Comparing the process of furnishing two apartments—one in Ecuador, the other in the U.S.—was a reminder: order and efficiency aren't always what they're cracked up to be.
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Non-partisan reasons we should all be wearing masks, monuments coming down across the U.S., how to convert front lawns into neighborhood spaces, and more. These are some of the stories from around the web that got the Strong Towns staff talking this week.
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Want to introduce a child to stories about life in the neighborhood and what it means to be a good neighbor? These great picture books can help.
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Most of the actions we take in our cities aren’t “home runs.” They are usually singles, with some doubles thrown in. But they add up. Small ball gets results.
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Studies show that an alarming number of children experience acute loneliness. Kids need the support of trusted, loving neighbors. Not only that, our neighborhoods need kids!
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Want to start building a stronger town or city? Ask three neighbors this simple question.
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Local government must run a profit. Once we accept what that means and why it’s important, we’ll never look at infrastructure spending the same way again.
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Small towns are the most fragile communities in a fragile country. What’s going wrong—and can it be made right again?
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A bar in Utica wanted to close the street so businesses could serve patrons. The request was denied…but not because of parking restrictions. What the request—and the reasons it was denied—reveal about our highest priorities.
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Cities won’t die in a vacuum. When you see a vacant office building, what you’re really looking at is your pension fund going belly-up, a loan that won’t get repaid, services that will have to be cut.
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Enforcement treats the symptoms of risky driving, not the cause. Here’s how to get to the root of the problem.
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The road to recovery and prosperity doesn’t run through Washington, D.C. or even some distant state capitol. It starts right where you are and it starts right now.
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Our immediate reactions to a place are often deeply rooted in human psychology—including the biological preference for “edges.” Here’s a city that’s done that well. Has yours?
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What cities are spending money on besides police departments, poverty as a public health crisis, birdwatching during quarantine, and more. Here are a few stories from around the web that the Strong Towns staff were reading and talking about this week.
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The individualism so embodied and celebrated in American culture is kept afloat by a fragile affluence. What happens when that affluence starts to crumble?
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The word “virtue” may seem old-fashioned, but don’t be put off. Here are three virtues that should guide our work to build stronger, more financially resilient places.
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Even as more of our lives move online, homemade signage is making a comeback in the neighborhood.
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Some thought the pandemic would unite a polarized country. Instead it seems to be tearing us further apart. Can a divided America be put back together again?
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Do insolvent cities rely too much on fines and fees to make up their budget shortfalls? And is there a connection between an over-reliance on fines and controversial policing?
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It’s easy for “maintaining” our public investments to become “upgrading” our public investments. Especially when there is money available. And especially when that money is borrowed.
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