The Strong Towns Podcast

Maumee, Ohio, winner of the 2024 Strongest Town Contest, is facing a big sewer infrastructure challenge. It needs to update its sewer system to comply with EPA regulations — an extremely large, expensive project. To handle this problem, the city is requiring residents who want to sell their homes to pay for the needed updates to their sewage systems, which is generating backlash from residents. In this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck explains the history of sewer infrastructure, how the Clean Water Act affects cities and the very limited options that cities have to handle this kind of challenge. He also points out that the Strongest Town Contest is about celebrating cities that are working hard to improve, rather than finding cities that are perfect. Just because Maumee is facing this challenge does not mean that it’s a failure — and it’s not alone in this struggle, either. All cities are either facing this challenge, too, or will be facing it in the near future. That’s the consequence of decades of unproductive growth. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Chuck Marohn (Twitter/X). Become a member.

Discussing the response to criticism on suburban infrastructure spending, misconceptions in municipal finance, challenges in maintaining infrastructure, financial burdens on cities, excessive capital investment post-WWII, and the need for cities to play an infinite game for sustainability.

Chuck Marohn, Strong Towns President, answers questions about escaping the housing trap through rezoning, incremental development, and historic designations. The podcast discusses regulatory reform, empowering cities for housing initiatives, economic complexities, and the availability of the book in audiobook format.

This is the final episode in the Strong Towns Podcast's special Member Drive series. Every day, Chuck has read one of his best articles that you might’ve missed. Today, he’s reading one of Strong Towns’ most popular articles, “Most Public Engagement Is Worthless.” This article explores the typical methods used by city planners when collecting feedback from the public and why they often fail. Instead of focusing on what people think they want — since most of the time they don’t know themselves — planners should focus on people’s actions and then adjust their policies to compliment the way real people actually live. If you enjoy this podcast, or any of the other work Strong Towns does, become a member today. Be the change your city needs. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Become a member today! Chuck Marohn (Twitter/X).

This is the fourth episode in the Strong Towns Podcast's special Member Drive series. Every day, Chuck is reading one of his best articles that you might’ve missed. Today, he’s reading “If We Made Shoes Like We Make Housing, People Would Go Barefoot.” This article is an excerpt from Chuck’s most recent book “Escaping the Housing Trap,” coauthored with Daniel Herriges. It discusses how restrictions on types of housing have caused massive price spikes, wiped out starter homes and made any housing incredibly difficult to acquire. Make sure to check back in tomorrow to catch the final installment of this special series. If you enjoy this podcast, or any of the other work Strong Towns does, become a member today. Be the change your city needs. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Become a member today! Chuck Marohn (Twitter/X).

This is the third episode in the Strong Towns Podcast's special Member Drive series. Every day, Chuck is reading one of his best articles that you might’ve missed. Today, he’s reading “How Fannie Mae Puts a Chokehold on Local Home Financing Solutions.” This article explains how mortgage financiers rose to dominance through an “orgy of debt and price appreciation” and how they continue to twist the conversation around housing to further increase prices and debt. Make sure to check back in tomorrow to catch the next installment of this special series. If you enjoy this podcast, or any of the other work Strong Towns does, become a member today. Be the change your city needs. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Become a member today! Chuck Marohn (Twitter/X).

In this episode, Chuck discusses the tragic consequences of prioritizing drivers' safety over pedestrians in urban design. He highlights the need for safer streets by implementing bollards to protect vulnerable road users. The episode emphasizes the importance of advocating for pedestrian safety measures and the urgency to make impactful changes in our communities.

In honor of Member Drive, the Strong Towns Podcast is publishing five episodes this week. Every day, Chuck will read one of his best articles that you might’ve missed. Today, he’s reading “The Cost of an Extra Foot,” which explains why engineers love overdesign and what that means for cities’ finances. Make sure to check back in tomorrow to catch the next installment of this special series. If you enjoy this podcast, or any of the other work Strong Towns does, become a member today. Be the change your city needs. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Become a member today! Chuck Marohn (Twitter/X).

Journalist Megan Kimble discusses the social impacts of urban highway expansion in Texas cities like Austin, Dallas, and Houston. She highlights community resistance efforts, grassroots activism, displacement in minority neighborhoods, and the challenges of aligning federal and state funding for highway projects.

Chuck Marohn, President of Strong Towns, discusses urbanism topics with Kevin Klinkenberg. They explore housing traps, sports stadium logistics, and Disney World's urbanism principles. The conversation is insightful, covering the intersection of housing and finance, responsible stadium funding approaches, and Disney's design philosophy.