Montavius Jones is a Strong Towns member who describes himself as “getting radicalized” about urban planning issues on Twitter. (This conversation is actually a good argument for the positive potential of Twitter as a place to meet people, connect and share ideas!) Jones majored in commercial real estate in college, and brings that expertise to his work today at a community development financial institution, as well as a lot of on-the-ground advocacy in Milwaukee. A few years ago, he also had the opportunity to travel around Central and South America, observing the way so many cities to the south have built themselves with people as the priority, not cars. In particular, he talks about his all time favorite city, Mexico City, and why it’s a perfect example of successful, strong urban planning.

Jones sees the connections between the challenges that many communities, especially mid-size cities like Milwaukee, face: population stagnation, educational and health disparities, safety, housing affordability… He sees solutions in a Strong Towns approach to urban planning. In this conversation, you’ll also hear about an initiative he helps lead called Urban Spaceship. We’ll just leave that as a teaser since the name alone should be enough to get you intrigued.

• Find Montavius Jones on Twitter.

• Check out Jones’ travel blog.

• Incremental Development Alliance.

• Newaukee.

• “Design Speed is a Value Statement,” by Charles Marohn, Strong Towns (July 2021).

• “The Strong Towns Approach to Public Investment,” by Charles Marohn, Strong Towns (September 2019).

• Send your story ideas and guest suggestions to rachel@strongtowns.org.

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