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
Zoning Reform Is Only Step 1 in Fighting the Housing Crisis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:16
Utah wants to override local zoning to boost housing supply, but allowed by right doesn't mean possible in practice. Abby and Edward dig into the hidden barriers — complicated permits, scarce financing, and broken system…
What Happens When Official Decisions Clash With Community Traditions? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:32
Who decides when community traditions change? Lafayette, Louisiana, recently rerouted its Mardi Gras parade. The goal was to improve public safety, but the change left neighborhoods, businesses, and long-standing customs…
How To Fix Washington DC's New Rules for Outdoor Dining [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:42
Last week, we heard how DC's outdoor dining regulations threaten local businesses. Today, urban designers Abby Newsham and Edward Erfurt explore how DC could course-correct. They share creative ways that cities can maint…
DC Is Charging Thousands for Outdoor Dining. Is This a Good Idea? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:04
Washington DC is charging restaurants thousands of dollars to keep their streateries — outdoor dining areas built during Covid-19. Are these fees fair compensation for public space, or will they kill the local businesses…
5 Ways Ordinary People Are Making Their Places Stronger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:07
Abby is joined by Carlee Alm-LaBar, the chief of staff for Strong Towns, and John Reuter, advisory board member for Strong Towns. They discuss several stories of people across the country taking action to make their comm…
Will Elon Musk's Data Centers Actually Help Memphis? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:26
Elon Musk's company xAI is building massive data centers in Memphis, promising economic transformation. But at what cost? Abby is joined by Strong Towns Blog Editor and podcast host Asia Mieleszko to dissect the billion-…
Historic Bridge Battle: Will 1 Town Profit While the Other Pays? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:30
Two towns, two states, and two historic bridges that nobody wants to pay for. Brattleboro, Vermont, wants to reactivate two historic bridges with a pedestrian greenway. Hinsdale, New Hampshire, worries about increased cr…
When a Town's Biggest Taxpayer Becomes Its Biggest Problem [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:39
What do you do with 720,000 square feet of dead mall? Towns across America are struggling to find the answer as their malls shut down, leaving budget craters and infrastructure nightmares in their wake. Abby is joined by…
2 Towns, 2 Responses to the Housing Crisis. Which Will Succeed? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:21
Littleton, Colorado, wants to ban everything other than single-family homes. The neighboring town of Lakewood wants to allow more housing variety. Norm and Abby dive into what's driving these radically different response…
Public Transit Will Collapse in a Year. Should We Save It? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:44
By the end of 2026, many U.S. cities could see large parts of their public transit systems crumble under a lack of federal funding and a development pattern that was never designed to support it. In this episode, Chuck M…