🏘️ Neighborhood Development, Housing Policy, and Building Codes #383

🏘️ Neighborhood Development, Housing Policy, and Building Codes #383

Author: Think and Act Locally April 12, 2025 Duration: 28:28

Chuck Marone from Strong Towns interviews Seth Zarin, an incremental developer from Providence, Rhode Island, to discuss a newly released housing toolkit. The toolkit aims to address the enormity of the housing problem by focusing on simplifying regulations, supporting small-scale developers, and aiding in financing entry-level units. Zarin, who has appeared on the podcast before, shares his experiences as a developer in Providence, highlighting the challenges and misconceptions of the profession. Their conversation explores the difficulty of development work, the tight margins, and the often negative public perception of developers. They then discuss six key policy recommendations within the toolkit designed to make housing more accessible, such as allowing accessory dwelling units, legalizing smaller starter homes, and repealing parking mandates. The conversation also touches on the often-overlooked impact of building codes on housing affordability and concludes with excitement for the upcoming Strong Towns National Gathering in Providence.

https://www.strongtowns.org/


Think and Act Locally is built on the idea that the most meaningful changes often start right where we live. This podcast sits down with neighbors, small business owners, community organizers, and everyday people to hear their stories. The conversations explore what life is really like in our towns and neighborhoods, digging into the challenges people face and the creative, practical ways they're working to make things better. You'll hear about local initiatives, personal struggles, and the small-scale solutions that have a real impact. It’s a series dedicated to the notion that understanding our immediate surroundings-the successes and the friction points-is the first step toward building stronger, more resilient communities. Each episode aims to connect these individual experiences to broader themes in society and culture, offering a grounded perspective that’s often missing from larger debates. Tune in for genuine dialogue that highlights how ordinary individuals are taking extraordinary steps to improve their own situations and, by extension, the places they call home. This isn't about abstract theory; it's about the tangible work happening down the street, and the podcast serves as a microphone for those efforts.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Think and Act Locally
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