How Cities Can Help Small Developers Build Housing

How Cities Can Help Small Developers Build Housing

Author: Strong Towns December 4, 2025 Duration: 34:05
In this live Q&A, Chuck explains why small-scale housing is so hard to build. From codes to permitting to financing, he breaks down the friction points that stall projects everywhere and explains how cities can address them.   (Note: This episode was recorded live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Some questions may be difficult to hear.) Additional Show Notes Bring Chuck to your own city! Learn how to support small developers in our new housing toolkit. Chuck Marohn (Substack)   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

Each week, Charles Marohn guides a discussion that feels less like a formal lecture and more like a thoughtful chat with a knowledgeable neighbor. The Strong Towns Podcast digs into the practical, often overlooked details that determine whether a community thrives or just struggles along. The conversations here consistently connect the dots between sensible budgeting and the physical shape of our streets, parks, and neighborhoods, arguing that true resilience comes from this intersection. You’ll hear specific examples of how towns and cities can make incremental, affordable investments that build long-term wealth and stability, moving beyond short-term fixes. Rather than offering abstract theory, this podcast focuses on actionable ideas for local leaders and engaged citizens alike, exploring how everyday decisions about infrastructure and land use directly impact a place's financial health. It’s a grounded perspective on creating communities that are not only more solvent but also more welcoming and livable. The ongoing dialogue reinforces the core idea that a strong town is built from the bottom up, one block at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Strong Towns Podcast
Podcast Episodes
These 6 Code Reforms Will Bring More Housing to Your City [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:56
In this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck talks about housing development and zoning code reform with Seth Zeren, a neighborhood real estate developer in Providence, Rhode Island. They dive into the six code ref…
America Needs a New Housing Bargain. Here’s Why. [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:40
In this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck explores the flawed nature of North America’s current “housing bargain,” where most neighborhoods are allowed to stay exactly the same as long as some neighborhoods — us…
Bonus Episode: Lessons From 9 Strongest Town Contest Winners [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:12
This special episode of the Strong Towns Podcast explores the Strongest Town Contest, including what cities can learn from previous winners, what it means for cities to participate, and a preview of this year's Contest.…
Ben Hunt: Surviving the Widening Gyre Through Hope and Community [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:52
Today, Chuck is joined by Ben Hunt, the creator of Epsilon Theory. Their conversation revolves around the concept of the Widening Gyre, a “profound social equilibrium where bad people and bad ideas drive out good people…
How Do You Build More Housing When No One Wants Neighborhood Change? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:03
In this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck discusses housing with Cullum Clark, director of the Economic Growth Initiative at the George W. Bush Institute. They talk about why there is so much resistance to new d…
Comparing the Strong Towns and YIMBY Approaches to the Housing Crisis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:31:06
The Building Culture Podcast explores holistic solutions to crafting a more beautiful, resilient and thriving world through the built environment. Its host, Austin Tunnell, recently invited Strong Towns President Charles…
Memorable Moments in the History of Strong Towns [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:33
Over the years, Chuck has added audio clips to the Strong Towns Podcast outro music to memorialize influential moments and experiences he’s had since founding Strong Towns. Today, in honor of that outro music being retir…
From the Federal Government to RV Parks: A Housing Q&A [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:13
On this episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, Chuck continues answering housing questions submitted by Ohio State University students. The questions cover state and federal housing policy, local government’s role in finan…