officials are facing, the challenges inherent in trying to complete large-scale, sustainable projects on a deadline, and lessons that both Paris and Los Angeles — which will be hosting the 2028 Games — can take from past hosts.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3295 227 full Indianapolis Empowers People and Drives Change Through Tactical Urbanism Indianapolis Empowers People and Drives Change Through Tactical Urbanism https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/indianapolis-empowers-people-and-drives-change-through-tactical-urbanism/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/indianapolis-empowers-people-and-drives-change-through-tactical-urbanism/#comments Wed, 14 Aug 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/fc4f176a-7d93-33dc-894d-94b4ea80354e Indianapolis officials are encouraging residents to be involved in improving the city, both through fund-matching programs and by opening a lending library of tools and equipment to help residents start pilot projects.

In this Upzoned episode, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn talk about how Indianapolis’ programs and initiatives are a great example of changing a city’s bureaucratic structure and processes to better meet residents’ needs. They discuss the growing pains that come with this kind of change and the necessity of officials and residents accepting failure as part of an incremental, experimental process.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Indianapolis officials are encouraging residents to be involved in improving the city, both through fund-matching programs and by opening a lending library of tools and equipment to help residents start pilot projects.

In this Upzoned episode, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn talk about how Indianapolis’ programs and initiatives are a great example of changing a city’s bureaucratic structure and processes to better meet residents’ needs. They discuss the growing pains that come with this kind of change and the necessity of officials and residents accepting failure as part of an incremental, experimental process.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3160 226 full How To Handle Small-Scale Development Finance: Insights From Kansas City How To Handle Small-Scale Development Finance: Insights From Kansas City https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-to-handle-small-scale-development-finance-insights-from-kansas-city/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-to-handle-small-scale-development-finance-insights-from-kansas-city/#comments Wed, 07 Aug 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/f070edf3-46d6-36de-9954-dadc687493b6 In this episode of Upzoned, host Abby Newsham is joined by Jason Carter-Solomon, an incremental developer and commercial lender in Kansas City, to talk about financing small-scale development. They discuss the layers of risk that small-scale developers must navigate, and Solomon offers his perspective and advice on facing common challenges, such as dealing with entitlements and building inspectors.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In this episode of Upzoned, host Abby Newsham is joined by Jason Carter-Solomon, an incremental developer and commercial lender in Kansas City, to talk about financing small-scale development. They discuss the layers of risk that small-scale developers must navigate, and Solomon offers his perspective and advice on facing common challenges, such as dealing with entitlements and building inspectors.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2957 225 full You Don’t Actually Want To Abolish Property Taxes, and Here’s Why You Don’t Actually Want To Abolish Property Taxes, and Here’s Why https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/you-don-t-actually-want-to-abolish-property-taxes-and-here-s-why/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/you-don-t-actually-want-to-abolish-property-taxes-and-here-s-why/#comments Wed, 31 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/5f56d63a-9fdb-3ff4-84d6-14d3c8332123 This fall, seven states will have the opportunity to cut — or abolish, in some cases — property taxes, according to an article by Governing. In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss the Strong Towns perspective on property taxes, the consequences of removing them and how most people (including city officials) don’t realize how much it costs to run a city. Chuck emphasizes that Strong Towns is not anti-tax and that taxes are essential to successfully running any city.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> This fall, seven states will have the opportunity to cut — or abolish, in some cases — property taxes, according to an article by Governing. In this episode of Upzoned, co-hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss the Strong Towns perspective on property taxes, the consequences of removing them and how most people (including city officials) don’t realize how much it costs to run a city. Chuck emphasizes that Strong Towns is not anti-tax and that taxes are essential to successfully running any city.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2775 224 full Why New York City’s Traffic Congestion Plan Crashed and Burned Why New York City’s Traffic Congestion Plan Crashed and Burned https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/why-new-york-city-s-traffic-congestion-plan-crashed-and-burned/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/why-new-york-city-s-traffic-congestion-plan-crashed-and-burned/#comments Wed, 24 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/27ed21d9-14d8-314d-b235-1a1e4bc6f8cb The governor of New York recently announced the dissolution of the city’s congestion pricing program after years of planning and hundreds of millions of dollars of investment. This program would’ve initiated a $15 toll on vehicles entering certain parts of Manhattan, and it was partly established to help support reinvestment in the transit system. It was shut down less than a month before it was supposed to start operating — after all the tolling infrastructure was already installed.

In this episode of Upzoned, Chuck and Abby discuss how this debacle shows a fundamental misunderstanding of congestion pricing, the politics underpinning this decision and how the city could’ve handled things better.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> The governor of New York recently announced the dissolution of the city’s congestion pricing program after years of planning and hundreds of millions of dollars of investment. This program would’ve initiated a $15 toll on vehicles entering certain parts of Manhattan, and it was partly established to help support reinvestment in the transit system. It was shut down less than a month before it was supposed to start operating — after all the tolling infrastructure was already installed.

In this episode of Upzoned, Chuck and Abby discuss how this debacle shows a fundamental misunderstanding of congestion pricing, the politics underpinning this decision and how the city could’ve handled things better.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3605 223 full Faith in Action: How Religious Institutions Can Help Solve the Housing Crisis Faith in Action: How Religious Institutions Can Help Solve the Housing Crisis https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/faith-in-action-how-religious-institutions-can-help-solve-the-housing-crisis/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/faith-in-action-how-religious-institutions-can-help-solve-the-housing-crisis/#comments Wed, 17 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/9630271d-9672-30da-abf3-5253e4968f29 You’ve heard of YIMBYs and NIMBYs, but have you heard of YIGBYs? YIGBY stands for “Yes In God’s Backyard,” and it’s a movement focused on leveraging land owned by religious institutions to alleviate the housing crisis. This has the potential to benefit both people in need of housing and religious institutions.

In this episode of Upzoned, hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss the potential benefits of the YIGBY movement, the practicalities of implementing it, and broader mindsets surrounding religious institutions and what their land should be used for.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> You’ve heard of YIMBYs and NIMBYs, but have you heard of YIGBYs? YIGBY stands for “Yes In God’s Backyard,” and it’s a movement focused on leveraging land owned by religious institutions to alleviate the housing crisis. This has the potential to benefit both people in need of housing and religious institutions.

In this episode of Upzoned, hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss the potential benefits of the YIGBY movement, the practicalities of implementing it, and broader mindsets surrounding religious institutions and what their land should be used for.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3589 222 full The Dollar Difference: Why Rural Poverty Benefits Dollar Stores More Than Urban The Dollar Difference: Why Rural Poverty Benefits Dollar Stores More Than Urban https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/the-dollar-difference-why-rural-poverty-benefits-dollar-stores-more-than-urban/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/the-dollar-difference-why-rural-poverty-benefits-dollar-stores-more-than-urban/#comments Wed, 10 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/b515b44d-68c9-36bb-96ca-2d8e55261c7a This week on Upzoned, hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, “The Dollar-Store Showdown Comes Down to Real Estate.” It highlights the differences between Dollar General, which has stores located in mostly rural areas and is expanding its reach, and Family Dollar, which has stores located in mostly urban areas and is closing hundreds of stores.

Why is one of these companies succeeding while the other struggles? And what do dollar stores help or harm poor neighborhoods? Listen to this week’s episode to find out.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> This week on Upzoned, hosts Abby Newsham and Chuck Marohn discuss a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, “The Dollar-Store Showdown Comes Down to Real Estate.” It highlights the differences between Dollar General, which has stores located in mostly rural areas and is expanding its reach, and Family Dollar, which has stores located in mostly urban areas and is closing hundreds of stores.

Why is one of these companies succeeding while the other struggles? And what do dollar stores help or harm poor neighborhoods? Listen to this week’s episode to find out.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2885 221 full How To Successfully Navigate the World of Incremental Development How To Successfully Navigate the World of Incremental Development https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-to-successfully-navigate-the-world-of-incremental-development/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/how-to-successfully-navigate-the-world-of-incremental-development/#comments Wed, 03 Jul 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/c34baf9e-9879-340c-8a1d-49b6e6ca63a0 Incremental development is the most resilient and financially responsible way for communities to grow and improve. As North America struggles through a housing crisis, this style of development becomes increasingly important.

On this Upzoned episode, host Abby Newsham is joined by town builder Monte Anderson to talk about his experience as an incremental developer and the important principles of the field. Anderson is one of the founders of Incremental Development Alliance, which trains small-scale developers, and a managing partner of Neighborhood Evolution, a development consulting group.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Incremental development is the most resilient and financially responsible way for communities to grow and improve. As North America struggles through a housing crisis, this style of development becomes increasingly important.

On this Upzoned episode, host Abby Newsham is joined by town builder Monte Anderson to talk about his experience as an incremental developer and the important principles of the field. Anderson is one of the founders of Incremental Development Alliance, which trains small-scale developers, and a managing partner of Neighborhood Evolution, a development consulting group.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3206 220 full Doug Barrick: Building a Strong Town as a Member of Local Government Doug Barrick: Building a Strong Town as a Member of Local Government https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/doug-barrick-building-a-strong-town-as-a-member-of-local-government/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/doug-barrick-building-a-strong-town-as-a-member-of-local-government/#comments Wed, 26 Jun 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/483ad70b-cbf8-3c83-b40e-4b99119e053e In this episode of Upzoned, host Abby Newsham is joined by Doug Barrick, the town manager of Rutherfordton, North Carolina. Rutherfordton was one of the contestants in the 2024 Strongest Town Contest. Barrick discusses what it was like to compete, what Rutherfordton is doing to become a stronger town, and how the town’s unique location and history influence those efforts.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In this episode of Upzoned, host Abby Newsham is joined by Doug Barrick, the town manager of Rutherfordton, North Carolina. Rutherfordton was one of the contestants in the 2024 Strongest Town Contest. Barrick discusses what it was like to compete, what Rutherfordton is doing to become a stronger town, and how the town’s unique location and history influence those efforts.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2624 219 full Is the Non Profit Sector a Mess of 'Misconduct, Greed and Corruption'? Is the Non Profit Sector a Mess of 'Misconduct, Greed and Corruption'? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/is-the-non-profit-sector-a-mess-of-misconduct-greed-and-corruption/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/is-the-non-profit-sector-a-mess-of-misconduct-greed-and-corruption/#comments Wed, 19 Jun 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/af906078-5c5c-300d-bae2-e4cd3c2e5770 Nonprofit organizations straddle the line between the private and public sectors, receiving both private donations and funding from the government to provide services. The problem with this model, an article in American Affairs says, is that nonprofits are then motivated to sabotage their own efforts so they can receive more money. This is only one example of the kinds of corruption that flourish within the poorly regulated, overly trusted nonprofit sector, the article argues.

What’s the Strong Towns take on this? And what does it mean for local governments? Join host Abby Newsham and co-host Chuck Marohn on this week’s episode of Upzoned to find out.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Nonprofit organizations straddle the line between the private and public sectors, receiving both private donations and funding from the government to provide services. The problem with this model, an article in American Affairs says, is that nonprofits are then motivated to sabotage their own efforts so they can receive more money. This is only one example of the kinds of corruption that flourish within the poorly regulated, overly trusted nonprofit sector, the article argues.

What’s the Strong Towns take on this? And what does it mean for local governments? Join host Abby Newsham and co-host Chuck Marohn on this week’s episode of Upzoned to find out.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3354 218 full An Inside Look at the Strong Towns National Gathering An Inside Look at the Strong Towns National Gathering https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/an-inside-look-at-the-strong-towns-national-gathering/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/an-inside-look-at-the-strong-towns-national-gathering/#comments Wed, 12 Jun 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/19a31698-a3da-3123-8c97-d044503255fb Last month, Strong Towns hosted the National Gathering in Cincinnati. It was a two-day event packed with different speakers and sessions, with many advocates meeting each other in person for the first time. In this episode of Upzoned, Abby talks with Strong Towns founder Chuck Marohn about his unique experience at the Gathering, the process of choosing a keynote speaker, how the National Gathering differs from the Congress for the New Urbanism and ways Gatherings might change in the future.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Last month, Strong Towns hosted the National Gathering in Cincinnati. It was a two-day event packed with different speakers and sessions, with many advocates meeting each other in person for the first time. In this episode of Upzoned, Abby talks with Strong Towns founder Chuck Marohn about his unique experience at the Gathering, the process of choosing a keynote speaker, how the National Gathering differs from the Congress for the New Urbanism and ways Gatherings might change in the future.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3102 217 full From Bike Lovers to Zoning Experts: The Voices of Strong Towns From Bike Lovers to Zoning Experts: The Voices of Strong Towns https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/from-bike-lovers-to-zoning-experts-the-voices-of-strong-towns/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/from-bike-lovers-to-zoning-experts-the-voices-of-strong-towns/#comments Wed, 22 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/80080448-4fec-3e48-9069-ae53c0d86818 This special edition of Upzoned was recorded last week at the 2024 National Gathering. Join host Abby Newsham as she talks to attendees about their efforts to build stronger towns.

Interviewees:

(0:00) Lisa Hutson, a business owner who’s turning an abandoned factory into a mixed-use community hub.

(8:52) Sean Suder, a zoning reform expert who helps cities make their zoning codes more people-friendly and defensible.

(18:40) Chris Wyatt, a transit advocate who’s working to make public transit more pleasant and useful.

(26:00) Hannah Stanton-Gockel, a bike commuter who uses her marketing experience to advocate for people-centric city design.

(38:41) Isaac Gonzalez, one of the National Gathering presenters, who discusses how to be a good long-term advocate.

(50:40) Jackson Lester, a public transit planner who intends to combat the housing crisis through infill development.

(1:02:15) Jaclyn Cheves, director of policy and partnerships for Blue Zones, who discusses how cities can become healthier places.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> This special edition of Upzoned was recorded last week at the 2024 National Gathering. Join host Abby Newsham as she talks to attendees about their efforts to build stronger towns.

Interviewees:

(0:00) Lisa Hutson, a business owner who’s turning an abandoned factory into a mixed-use community hub.

(8:52) Sean Suder, a zoning reform expert who helps cities make their zoning codes more people-friendly and defensible.

(18:40) Chris Wyatt, a transit advocate who’s working to make public transit more pleasant and useful.

(26:00) Hannah Stanton-Gockel, a bike commuter who uses her marketing experience to advocate for people-centric city design.

(38:41) Isaac Gonzalez, one of the National Gathering presenters, who discusses how to be a good long-term advocate.

(50:40) Jackson Lester, a public transit planner who intends to combat the housing crisis through infill development.

(1:02:15) Jaclyn Cheves, director of policy and partnerships for Blue Zones, who discusses how cities can become healthier places.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 4479 216 full Cincinnati Pledges $200K in Funding for Popular Bikeshare Service Cincinnati Pledges $200K in Funding for Popular Bikeshare Service https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/cincinnati-pledges-200k-in-funding-for-popular-bikeshare-service/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/cincinnati-pledges-200k-in-funding-for-popular-bikeshare-service/#comments Wed, 01 May 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/d4c2c7b7-a0ed-3a50-9bb5-dd5bc943db34 The city of Cincinnati has pledged $200k to keep the popular bikeshare program Red Bike alive for another year. Joining us to talk about bikeshare programs and Red Bike’s financial difficulties is Bryce Mortera, a member of Civic Cincinnati. Are these programs really beneficial for residents? And if so, is there a more sustainable way to fund them than relying on sponsors?

]]> The city of Cincinnati has pledged $200k to keep the popular bikeshare program Red Bike alive for another year. Joining us to talk about bikeshare programs and Red Bike’s financial difficulties is Bryce Mortera, a member of Civic Cincinnati. Are these programs really beneficial for residents? And if so, is there a more sustainable way to fund them than relying on sponsors?

]]> Strong Towns false No 2300 215 full Department of Justice Opens Criminal Investigation Into “Housing Cartel” Department of Justice Opens Criminal Investigation Into “Housing Cartel” https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/us-justice-department-opens-criminal-investigation-into-housing-cartel/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/us-justice-department-opens-criminal-investigation-into-housing-cartel/#comments Wed, 24 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/e9fc44bb-5623-3025-9e3a-d959f5e4d452 The U.S. Department of Justice is opening a criminal investigation into a major software company called RealPage, which is described in the lawsuit as the “big tech” company of rental housing. It provides software that is used by landlords (and, typically, landlords who are large holders of rental property) to estimate supply and demand for their listings in order to help them maximize rents. The question is whether or not RealPage is facilitating algorithmic price fixing for some of the largest residential property owners and management firms—amounting to what DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb has described as a “housing cartel.” And since Strong Towns has just released Escaping the Housing Trap: The Strong Towns Response to the Housing Crisis, we figured there was no better time to discuss this story than now.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> The U.S. Department of Justice is opening a criminal investigation into a major software company called RealPage, which is described in the lawsuit as the “big tech” company of rental housing. It provides software that is used by landlords (and, typically, landlords who are large holders of rental property) to estimate supply and demand for their listings in order to help them maximize rents. The question is whether or not RealPage is facilitating algorithmic price fixing for some of the largest residential property owners and management firms—amounting to what DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb has described as a “housing cartel.” And since Strong Towns has just released Escaping the Housing Trap: The Strong Towns Response to the Housing Crisis, we figured there was no better time to discuss this story than now.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3402 214 full Inside the Notorious Gridlock of Colorado's I-70 Inside the Notorious Gridlock of Colorado's I-70 https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/inside-the-notorious-gridlock-of-colorados-i-70/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/inside-the-notorious-gridlock-of-colorados-i-70/#comments Wed, 17 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/1310232b-72a7-3fc4-8786-0b8fe9d7f48e Since the 1970s, the number of cars on I-70 between Denver and its surrounding resorts have jumped more than 500%. Coloradans and frequent visitors know that, in order to reach the mountains during the gridlock of ski season, you must leave as early as 3 or 4 a.m. in the morning. Writer Gloria Liu decided to investigate this chaos by jumping directly into the traffic and interviewing the people stuck in it, and the article she penned about her adventure is up for discussion on this week’s episode of Upzoned. Can I-70 be fixed? And what do famous recreational arterials like I-70 reveal about our relationship with nature in the U.S.?

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Since the 1970s, the number of cars on I-70 between Denver and its surrounding resorts have jumped more than 500%. Coloradans and frequent visitors know that, in order to reach the mountains during the gridlock of ski season, you must leave as early as 3 or 4 a.m. in the morning. Writer Gloria Liu decided to investigate this chaos by jumping directly into the traffic and interviewing the people stuck in it, and the article she penned about her adventure is up for discussion on this week’s episode of Upzoned. Can I-70 be fixed? And what do famous recreational arterials like I-70 reveal about our relationship with nature in the U.S.?

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2418 213 full “Redesigning” Cincinnati With the Connected Communities Plan “Redesigning” Cincinnati With the Connected Communities Plan https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/redesigning-cincinnati-with-the-connected-communities-plan/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/redesigning-cincinnati-with-the-connected-communities-plan/#comments Wed, 03 Apr 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/f05e822c-a712-33cb-99db-67219955e14d Cincinnati is currently undergoing a significant planning reformation effort, which involves unveiling what’s being called the Connected Communities plan. It includes a number of proposed land-use-related policy changes that are intended to help Cincinnati grow, with the goal of advancing zoning code changes, as well as supporting diversification and affordability of housing and bolstering business districts. Here on Upzoned this week to talk with host Abby Newsham about the proposal is John Yung, an urban planner, Program Manager at the Haile Foundation, and co-leader of the Cincy host committee for the upcoming Congress for the New Urbanism, which (along with the Strong Towns National Gathering) will be taking place in Cincinnati in May.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Cincinnati is currently undergoing a significant planning reformation effort, which involves unveiling what’s being called the Connected Communities plan. It includes a number of proposed land-use-related policy changes that are intended to help Cincinnati grow, with the goal of advancing zoning code changes, as well as supporting diversification and affordability of housing and bolstering business districts. Here on Upzoned this week to talk with host Abby Newsham about the proposal is John Yung, an urban planner, Program Manager at the Haile Foundation, and co-leader of the Cincy host committee for the upcoming Congress for the New Urbanism, which (along with the Strong Towns National Gathering) will be taking place in Cincinnati in May.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2191 212 full Our Financial System Favors Large-Scale Development…but at What Cost? Our Financial System Favors Large-Scale Development…but at What Cost? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/our-financial-system-favors-large-scale-development%e2%80%a6but-at-what-cost/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/our-financial-system-favors-large-scale-development%e2%80%a6but-at-what-cost/#comments Wed, 20 Mar 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/4e5ef0ec-f3c4-388f-9210-dd168c8261b7 On this week’s episode of Upzoned, host Abby Newsham and co-host Chuck Marohn are joined by Coby Lefkowitz, who penned the article that’s up for discussion: “Why small developers are getting squeezed out of the housing market.” It focuses on how finance shapes our cities, why debt is used to develop cities in the first place, how lenders deal with risk, and why risk mitigation is critical to understanding why the world looks the way it does. And, most notably, it dives into America's housing financial system and why it privileges large-scale institutional development at the expense of more incremental and community-based building.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> On this week’s episode of Upzoned, host Abby Newsham and co-host Chuck Marohn are joined by Coby Lefkowitz, who penned the article that’s up for discussion: “Why small developers are getting squeezed out of the housing market.” It focuses on how finance shapes our cities, why debt is used to develop cities in the first place, how lenders deal with risk, and why risk mitigation is critical to understanding why the world looks the way it does. And, most notably, it dives into America's housing financial system and why it privileges large-scale institutional development at the expense of more incremental and community-based building.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3147 211 full Traffic Deaths Now Exceed the Number of Homicides in LA. This Initiative Aims To Change That. Traffic Deaths Now Exceed the Number of Homicides in LA. This Initiative Aims To Change That. https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/traffic-deaths-now-exceed-the-number-of-homicides-in-la-this-initiative-aims-to-change-that/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/traffic-deaths-now-exceed-the-number-of-homicides-in-la-this-initiative-aims-to-change-that/#comments Wed, 13 Mar 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/f2a453ee-b0ca-34a2-a970-937b993da351 This week on Upzoned, host Abby Newsham is joined by Michael Schneider, founder of Streets for All and the campaign manager for Healthy Streets Los Angeles. They discuss an article from The Los Angeles Times titled, “L.A. bus and bike lane measure will cost $3.1 billion, a new report says. Backers cry foul.” This piece was written in advance of the ballot proposal Measure HLA, which was recently approved by voters, and mandates the installation of hundreds of miles of transportation improvements in L.A. over the next decade, with a focus on bike lanes and sidewalk improvements.

(Editor’s note: This episode was recorded before the results of the ballot were released.)

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> This week on Upzoned, host Abby Newsham is joined by Michael Schneider, founder of Streets for All and the campaign manager for Healthy Streets Los Angeles. They discuss an article from The Los Angeles Times titled, “L.A. bus and bike lane measure will cost $3.1 billion, a new report says. Backers cry foul.” This piece was written in advance of the ballot proposal Measure HLA, which was recently approved by voters, and mandates the installation of hundreds of miles of transportation improvements in L.A. over the next decade, with a focus on bike lanes and sidewalk improvements.

(Editor’s note: This episode was recorded before the results of the ballot were released.)

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2122 210 full $350 Million Mixed-Use Development Presents a "Huge Opportunity" for South Bend, IN $350 Million Mixed-Use Development Presents a "Huge Opportunity" for South Bend, IN https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/350-million-mixed-use-development-presents-a-huge-opportunity-for-south-bend-in/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/350-million-mixed-use-development-presents-a-huge-opportunity-for-south-bend-in/#comments Wed, 06 Mar 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/c18ca5e8-eb50-33e5-afde-1378e3055e32 This week on Upzoned, host Abby Kinney is joined by Mike Keen, a retired professor and incremental developer in South Bend, Indiana, to discuss a recent article in WSBT, “Major mixed-use development could be largest in downtown South Bend history.” It highlights a $350 million project that has been proposed in downtown South Bend: a mixed-use district that would include hotels, apartments, and commercial uses, to be completed by 2028. The development, led by nearby Memorial Hospital, will take up about two city blocks and is expected to be a catalytic project for the city. So, we ask: is this project going to be a positive for South Bend and its small-scale developers like Keen?

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> This week on Upzoned, host Abby Kinney is joined by Mike Keen, a retired professor and incremental developer in South Bend, Indiana, to discuss a recent article in WSBT, “Major mixed-use development could be largest in downtown South Bend history.” It highlights a $350 million project that has been proposed in downtown South Bend: a mixed-use district that would include hotels, apartments, and commercial uses, to be completed by 2028. The development, led by nearby Memorial Hospital, will take up about two city blocks and is expected to be a catalytic project for the city. So, we ask: is this project going to be a positive for South Bend and its small-scale developers like Keen?

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2158 209 full Could this New Approach to Public Housing Actually Work? Could this New Approach to Public Housing Actually Work? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/could-this-new-approach-to-public-housing-actually-work/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/could-this-new-approach-to-public-housing-actually-work/#comments Wed, 21 Feb 2024 05:02:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/ac18e6df-2c8d-3b13-946e-a6a6688fd20f A suburb of Washington, DC is exploring a new approach to creating more affordable housing through public-private partnerships. And it’s seeing success! In this episode of Upzoned, Chuck and Abby discuss the history of public housing and government housing subsidies in the US, the good, the bad and the ugly. Then they consider whether this new model could be helpful or harmful to cities.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> A suburb of Washington, DC is exploring a new approach to creating more affordable housing through public-private partnerships. And it’s seeing success! In this episode of Upzoned, Chuck and Abby discuss the history of public housing and government housing subsidies in the US, the good, the bad and the ugly. Then they consider whether this new model could be helpful or harmful to cities.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2779 208 full Parking Minimums Might Be on the Way Out in Dallas Parking Minimums Might Be on the Way Out in Dallas https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/parking-minimums-might-be-on-the-way-out-in-dallas/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/parking-minimums-might-be-on-the-way-out-in-dallas/#comments Wed, 14 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/de2d3888-3d9d-31b2-a4aa-4047af80f14b Local officials in Dallas are considering eliminating minimum parking requirements in the city. The zoning ordinance advisory committee just voted to advance the measure to the city planning commission, and if approved there, it would then go on to the city council.

Critics believe that this is a one-size-fits-all approach to parking reform and that it’s not an ideal solution to Dallas’s parking dilemma, whereas proponents say the change will cut down on unused parking spaces and accelerate the city’s economic development.

So, is this measure a good or a bad move for Dallas?

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Local officials in Dallas are considering eliminating minimum parking requirements in the city. The zoning ordinance advisory committee just voted to advance the measure to the city planning commission, and if approved there, it would then go on to the city council.

Critics believe that this is a one-size-fits-all approach to parking reform and that it’s not an ideal solution to Dallas’s parking dilemma, whereas proponents say the change will cut down on unused parking spaces and accelerate the city’s economic development.

So, is this measure a good or a bad move for Dallas?

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2622 207 full Coming Back Down to Earth After a “Next-Level” Downtown Revitalization Coming Back Down to Earth After a “Next-Level” Downtown Revitalization https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/coming-back-down-to-earth-after-a-next-level-downtown-revitalization/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/coming-back-down-to-earth-after-a-next-level-downtown-revitalization/#comments Wed, 07 Feb 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/ccdb559c-7473-36be-84e4-86cc946ebc35 This week’s Upzoned episode covers a story that sounded promising at the start: “The Town That Took Downtown Renewal to the Next Level”? Sounds great! Right? Alas, residents of Morristown, Tennessee, have discovered that the Skymark (i.e., an elevated sidewalk) they built in the 1960s was not the salvation for their downtown they’d hoped it would be. Join host Abby Newsham and co-host Chuck Marohn as they take a deep dive on how this huge investment, unfortunately, didn’t pan out as a long-term strategy for economic prosperity.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> This week’s Upzoned episode covers a story that sounded promising at the start: “The Town That Took Downtown Renewal to the Next Level”? Sounds great! Right? Alas, residents of Morristown, Tennessee, have discovered that the Skymark (i.e., an elevated sidewalk) they built in the 1960s was not the salvation for their downtown they’d hoped it would be. Join host Abby Newsham and co-host Chuck Marohn as they take a deep dive on how this huge investment, unfortunately, didn’t pan out as a long-term strategy for economic prosperity.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2639 206 full Today’s Generation of Families Are “Disillusioned” by Suburbia Today’s Generation of Families Are “Disillusioned” by Suburbia https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/today-s-generation-of-families-are-disillusioned-by-suburbia/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/today-s-generation-of-families-are-disillusioned-by-suburbia/#comments Wed, 31 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/8b2aec20-e65c-3b8b-b31b-ab4a47108413 Five families from Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Pittsburg move to the suburbs in search of the American dream, drawn by promises of better schools and all the other amenities promised by suburban life…but instead, they’re experiencing the decline of the suburbs, rather than the benefits that were sold to them.

On this week’s episode, host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn discuss this story, told in “The Suburbs Have Become a Ponzi Scheme,” and based on the book, Disillusioned: Five Families and the Unraveling of America's Suburbs.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Five families from Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles, and Pittsburg move to the suburbs in search of the American dream, drawn by promises of better schools and all the other amenities promised by suburban life…but instead, they’re experiencing the decline of the suburbs, rather than the benefits that were sold to them.

On this week’s episode, host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn discuss this story, told in “The Suburbs Have Become a Ponzi Scheme,” and based on the book, Disillusioned: Five Families and the Unraveling of America's Suburbs.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 1848 205 full Millennials Are Fleeing Cities in Favor of the Exurbs Millennials Are Fleeing Cities in Favor of the Exurbs https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/millennials-are-fleeing-cities-in-favor-of-the-exurbs/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/millennials-are-fleeing-cities-in-favor-of-the-exurbs/#comments Wed, 24 Jan 2024 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/cadbed2d-5efd-373a-8038-d48074095fc0 Millennials are officially getting old. They’re having children, buying houses, and getting replaced by Gen Z in urban areas. As one article from Business Insider puts it, “Millennials are getting priced out of cities,” and are starting to leave the urban neighborhoods that they’ve been building their lives in, up to this point. According to the author, since the cost and types of housing available in urban areas isn’t conducive to family life, millennials are having to instead flee to the only place they can afford to live: the exurbs.

What’s the Strong Towns take on this? Join host Abby Newsham and co-host Chuck Marohn as they discuss this article on this week’s episode of Upzoned.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Millennials are officially getting old. They’re having children, buying houses, and getting replaced by Gen Z in urban areas. As one article from Business Insider puts it, “Millennials are getting priced out of cities,” and are starting to leave the urban neighborhoods that they’ve been building their lives in, up to this point. According to the author, since the cost and types of housing available in urban areas isn’t conducive to family life, millennials are having to instead flee to the only place they can afford to live: the exurbs.

What’s the Strong Towns take on this? Join host Abby Newsham and co-host Chuck Marohn as they discuss this article on this week’s episode of Upzoned.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2427 204 full Ryan Johnson: Builder of the First Car-Free Neighborhood Made From Scratch in the U.S. Ryan Johnson: Builder of the First Car-Free Neighborhood Made From Scratch in the U.S. https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/ryan-johnson-builder-of-the-first-car-free-neighborhood-made-from-scratch-in-the-us/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/ryan-johnson-builder-of-the-first-car-free-neighborhood-made-from-scratch-in-the-us/#comments Wed, 22 Nov 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/751d5d63-587b-3437-a11a-f64d309aa67a Upzoned has been on a bit of a hiatus for the past couple of months, but we wanted to have at least one final episode of 2023 (and rest assured that the podcast will be returning with weekly episodes in 2024). This episode is an exciting one, as host Abby Kinney is joined by a guest whose work she’s been following for several years: Ryan Johnson, the builder and resident of the first car-free neighborhood built from scratch in the U.S., called Culdesac Tempe. We hope you enjoy this special end-of-the-year interview and look forward to more content coming soon!

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Upzoned has been on a bit of a hiatus for the past couple of months, but we wanted to have at least one final episode of 2023 (and rest assured that the podcast will be returning with weekly episodes in 2024). This episode is an exciting one, as host Abby Kinney is joined by a guest whose work she’s been following for several years: Ryan Johnson, the builder and resident of the first car-free neighborhood built from scratch in the U.S., called Culdesac Tempe. We hope you enjoy this special end-of-the-year interview and look forward to more content coming soon!

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 1436 203 full Transportation Meltdown: Children on the School Bus Till 10 p.m. Transportation Meltdown: Children on the School Bus Till 10 p.m. https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/transportation-meltdown-children-on-the-school-bus-till-10-pm/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/transportation-meltdown-children-on-the-school-bus-till-10-pm/#comments Wed, 23 Aug 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/ced6f973-28fa-3e24-b255-9a86160f8390 Kentucky’s largest school system recently had to cancel the second and third day of classes due to what they're calling a disastrous overhaul of the bus system. On day one, some children were still on their bus at 10 p.m. 

AP News reported this issue is partly the result of a bus driver shortage, which definitely plays a role in why Kentucky is having this transportation problem. But Kentucky isn’t the only place that’s struggled with getting children to and from school. There's more to the story, and it has to do with the suburban development pattern, and the closure of neighborhood schools.

In this Upzoned episode, host Abby Newsham digs into details of why, seemingly every year, many school districts have trouble with the transportation of students. She invites Dr. Michael Ralph, director of research at MultiStudio, and Daniel Herriges, Strong Towns’ editor-in-chief, to share their insights on the subject.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Kentucky’s largest school system recently had to cancel the second and third day of classes due to what they're calling a disastrous overhaul of the bus system. On day one, some children were still on their bus at 10 p.m. 

AP News reported this issue is partly the result of a bus driver shortage, which definitely plays a role in why Kentucky is having this transportation problem. But Kentucky isn’t the only place that’s struggled with getting children to and from school. There's more to the story, and it has to do with the suburban development pattern, and the closure of neighborhood schools.

In this Upzoned episode, host Abby Newsham digs into details of why, seemingly every year, many school districts have trouble with the transportation of students. She invites Dr. Michael Ralph, director of research at MultiStudio, and Daniel Herriges, Strong Towns’ editor-in-chief, to share their insights on the subject.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2133 202 full Is Affordable Housing Possible Under Current Zoning Laws? Is Affordable Housing Possible Under Current Zoning Laws? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/is-affordable-housing-possible-under-current-zoning-laws/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/is-affordable-housing-possible-under-current-zoning-laws/#comments Wed, 16 Aug 2023 09:40:26 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/723051e1-a112-3910-8fe7-73e47142435e Durham, North Carolina, is experiencing a hot debate over changing its zoning code.

The proposed “Simplifying Codes for Affordable Development” (or SCAD) presents tactical adjustments that focus on loosening the current rules so local people can make small-scale changes to their neighborhood. The changes would eliminate parking mandates, legalize smaller homes on smaller lots, and permit mixed-use development.

In this Upzoned episode, host Abby Newsham talks to Aaron Lubeck, who’s been closely involved in developing SCAD, about the proposed changes. They discuss why SCAD is such a controversial topic, and if it’s different from other reforms. 

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Durham, North Carolina, is experiencing a hot debate over changing its zoning code.

The proposed “Simplifying Codes for Affordable Development” (or SCAD) presents tactical adjustments that focus on loosening the current rules so local people can make small-scale changes to their neighborhood. The changes would eliminate parking mandates, legalize smaller homes on smaller lots, and permit mixed-use development.

In this Upzoned episode, host Abby Newsham talks to Aaron Lubeck, who’s been closely involved in developing SCAD, about the proposed changes. They discuss why SCAD is such a controversial topic, and if it’s different from other reforms. 

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2634 201 full Arizona Pushes for Suburban and Rural Development, Despite Dwindling Water Supply Arizona Pushes for Suburban and Rural Development, Despite Dwindling Water Supply https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/arizona-pushes-for-suburban-and-rural-development-despite-dwindling-water-supply/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/arizona-pushes-for-suburban-and-rural-development-despite-dwindling-water-supply/#comments Wed, 26 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/52a06951-6fc1-33c3-9790-6d2329961361 State-level officials in Arizona are getting more serious about water scarcity issues, despite the still-booming growth pressures that exist there. Some listeners may remember from a story we covered in July 2022 that rural areas outside of Phoenix, like the Rio Verde foothills, have found it almost impossible to drill wells and are now facing challenges from having their water delivered by truck.

Now, the state has determined that there is not enough water for already-approved housing projects and will stop some developers from building if they rely too heavily on groundwater, given that it has become a finite resource. Arizona's allocation of Colorado River water is also being decreased due to drought, making alternatives quite limited. Still, the Arizona water agency has given permission to build 80,000 housing lots, and for the most part, construction is going to move forward on these lots.

On today's episode of Upzoned, Chuck and Abby discuss why this development pattern in Arizona—and most of the Southwestern United States—is, as you might have guessed, unsustainable.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> State-level officials in Arizona are getting more serious about water scarcity issues, despite the still-booming growth pressures that exist there. Some listeners may remember from a story we covered in July 2022 that rural areas outside of Phoenix, like the Rio Verde foothills, have found it almost impossible to drill wells and are now facing challenges from having their water delivered by truck.

Now, the state has determined that there is not enough water for already-approved housing projects and will stop some developers from building if they rely too heavily on groundwater, given that it has become a finite resource. Arizona's allocation of Colorado River water is also being decreased due to drought, making alternatives quite limited. Still, the Arizona water agency has given permission to build 80,000 housing lots, and for the most part, construction is going to move forward on these lots.

On today's episode of Upzoned, Chuck and Abby discuss why this development pattern in Arizona—and most of the Southwestern United States—is, as you might have guessed, unsustainable.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2887 200 full Atlanta’s New Idea To Address Their Housing Crisis Atlanta’s New Idea To Address Their Housing Crisis https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/atlanta-s-new-idea-to-address-their-housing-crisis/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/atlanta-s-new-idea-to-address-their-housing-crisis/#comments Wed, 19 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/ff3e9988-9419-395f-8e54-57e28357a342 The United States is in the midst of a housing crisis. More and more cities are recognizing that part of the issue is due to restrictive zoning laws, which make building affordable homes a difficult feat. 

On this episode of Upzoned, host Abby Kinney talks with the principal of Krongberg Urbanists and Architects, Eric Kronberg, on Atlanta’s new approach to addressing their housing issue. They’ll introduce the “social housing model” Atlanta plans to adopt, talk about the mixed-income housing aspects of Atlanta's plan, and explain what makes up a “Capital Stack.”

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> The United States is in the midst of a housing crisis. More and more cities are recognizing that part of the issue is due to restrictive zoning laws, which make building affordable homes a difficult feat. 

On this episode of Upzoned, host Abby Kinney talks with the principal of Krongberg Urbanists and Architects, Eric Kronberg, on Atlanta’s new approach to addressing their housing issue. They’ll introduce the “social housing model” Atlanta plans to adopt, talk about the mixed-income housing aspects of Atlanta's plan, and explain what makes up a “Capital Stack.”

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2609 199 full The Invisible Reason for High Housing Prices: Restrictive Land-Use Regulations The Invisible Reason for High Housing Prices: Restrictive Land-Use Regulations https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/the-invisible-reason-for-high-housing-prices-restrictive-land-use-regulations/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/the-invisible-reason-for-high-housing-prices-restrictive-land-use-regulations/#comments Wed, 05 Jul 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/5332a485-0e82-33d2-a3d8-d293723fa1d1 It is extremely difficult to build housing in Rhode Island. It’s also expensive to buy homes, with prices having increased by 34% since the summer of 2020. Why? Adam A. Millsap makes the case in Forbes that because Rhode Island zoning laws are overly restrictive, developers are unable to meet the current and past needs of housing. Millsap writes:

“Places with fewer land-use regulations and more flexible zoning have lower housing prices and slower rent growth. Land-use regulations such as density restrictions, height restrictions, minimum lot sizes, parking requirements, and complicated set-back rules prevent developers from building more housing, especially more affordable housing.”

In this episode of Upzoned, join host Abby Kinney as she talks with guest Nolan Gray, author of Arbitrary Lines, about his perspective on zoning laws and Rhode Island’s efforts to address their housing crisis.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> It is extremely difficult to build housing in Rhode Island. It’s also expensive to buy homes, with prices having increased by 34% since the summer of 2020. Why? Adam A. Millsap makes the case in Forbes that because Rhode Island zoning laws are overly restrictive, developers are unable to meet the current and past needs of housing. Millsap writes:

“Places with fewer land-use regulations and more flexible zoning have lower housing prices and slower rent growth. Land-use regulations such as density restrictions, height restrictions, minimum lot sizes, parking requirements, and complicated set-back rules prevent developers from building more housing, especially more affordable housing.”

In this episode of Upzoned, join host Abby Kinney as she talks with guest Nolan Gray, author of Arbitrary Lines, about his perspective on zoning laws and Rhode Island’s efforts to address their housing crisis.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2328 198 full Why Can’t We Have the “Perfect” Neighborhood? Why Can’t We Have the “Perfect” Neighborhood? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/why-can-t-we-have-the-perfect-neighborhood-1687892741/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/why-can-t-we-have-the-perfect-neighborhood-1687892741/#comments Wed, 28 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/cb6d26ce-ab96-3bc0-9392-a792cc5fda80 “Who Can Afford America’s Perfect Neighborhood?” asks The Guardian. Longmont, Colorado, holds many elements of the American dream: tree-lined streets, neighbors walking to fulfill errands, children racing about, cafes, beautiful parks, gyms, and community events. To many, it sounds like a place of paradise. But housing prices have skyrocketed, and it’s not uncommon for a million-dollar home to sell in less than a week. In this Upzoned podcast, host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn talk about this neighborhood and answer the question: 

Why is this “perfect neighborhood” not easily copied in other places?

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> “Who Can Afford America’s Perfect Neighborhood?” asks The Guardian. Longmont, Colorado, holds many elements of the American dream: tree-lined streets, neighbors walking to fulfill errands, children racing about, cafes, beautiful parks, gyms, and community events. To many, it sounds like a place of paradise. But housing prices have skyrocketed, and it’s not uncommon for a million-dollar home to sell in less than a week. In this Upzoned podcast, host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn talk about this neighborhood and answer the question: 

Why is this “perfect neighborhood” not easily copied in other places?

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2681 197 full Behind the Scenes at the Strong Towns National Gathering Behind the Scenes at the Strong Towns National Gathering https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/why-can-t-we-have-the-perfect-neighborhood/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/why-can-t-we-have-the-perfect-neighborhood/#comments Thu, 22 Jun 2023 10:46:39 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/06ecc348-102b-3f01-8578-26441c1d7c52 At the end of May, Strong Towns hosted its inaugural National Gathering in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was a two-day event packed with different speakers and sessions, where we heard from Strong Towns members about how they’re making incremental housing possible in their communities, how highways are destructive and how people are fighting expansions, how the property tax system is broken and what we can do about it, and so much more. In this Upzoned episode, host Abby Kinney goes behind the scenes with Strong Towns staffers Norm Van Eeden Petersman and Rachel Quednau. They chat about how the National Gathering came together, a few lessons learned, and some possible changes for future gatherings.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> At the end of May, Strong Towns hosted its inaugural National Gathering in Charlotte, North Carolina. It was a two-day event packed with different speakers and sessions, where we heard from Strong Towns members about how they’re making incremental housing possible in their communities, how highways are destructive and how people are fighting expansions, how the property tax system is broken and what we can do about it, and so much more. In this Upzoned episode, host Abby Kinney goes behind the scenes with Strong Towns staffers Norm Van Eeden Petersman and Rachel Quednau. They chat about how the National Gathering came together, a few lessons learned, and some possible changes for future gatherings.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2610 196 full Live From the National Gathering Live From the National Gathering https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/live-from-the-national-gathering/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/live-from-the-national-gathering/#comments Wed, 14 Jun 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/f5313902-69b1-333b-b10a-b66cbbe68722 A few weeks ago, the first Strong Towns National Gathering took place in Charlotte, NC. While people buzzed back and forth between sessions, Upzoned host Abby Kinney sat at a table and invited those walking by to join her on the podcast. This week, you’ll hear Strong Towns members from all over talking about who they are, what they’ve seen in their communities, and what they’re doing. 

Also, it’s Member Week at Strong Towns, and podcasts like Upzoned wouldn’t be possible without our members! Join today to support the movement and the advocates who are making our places stronger and more financially resilient.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

  • Note: When trying to make our communities a better place, we look for the “smallest next thing” that can be done. Strong Towns is no exception: it’s how we function as an organization. We’re always taking the smallest next step and learning as we go, and sometimes, it’s not perfect. The audio recorded for this podcast is an example. We experienced a handful of technical glitches and as a result, the audio is low quality, and sometimes difficult to hear. Because of all the people who put work into this episode, we opted to still publish despite the technical issues throughout. We hope you enjoy listening to people on the ground. Next year, we’ll be better prepared to record audio on site! 

  • Theme Music by Kemet the Phantom.

]]> A few weeks ago, the first Strong Towns National Gathering took place in Charlotte, NC. While people buzzed back and forth between sessions, Upzoned host Abby Kinney sat at a table and invited those walking by to join her on the podcast. This week, you’ll hear Strong Towns members from all over talking about who they are, what they’ve seen in their communities, and what they’re doing. 

Also, it’s Member Week at Strong Towns, and podcasts like Upzoned wouldn’t be possible without our members! Join today to support the movement and the advocates who are making our places stronger and more financially resilient.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

  • Note: When trying to make our communities a better place, we look for the “smallest next thing” that can be done. Strong Towns is no exception: it’s how we function as an organization. We’re always taking the smallest next step and learning as we go, and sometimes, it’s not perfect. The audio recorded for this podcast is an example. We experienced a handful of technical glitches and as a result, the audio is low quality, and sometimes difficult to hear. Because of all the people who put work into this episode, we opted to still publish despite the technical issues throughout. We hope you enjoy listening to people on the ground. Next year, we’ll be better prepared to record audio on site! 

  • Theme Music by Kemet the Phantom.

]]> Strong Towns false No 5750 195 full Parking Regulations Threaten to Demolish Coffee Shop Parking Regulations Threaten to Demolish Coffee Shop https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/parking-regulations-threaten-to-demolish-coffee-shop/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/parking-regulations-threaten-to-demolish-coffee-shop/#comments Wed, 17 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/3a95ceca-384f-3e9e-852f-14521cdcee6f In Kansas City, Kansas, parking regulations have threatened to demolish a local coffee shop for a parking lot. An out-of-state developer is trying to meet the city’s strict parking requirements for a new apartment complex across the intersection, and the coffee shop owner, T.J. Roberts, is trying to save what’s become a special community hub. 

On this Upzoned episode, host Abby Kinney talks with Roberts about his inspiration for building community, and his struggle to keep his coffee shop, Kinship Cafe, from getting torn down. Also on the show is Dennis Strait, a principal at architect firm Multistudio, to talk about why city builders should care about a coffee shop over convenient parking spaces.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In Kansas City, Kansas, parking regulations have threatened to demolish a local coffee shop for a parking lot. An out-of-state developer is trying to meet the city’s strict parking requirements for a new apartment complex across the intersection, and the coffee shop owner, T.J. Roberts, is trying to save what’s become a special community hub. 

On this Upzoned episode, host Abby Kinney talks with Roberts about his inspiration for building community, and his struggle to keep his coffee shop, Kinship Cafe, from getting torn down. Also on the show is Dennis Strait, a principal at architect firm Multistudio, to talk about why city builders should care about a coffee shop over convenient parking spaces.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 3909 194 full An Abandoned Downtown Equals a Pot of Gold? An Abandoned Downtown Equals a Pot of Gold? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/an-abandoned-downtown-equals-a-pot-of-gold/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/an-abandoned-downtown-equals-a-pot-of-gold/#comments Wed, 03 May 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/4c0b189c-01f7-3813-a32c-65826d2827c9 Not everyone who left the office for remote work returned after the pandemic lockdown ended. Many employees stayed remote, and, in doing so, they left behind a swath of empty office buildings in downtowns across North America. Developers see these abandoned places as easy cash, that is, if you can find the right sort of abandoned office space. On this episode of Upzoned, urban developer Andrew Ganahl talks with host Abby Kinney about the challenges of this pattern of growth, but also the good that could come out of it.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Not everyone who left the office for remote work returned after the pandemic lockdown ended. Many employees stayed remote, and, in doing so, they left behind a swath of empty office buildings in downtowns across North America. Developers see these abandoned places as easy cash, that is, if you can find the right sort of abandoned office space. On this episode of Upzoned, urban developer Andrew Ganahl talks with host Abby Kinney about the challenges of this pattern of growth, but also the good that could come out of it.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 1969 193 full One Reason American Architecture Is Considered Boring: Stairs One Reason American Architecture Is Considered Boring: Stairs https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/one-reason-american-architecture-is-considered-boring-stairs/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/one-reason-american-architecture-is-considered-boring-stairs/#comments Wed, 12 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/d83cbc0a-7103-32b1-9904-8902220e8fba Have you ever wondered why multifamily housing has the same, copied look in most places? Part of the reason is due to the way regulations require architects to build stairs. On this Upzoned podcast, host Abby Kinney talks with special guest and architect Kevin Klinkenberg about how building codes and zoning laws can be helpful, yet at the same time limit building possibilities.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Have you ever wondered why multifamily housing has the same, copied look in most places? Part of the reason is due to the way regulations require architects to build stairs. On this Upzoned podcast, host Abby Kinney talks with special guest and architect Kevin Klinkenberg about how building codes and zoning laws can be helpful, yet at the same time limit building possibilities.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2031 192 full Cowboy Hotels for Housing Shortages Cowboy Hotels for Housing Shortages https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/cowboy-hotels-for-housing-shortages/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/cowboy-hotels-for-housing-shortages/#comments Wed, 05 Apr 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/75df1a7a-1868-3c0d-870d-01d3f6fa7d1a Like all major cities in America, Seattle is facing a housing shortage. And 100 years ago, Seattle faced a housing shortage bigger than the one it has now. The initial response to the historic shortage was to build small, boxy, apartment buildings holding four to six apartments (called Cowboy Hotels) that blended in with the houses already established in the neighborhood. In this Upzoned episode, host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn talk about Cowboy Hotels and their financial possibilities.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Like all major cities in America, Seattle is facing a housing shortage. And 100 years ago, Seattle faced a housing shortage bigger than the one it has now. The initial response to the historic shortage was to build small, boxy, apartment buildings holding four to six apartments (called Cowboy Hotels) that blended in with the houses already established in the neighborhood. In this Upzoned episode, host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn talk about Cowboy Hotels and their financial possibilities.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2552 191 full Homelessness in Rural America Homelessness in Rural America https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/homelessness-in-rural-america/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/homelessness-in-rural-america/#comments Wed, 29 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/6ca02cb0-19f6-367f-ad29-363edac35476 Homelessness in rural areas can look different than in bigger cities: as noted in a recent article by The Daily Yonder, rural homelessness is more “hidden,” and is expressed through couch surfing, roommate arrangements, and housing insecurity versus seeing people without homes on the street. 

What can we do to address the housing crisis in rural communities? Join host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn on the Upzoned podcast as they talk about this growing problem and possible solutions.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Homelessness in rural areas can look different than in bigger cities: as noted in a recent article by The Daily Yonder, rural homelessness is more “hidden,” and is expressed through couch surfing, roommate arrangements, and housing insecurity versus seeing people without homes on the street. 

What can we do to address the housing crisis in rural communities? Join host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn on the Upzoned podcast as they talk about this growing problem and possible solutions.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2291 190 full High-Income Earners Are Renting Instead of Buying Homes High-Income Earners Are Renting Instead of Buying Homes https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/high-income-earners-are-renting-instead-of-buying-homes/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/high-income-earners-are-renting-instead-of-buying-homes/#comments Wed, 22 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/ecf60880-2811-351e-8287-e107b89a02b0 High-earning Americans are renting instead of buying homes. Some even say they plan to rent indefinitely. Why is that? In this week’s Upzoned episode, join host Abby Kinney and guest Norm Van Eeden Petersman as they talk about this trend.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> High-earning Americans are renting instead of buying homes. Some even say they plan to rent indefinitely. Why is that? In this week’s Upzoned episode, join host Abby Kinney and guest Norm Van Eeden Petersman as they talk about this trend.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2032 189 full When a Building Is Demolished, What Should Happen to the Materials? When a Building Is Demolished, What Should Happen to the Materials? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/when-a-building-is-demolished-what-should-happen-to-the-materials/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/when-a-building-is-demolished-what-should-happen-to-the-materials/#comments Wed, 15 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/d53e20ec-028d-334d-9e64-32898ea272e8 “What happens when old buildings have reached the end of their life, either their useful life in terms of safety or their desirable life in terms of modern living?” a Next City article asks. The piece goes on to say that when buildings throughout the U.S. get demolished, the once useful construction materials often end up in landfills. But there’s a growing movement to try and disassemble buildings carefully, and rescue building materials to be used in other projects. In today’s Upzoned episode, host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn talk about this growing movement.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> “What happens when old buildings have reached the end of their life, either their useful life in terms of safety or their desirable life in terms of modern living?” a Next City article asks. The piece goes on to say that when buildings throughout the U.S. get demolished, the once useful construction materials often end up in landfills. But there’s a growing movement to try and disassemble buildings carefully, and rescue building materials to be used in other projects. In today’s Upzoned episode, host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn talk about this growing movement.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2167 188 full The 15 Minute City - A Good Life or an Infringement on Freedoms? The 15 Minute City - A Good Life or an Infringement on Freedoms? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/the-15-minute-city-a-good-life-or-an-infringement-on-freedoms/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/the-15-minute-city-a-good-life-or-an-infringement-on-freedoms/#comments Wed, 08 Mar 2023 15:39:38 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/40a87d5f-8152-378d-90ed-2e19ca17efd9 The 15 Minute City: a term to describe mixed use neighborhoods, has become a political concept where critics believe the idea could result in an infringement on personal freedoms. 

On this Upzoned podcast, host Abby Kinney and special guest Kevin Klinkenberg, talk about this contentious topic of the 15 Minute City and answer the question: Are the concerns people have (about 15 minute cities) warranted, or is this something that we should all be rolling our eyes at and moving on from? 

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

“The 15 Minute City - Where Urban Planning Meets Conspiracy Theories,” by Chris Standford, The New York Times (March, 2023) “The Messy City Podcast” by Kevin Klinkenberg. Abby Kinney (Twitter) Kevin Klinkenberg (Twitter) Theme Music by Kemet the Phantom

]]> The 15 Minute City: a term to describe mixed use neighborhoods, has become a political concept where critics believe the idea could result in an infringement on personal freedoms. 

On this Upzoned podcast, host Abby Kinney and special guest Kevin Klinkenberg, talk about this contentious topic of the 15 Minute City and answer the question: Are the concerns people have (about 15 minute cities) warranted, or is this something that we should all be rolling our eyes at and moving on from? 


ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

“The 15 Minute City - Where Urban Planning Meets Conspiracy Theories,” by Chris Standford, The New York Times (March, 2023)

“The Messy City Podcast” by Kevin Klinkenberg.

Abby Kinney (Twitter)

Kevin Klinkenberg (Twitter)

Theme Music by Kemet the Phantom

]]> Strong Towns false No 1611 187 full Whose Responsibility Is It To Ensure That Buildings Interact With the Public Realm in a Delightful Way? Whose Responsibility Is It To Ensure That Buildings Interact With the Public Realm in a Delightful Way? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/whose-responsibility-is-it-to-ensure-that-buildings-interact-with-the-public-realm-in-a-delightful-way/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/whose-responsibility-is-it-to-ensure-that-buildings-interact-with-the-public-realm-in-a-delightful-way/#comments Wed, 01 Mar 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/d33d432a-3869-3e4b-a270-30bfb4b008ee It’s important to build safe and productive streets, but how do we ensure those streets are a place people want to be and live in? Whose responsibility is it to ensure that buildings interact with the public realm in a delightful way? Design is hugely impactful in our daily lives: it can determine if a place is somewhere for people, or if it’s unlivable and unusable. And design isn’t wholly up to the “eye of the beholder.” It’s possible to quantify beauty.

Today on the Upzoned podcast, join host Abby Kinney as she welcomes a special guest: Tristan Cleveland, Strong Towns member, urban planner at Happy City, and PhD candidate with Healthy Populations Institute. In this episode, Abby and Cleveland talk about his recent Planetizen article, “The Responsibility of the Building to the Street.”

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> It’s important to build safe and productive streets, but how do we ensure those streets are a place people want to be and live in? Whose responsibility is it to ensure that buildings interact with the public realm in a delightful way? Design is hugely impactful in our daily lives: it can determine if a place is somewhere for people, or if it’s unlivable and unusable. And design isn’t wholly up to the “eye of the beholder.” It’s possible to quantify beauty.

Today on the Upzoned podcast, join host Abby Kinney as she welcomes a special guest: Tristan Cleveland, Strong Towns member, urban planner at Happy City, and PhD candidate with Healthy Populations Institute. In this episode, Abby and Cleveland talk about his recent Planetizen article, “The Responsibility of the Building to the Street.”

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 1861 186 full We’re Getting Worse at Construction Despite Technology Advances We’re Getting Worse at Construction Despite Technology Advances https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/we-re-getting-worse-at-construction-despite-technology-advances/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/we-re-getting-worse-at-construction-despite-technology-advances/#comments Wed, 15 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/49f2fdf1-5914-3181-8b3c-17b4b76cfe26 Despite global advantages and new technologies, we are getting worse at construction. At least, that’s the case that Ezra Klein makes in his New York Times article, “The Story Construction Tells About America’s Economy Is Disturbing.”

Today on Upzoned, join host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn as they talk about this idea and add on to the conversation with an explanation on the difference between “complicated” and “complex.” 

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Despite global advantages and new technologies, we are getting worse at construction. At least, that’s the case that Ezra Klein makes in his New York Times article, “The Story Construction Tells About America’s Economy Is Disturbing.”

Today on Upzoned, join host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn as they talk about this idea and add on to the conversation with an explanation on the difference between “complicated” and “complex.” 

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2381 185 full Portland’s Cully Neighborhood To Use “The One Ring” for Good Portland’s Cully Neighborhood To Use “The One Ring” for Good https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/portland-s-cully-neighborhood-to-use-the-one-ring-for-good/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/portland-s-cully-neighborhood-to-use-the-one-ring-for-good/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/ad8c7882-6feb-3b7c-a548-a934f867374a Portland’s Cully neighborhood is about to embark on a big urban renewal experiment with the intention of maintaining that area's current affordability. Yes, you heard that right.

In the past, the term “urban renewal” was mainly associated with mid-20th century schemes that displaced residents by seizing and demolishing large swaths of neighborhoods in order to modernize them with highways, roads, and other infrastructure elements. 

Now, Cully hopes to use similar tools for the better. Under what the city has labeled an “urban renewal” plan, it would borrow against future tax revenues to invest in programs and purchases that are intended to stabilize residents and businesses (versus tearing them down for pavement projects). 

In this Upzoned episode, host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn talk about the reality of a top-down plan like this and how it can be dangerous for communities to think this way, even if they only intend to do good.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Portland’s Cully neighborhood is about to embark on a big urban renewal experiment with the intention of maintaining that area's current affordability. Yes, you heard that right.

In the past, the term “urban renewal” was mainly associated with mid-20th century schemes that displaced residents by seizing and demolishing large swaths of neighborhoods in order to modernize them with highways, roads, and other infrastructure elements. 

Now, Cully hopes to use similar tools for the better. Under what the city has labeled an “urban renewal” plan, it would borrow against future tax revenues to invest in programs and purchases that are intended to stabilize residents and businesses (versus tearing them down for pavement projects). 

In this Upzoned episode, host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn talk about the reality of a top-down plan like this and how it can be dangerous for communities to think this way, even if they only intend to do good.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2555 184 full The Governor of Missouri Wants to Spend $859 Million on Highway Expansion The Governor of Missouri Wants to Spend $859 Million on Highway Expansion https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/the-governor-of-missouri-wants-to-spend-859-million-on-highway-expansion/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/the-governor-of-missouri-wants-to-spend-859-million-on-highway-expansion/#comments Wed, 25 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/02138bf7-6709-30d2-abfd-8ae4794840b1 The state of Missouri has a $6 billion budget surplus due to an increase in tax revenue and unspent federal aid. Governor Parson wants to use $859 million of it to expand I-70, the major transport route which connects Kansas City and St. Louis. This expansion would bulldoze through key areas in downtown St. Louis, areas west of downtown, and even the suburban areas of Columbia (which sits right near the middle of the interstate). Lots of people, even those unfamiliar with the Strong Towns perspective, think this expenditure proposal is a bad idea.

Today, join host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn on the Upzoned podcast as they discuss this story and potential avenues for better spending.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> The state of Missouri has a $6 billion budget surplus due to an increase in tax revenue and unspent federal aid. Governor Parson wants to use $859 million of it to expand I-70, the major transport route which connects Kansas City and St. Louis. This expansion would bulldoze through key areas in downtown St. Louis, areas west of downtown, and even the suburban areas of Columbia (which sits right near the middle of the interstate). Lots of people, even those unfamiliar with the Strong Towns perspective, think this expenditure proposal is a bad idea.

Today, join host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn on the Upzoned podcast as they discuss this story and potential avenues for better spending.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2636 183 full The U.S. Is Running Out of Skilled Labor. Is It Gen-Z’s Fault? The U.S. Is Running Out of Skilled Labor. Is It Gen-Z’s Fault? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/the-us-is-running-out-of-skilled-labor-is-it-gen-z-s-fault/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/the-us-is-running-out-of-skilled-labor-is-it-gen-z-s-fault/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/86591689-e791-3c08-a325-f6bb8a9fd8d6 The U.S. is crying out, saying we NEED more carpenters, plumbers, and other people in skilled trades and technical industries—but the generation about to take over the workforce, Gen Z, doesn’t seem interested. As time presses forward, we’re continuing to see more open positions, and not enough people to fill them. This could impact not only agriculture, infrastructure, housing, and transportation, but everyone’s daily lives, in general.

The “shortage of workers” discourse tends to point a finger at Gen Z’s lack of work ethics, but in this episode of Upzoned, podcast host Abby Kiney and guest Daniel Herriges talk about variables that are often left out of the conversation.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> The U.S. is crying out, saying we NEED more carpenters, plumbers, and other people in skilled trades and technical industries—but the generation about to take over the workforce, Gen Z, doesn’t seem interested. As time presses forward, we’re continuing to see more open positions, and not enough people to fill them. This could impact not only agriculture, infrastructure, housing, and transportation, but everyone’s daily lives, in general.

The “shortage of workers” discourse tends to point a finger at Gen Z’s lack of work ethics, but in this episode of Upzoned, podcast host Abby Kiney and guest Daniel Herriges talk about variables that are often left out of the conversation.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 1888 182 full People Move to Places with Zoning Laws, Ergo Zoning Is Good? People Move to Places with Zoning Laws, Ergo Zoning Is Good? https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/people-move-to-places-with-zoning-laws-ergo-zoning-is-good/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/people-move-to-places-with-zoning-laws-ergo-zoning-is-good/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/b4897131-edb9-3e7e-9150-46217a35899f In a recent Planetizen article titled, “Is Exclusionary Zoning a Good Thing?” author Michael Lewyn examines a theoretical argument presented by Judge Glock in the American Affairs Journal: that because people move to places that have zoning laws, zoning must be good. In this Upzoned episode, host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn unpack the zoning debate between these two authors and how zoning is truly impacting cities.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> In a recent Planetizen article titled, “Is Exclusionary Zoning a Good Thing?” author Michael Lewyn examines a theoretical argument presented by Judge Glock in the American Affairs Journal: that because people move to places that have zoning laws, zoning must be good. In this Upzoned episode, host Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn unpack the zoning debate between these two authors and how zoning is truly impacting cities.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2348 181 full Thanks for a Great Year Thanks for a Great Year https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/thanks-for-a-great-year/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/thanks-for-a-great-year/#comments Mon, 19 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/5a8552fc-f608-3208-84b2-aa63de19d419 It's been a great year here on Upzoned; thanks for listening. We wanted to close out 2022 with one last message, and to wish you Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

]]> It's been a great year here on Upzoned; thanks for listening. We wanted to close out 2022 with one last message, and to wish you Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

]]> Strong Towns false No 526 180 full Homeowners Struggling to Get Insurance in Wildfire-Prone Colorado Homeowners Struggling to Get Insurance in Wildfire-Prone Colorado https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/homeowners-struggling-to-get-insurance-in-wildfire-prone-colorado/ https://upzoned.strongtowns.org/e/homeowners-struggling-to-get-insurance-in-wildfire-prone-colorado/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2022 05:00:00 -0500 upzoned.podbean.com/72776348-c163-3efb-bd12-3b5b79ad8e69 An increasing risk of wildfires has made insurance carriers wary of certain areas in Colorado—according to a recent Denver Post article—raising their premiums and, in some cases, opting to not cover them, at all. In just the past few years, heavily forested areas of the state have been hit hard by wildfires. The Marshall Fire of December 2021, for instance, caused $2 billion in damages and has turned out to be the most expensive wildfire in the state's history.

Quite often, homeowners discover that they're underinsured when these things happen, meaning their insurance policies don't provide enough money to rebuild their homes once a fire occurs. In mountain communities like Aspen, Vail, Telluride, Steamboat Springs, and others, insurance companies are starting to pull out, altogether.

So, what are homeowners to do? Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn discuss the situation in today's episode of Upzoned.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> An increasing risk of wildfires has made insurance carriers wary of certain areas in Colorado—according to a recent Denver Post article—raising their premiums and, in some cases, opting to not cover them, at all. In just the past few years, heavily forested areas of the state have been hit hard by wildfires. The Marshall Fire of December 2021, for instance, caused $2 billion in damages and has turned out to be the most expensive wildfire in the state's history.

Quite often, homeowners discover that they're underinsured when these things happen, meaning their insurance policies don't provide enough money to rebuild their homes once a fire occurs. In mountain communities like Aspen, Vail, Telluride, Steamboat Springs, and others, insurance companies are starting to pull out, altogether.

So, what are homeowners to do? Abby Kinney and co-host Chuck Marohn discuss the situation in today's episode of Upzoned.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES ]]> Strong Towns false No 2366 179 full