Upzoned

Upzoned

Author: Strong Towns Language: English Episodes: 100
Each week, Upzoned takes a single, pressing story from the world of urban development, municipal policy, and community economics and holds it up to the light. Hosts Abby Kinney and Chuck Marohn of Strong Towns, sometimes joined by a guest, don't just skim the headlines. They dig into the nuances of a specific zoning decision, a new infrastructure project, or a shifting demographic trend, asking what it reveals about how we actually build our cities, towns, and neighborhoods. The conversation is grounded in the practical, bottom-up philosophy of the Strong Towns movement, making complex topics accessible and immediately relevant. This isn't a broad news recap; it's a focused, thoughtful dissection for anyone curious about why their community looks and functions the way it does. You'll hear informed debate, critical analysis, and a persistent questioning of conventional wisdom, all aimed at understanding how we can create places that are financially resilient and genuinely enriching for the people who live in them. Tune in for a deeper, more substantive take on the stories that shape our shared spaces.
Episodes
Parking Regulations Threaten to Demolish Coffee Shop [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:09
In Kansas City, Kansas, parking regulations have threatened to demolish a local coffee shop for a parking lot. An out-of-state developer is trying to meet the city’s strict parking requirements for a new apartment comple…
An Abandoned Downtown Equals a Pot of Gold? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:49
Not everyone who left the office for remote work returned after the pandemic lockdown ended. Many employees stayed remote, and, in doing so, they left behind a swath of empty office buildings in downtowns across North Am…
One Reason American Architecture Is Considered Boring: Stairs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:51
Have you ever wondered why multifamily housing has the same, copied look in most places? Part of the reason is due to the way regulations require architects to build stairs. On this Upzoned podcast, host Abby Kinney talk…
Cowboy Hotels for Housing Shortages [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:32
Like all major cities in America, Seattle is facing a housing shortage. And 100 years ago, Seattle faced a housing shortage bigger than the one it has now. The initial response to the historic shortage was to build small…
Homelessness in Rural America [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:11
Homelessness in rural areas can look different than in bigger cities: as noted in a recent article by The Daily Yonder, rural homelessness is more “hidden,” and is expressed through couch surfing, roommate arrangements,…
High-Income Earners Are Renting Instead of Buying Homes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:52
High-earning Americans are renting instead of buying homes. Some even say they plan to rent indefinitely. Why is that? In this week’s Upzoned episode, join host Abby Kinney and guest Norm Van Eeden Petersman as they talk…
When a Building Is Demolished, What Should Happen to the Materials? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:07
“What happens when old buildings have reached the end of their life, either their useful life in terms of safety or their desirable life in terms of modern living?” a Next City article asks. The piece goes on to say that…
The 15 Minute City - A Good Life or an Infringement on Freedoms? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:51
The 15 Minute City: a term to describe mixed use neighborhoods, has become a political concept where critics believe the idea could result in an infringement on personal freedoms. On this Upzoned podcast, host Abby Kinne…
We’re Getting Worse at Construction Despite Technology Advances [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:41
Despite global advantages and new technologies, we are getting worse at construction. At least, that’s the case that Ezra Klein makes in his New York Times article, “The Story Construction Tells About America’s Economy I…

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