Upzoned

Join Carlee Alm-LaBar, Chief of Staff at Strong Towns, and John Reuter, former city council member, as they dive into grassroots efforts transforming communities. They share inspiring stories of housing innovations like Monty Anderson's 'Roommate House' and creative solutions, such as curb chalking for pedestrian safety in San Diego. The conversation highlights the significance of community involvement in implementing policies and eliminating unnecessary parking mandates to boost local businesses. Tune in for practical tips on strengthening neighborhoods!

Asia Mieleszko, editor at Strong Towns and host of Stacked Against Us, joins to explore the implications of Elon Musk's data centers in Memphis. They discuss the allure of 'shiny object urbanism' and why cities often chase flashy projects without considering long-term sustainability. Asia emphasizes the risks of cities becoming overly reliant on single large taxpayers and the pitfalls of rapid approvals that limit community input. They suggest that incremental development could be a more effective strategy for fostering resilient urban spaces.

Norm Van Eeden Petersman, Director of Membership at Strong Towns, dives into the contentious fate of the historic bridges between Brattleboro and Hinsdale. He explores the unique challenges faced by both towns, including New Hampshire's hesitance to fund maintenance amidst safety concerns. Norm suggests innovative solutions like incremental activations, potential community-driven initiatives, and transforming these spaces into vibrant public amenities. The discussion also touches on the importance of civic engagement and economic implications tied to the bridge reopening.

Carlee Alm-LaBar, chief of staff at Strong Towns and former city staff in Lafayette, dives into the challenges of mall decline and its impact on communities. She discusses how 720,000 square feet of vacant mall space can create budget issues and blight. Carlee highlights the nostalgia behind mall construction and the mismatched scale between large malls and small towns. They debate the effectiveness of redeveloping these sites for housing and emphasize the need for supporting local developers and breaking large properties into smaller parcels.

Norm Van Eeden-Petersman, an expert from Strong Towns, discusses the contrasting housing strategies of Littleton and Lakewood, Colorado. He highlights Littleton’s restrictive approach to single-family homes versus Lakewood’s push for diverse housing options. The conversation dives into how suburban zoning laws create barriers to development and the emotional resistance to change. Norm advocates for targeted reforms and incremental housing solutions, cautioning against the long-term consequences of Littleton's measures while emphasizing the need for collaborative community planning.

U.S. public transit could face collapse by 2026 due to dwindling federal funding. The hosts discuss transit's vital role in mobility and space efficiency, especially for those unable to drive. They debate whether transit should be treated as a charity or essential infrastructure. Acknowledging design failures, they advocate for local solutions and decision-making. The conversation highlights the fragility of transit compared to roadways, stressing that vulnerable communities will suffer first if it fails. The suburban growth model is called into question as they explore future funding alternatives.

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 “Mayor Bass says layoffs averted after labor negotiations, "creative solutions" for next year city budget” by Chelsea Hylton, CBS News (September 2025). Finance Decoder Become a Strong Towns member to access weekly Ask Strong Towns Anything sessions. Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

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 “The Economic Benefits of Paying Workers to Move” by Rthvika Suvarna and Fola Akinnibi, Bloomberg CityLab (May 2025).‍ Abby Newsham (X/Twitter).‍‍ Theme Music by Kemet the Phantom.   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

A surge of homes may flood the market as baby boomers downsize, potentially outstripping demand by a million units. The hosts delve into the implications of demographic shifts on housing stability and the risks of an oversimplified construction mantra. They discuss the need for diverse housing solutions that cater to various lifestyles, while exploring financial incentives that hinder adaptive housing. Interestingly, they even touch upon NASA's findings on ancient life on Mars, weaving together an engaging narrative about housing and beyond.

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 “End-users, rather than investors, expected to drive Vancouver housing market higher” by Kerry Gold, The Globe and Mail (September 2025).‍ Abby Newsham (X/Twitter).‍ Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)‍ Theme Music by Kemet the Phantom.   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.