The Strong Towns Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Using Radical Common Sense To Build Great Places, With Steve Nygren Jun 23, 2025

Show notes

Serenbe is a unique community just outside of Atlanta, Georgia. It’s based on the development pattern of traditional English villages, with walkable, mixed-use “hamlets” surrounded by nature. In today’s episode, Chuck sits down with Serenbe founder Steve Nygren to discuss the process of developing this kind of community, as well as Steve’s development philosophy of “radical common sense.”

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

“Start in Your Own Backyard: Transforming Where We Live With Radical Common Sense” by Steve Nygren
Learn more about Serenbe.
Chuck Marohn (Substack)

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

NYT Journalist Shares Why America Should Sprawl Jun 09, 2025

Show notes

A few weeks ago, the New York Times article "Why America Should Sprawl" went viral, sparking a national discussion about housing and development patterns.

In today’s episode, Chuck sits down with Conor Dougherty, the reporter behind the article, to discuss his perspective on housing in more depth.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Prefer to read or watch? We've got you covered. Click here for the transcript or here for the YouTube video.
Learn how to beat the housing crisis the right way. Download The Housing-Ready City: A Toolkit for Local Code Reform today!
Read more:
- “America Should Sprawl” by Conor Dougherty
- “Golden Gates” by Conor Dougherty
- “America Should Sprawl? Not If We Want Strong Towns” by Charles Marohn
- “Escaping the Housing Trap” by Charles Marohn and Daniel Herriges
Chuck Marohn (Substack)

4 Ways To Build Homes and Expand Opportunity Jun 02, 2025

Show notes

Cullum Clark, director of the Economic Growth Initiative at the George W. Bush Institute, returns to the Strong Towns Podcast to discuss his recently published report on housing reform. Cullum highlights several reforms that have proven to be economically feasible, politically realistic, and impactful on a large scale.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

More from Cullum:
- Read the report: Build Homes, Expand Opportunity: Lessons from America’s Fastest Growing Cities
- George W. Bush Presidential Center (site)
- “How Do You Build More Housing When No One Wants Neighborhood Change?” (Strong Towns Podcast)
Learn how to unlock housing in your city: The Housing-Ready City: A Toolkit for Local Code Reform
Chuck Marohn (Substack)

Escaping the Housing Crisis With Jeff Speck May 26, 2025

Show notes

Today, Chuck is joined by Jeff Speck, a city planner, author, and principal of an urban design and consultancy firm. They discuss the ideas shared in Chuck’s book “Escaping the Housing Trap” and how those concepts play out in the real world, including examples from Jeff’s own work.

Their discussion covers a wide range of topics, including incremental zoning reform, the benefits and pitfalls of inclusive zoning, and how to finance small-scale housing.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Join Jeff and Chuck in Providence next month. Get your National Gathering tickets now!
See more from Jeff:
- The Planner’s Pledge (site)
- “Walkable City” by Jeff Speck, updated edition
- “Walkable City Rules” by Jeff Speck
See more from Strong Towns:
- “Escaping the Housing Trap” by Chuck Marohn and Daniel Herriges
- The Housing-Ready City: A Toolkit for Local Code Reform
- Chuck Marohn (Substack)

Why Sprawl IS the Housing Crisis May 19, 2025

Show notes

On the surface, sprawl seems like an easy answer to the housing crisis. It fits with the mechanisms we have in place today, and it aligns with the lived experiences and political will of most Americans. But the reality of our housing crisis is more nuanced, and it's bigger than sprawl: The problem is the current way we develop, whether that's inside cities or on the fringes. Chuck explains why in this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Learn how to beat the housing crisis the right way. Download The Housing-Ready City: A Toolkit for Local Code Reform today!
Read more:
- “Escaping the Housing Trap” by Charles Marohn and Daniel Herriges
- “America Should Sprawl? Not If We Want Strong Towns” by Charles Marohn
Chuck Marohn (Substack)

ZacTax: How To Build Financially Healthy Cities May 12, 2025

Show notes

ZacTax is a financial analysis firm that helps city officials understand their revenue streams and make smarter financial choices. Today, Chuck is joined by its founders, Chad Janicek and Patrick Lawler. They explain how they work effectively with local governments and how their work is helping drive a cultural shift toward stronger and more productive cities.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Learn more about ZacTax:
- Website
- LinkedIn
Connect with Chad and Patrick:
- Email: chad@zactax.com || patrick@zactax.com
- LinkedIn: Patrick Lawler
Learn more about the Strong Towns approach to finance.
Chuck Marohn (Substack)

The World Is on Fire. That’s Why We’re Here. Apr 28, 2025

Show notes

Chuck reflects on the current state of the world. He explains that, when you recognize things are broken, you have two options. You can wait helplessly for someone else to fix them, or you can start rebuilding the systems closest to you.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

It's Member Week! Join the movement that's building stronger towns across North America.
Join us for a four-hour livestream tour of North America on Wednesday, April 30, from 1-5 p.m. CDT. Chat with Chuck and meet some of the Strong Towns members actively making their communities stronger.

How To Handle the Bureaucracy of Local Government Apr 23, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck is joined by Carlee Alm-LaBar and Kevin Blanchard, former city staff members in Lafayette, Louisiana. Carlee is now Strong Towns’ chief of staff, while Kevin is CEO of the nonprofit Downtown Lafayette, which promotes infrastructure development and business revitalization.

Carlee and Kevin discuss the challenges of balancing competing demands and priorities when working in local government, particularly when trying to make smarter financial decisions. They also share recommendations for how local governments and residents can work together constructively.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Download the Strong Towns Finance Decoder to get to the bottom of your city’s finances.
Kevin Blanchard (LinkedIn)
Chuck Marohn (Substack)

3 Reasons This Is a Great Time for Walkable Streets Apr 17, 2025

Show notes

In this episode, Chuck explains why our current situation, though tense, actually presents a great opportunity for advocates of street safety, walkability, and bikeability. He then lays out a number of common misconceptions and errors that advocates will have to avoid if they want to take advantage of this opportunity.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Chuck Marohn (Substack)

Road Design Creates Aggressive Drivers. We Can Fix That. Apr 10, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck discusses how the design of an environment affects people psychologically. He explores how cities can use that knowledge to make streets safer, using a crash in Hyattsville, Maryland, as an example.

ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES

Get the full crash report from Hyattsville, Maryland.
Learn more about the Crash Analysis model.
Chuck Marohn (Substack)

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