These 6 Code Reforms Will Bring More Housing to Your City
In this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck talks about housing development and zoning code reform with Seth Zeren, a neighborhood real estate developer in Providence, Rhode Island. They dive into the six code reforms recommended in “The Housing-Ready City: A Toolkit for Local Code Reform,” covering why they’re important and how they help developers, residents and cities.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES
Get your National Gathering ticket before they sell out!
“The Housing-Ready City: A Toolkit for Local Code Reform.”
Want to go deeper? The spring session of the Accelerator starts April 7. Reserve your spot today!
Chuck Marohn (Substack).
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1:06:56
America Needs a New Housing Bargain. Here’s Why.
In this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck explores the flawed nature of North America’s current “housing bargain,” where most neighborhoods are allowed to stay exactly the same as long as some neighborhoods — usually those that are poorer and have less political clout — are forced to radically change. He proposes a new way forward that respects cities as living and evolving systems.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES
This Thursday, February 27, Strong Towns will release a toolkit to help city officials welcome incremental housing development. Learn more here.
Become a member to join the toolkit launch livestream with experts Alli Thurmond Quinlan (Incremental Development Alliance) and Eric Kronberg (Kronberg Urbanists + Architects).
Chuck Marohn (Substack).
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33:40
Remembering Donald Shoup: A Legacy of Curiosity, Credibility and Kindness
In this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck is joined by Victor Dover, a planner and urban designer. They discuss the work and legacy of Dr. Donald Shoup, an engineer and professor of urban planning who revolutionized the fields of urban planning and parking reform with his book “The High Cost of Free Parking.” They also talk about their own relationships with Dr. Shoup and how he impacted their work as an engineer and planner.
Then, keep listening for a rerun of an interview with Dr. Shoup that Chuck had in 2015.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES
“The High Cost of Free Parking” (Amazon).
Victor Dover (LinkedIn).
Chuck Marohn (Substack).
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51:59
Bonus Episode: Lessons From 9 Strongest Town Contest Winners
This special episode of the Strong Towns Podcast explores the Strongest Town Contest, including what cities can learn from previous winners, what it means for cities to participate, and a preview of this year's Contest. Joining the discussion are Strong Towns staffers Lauren Ronnander and John Pattison, as well as Stephen Gawron, the former mayor of the 2018 Strongest Town, Muskegon, Michigan.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES
Learn more about the Strongest Town Contest.
Nominate your place (anyone can do this for free, even if you’re not a local official or city staff!)
Chuck Marohn (Substack).
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56:12
Ben Hunt: Surviving the Widening Gyre Through Hope and Community
Today, Chuck is joined by Ben Hunt, the creator of Epsilon Theory. Their conversation revolves around the concept of the Widening Gyre, a “profound social equilibrium where bad people and bad ideas drive out good people and good ideas.” They discuss this concept from a few different angles:
How it relates to top-down systems like America’s political systems and corporations.
How it has led to the loss of a national narrative and increased division and conflict.
How a community-based approach that focuses on doing the right thing today is the best way out.
ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES
Hear more from Ben Hunt:
“Ben Hunt: We're Not Going to Fix This from the Top Down” (podcast).
“Ben Hunt: In Praise of Bitcoin” (podcast).
Ben Hunt (Twitter/X).
Epsilon Theory (site).
Chuck Marohn (Substack).
México