The Strong Towns Podcast

This week we preview CNU 22 in Buffalo with two members of the host committee, Chuck Banas and Chris Hawley. You can register for CNU on the congress website.

Strong Towns will have a large presence at CNU this year, with podcast interviews, members meetups and we kick it off with a mini Boot Camp. We hope to see you there.

Chuck answers questions he received from high school senior Zach Sussman about what motivated him to start Strong Towns, how he went about starting it, what teenagers can do to help and more.

This week Julie Flynn of the Street Plans Collaborative joins Chuck Marohn to talk about her latest publication, Mercado: Lessons from 20 Markets Across South America.

We are really proud to be associated with some amazing people who are working hard to advance the principles of Strong Towns in their chosen profession. This week on the podcast we have a conversation with Kristin Green, the dynamic and visionary leader of the Texas-based engineering firm, Verdunity. Kristin and her colleagues brought the Strong Towns Curbside Chat to the Dallas area earlier this year and, in partnership with them, we are planning a return trip this October. They are pioneers in their field and it is a real pleasure to be able to share this conversation with you.

Verdunity combines the concepts of “green” (verde) with community in an effort to restore the balance between urban and natural systems and create long term prosperity for the communities they work with. They are a sponsor of Strong Towns and we are grateful for their ongoing support and their pioneering approach.

Our mission is to support a model of growth that allows America’s cities, towns and neighborhoods become financially strong and resilient. If you are an organization doing compelling work consistent with the principles of Strong Towns and would be interested in supporting our efforts to build a stronger America, please contact our Executive Director, Jim Kumon, to discuss ways we can potentially work together.

Mike Lydon of Street Plans Collaborative talks about his Tactical Urbanism, his unique career path and what life is like on a bike in New York City.

Andrew Burleson interviews our own Chuck Marohn in studio on transportation and how we transition from a system that emphasizes building new to one that maintains key systems over time.

This week Code for America fellow Lou Huang joins us to talk about the organization and their popular application, Streetmix. You can contact Lou through his website LouHuang.com.

Author and commentator James Howard Kunstler joins the podcast this week to talk about the economy, Federal Reserve interventions and the impact to local communities. Jim also provides an update on his new book, the third installment of the World Made by Hand series. The book, A History of the Future, is scheduled for a September 2014 release.

You can follow Jim, read his blog and find all of his books on his website at Kunstler.com.

Attorney and job creation, transportation efficiency and economic development expert Rick Rybeck joins Chuck Marohn to talk about taxes, fees and creating incentives for a better land use approach. You can find out more about Rick and his work at www.justeconomicsllc.com.

Gracen Johnson from Another Place for Me talks with Chuck Marohn about The Hunger Games series and how the insights apply to Strong Towns thinking.