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The Strong Towns Podcast

Strong Towns
Strong Towns
Urban Planning
Urban Development
Community Engagement
Affordable Housing
Housing Crisis
Infrastructure
Transportation
Local Government
Community Development
Housing Affordability
Housing
Housing Market
Strong Towns Movement
Sprawl
Highway Trust Fund
Public Engagement
Transportation Policy
Walkability
Property Tax

The Strong Towns Podcast is a weekly conversation on the Strong Towns movement, hosted by Strong Towns Founder and President Charles Marohn and frequently featuring special guests. The podcast explores how we can financially strengthen our cities, towns, and neighborhoods and, in the process, make them better places to live. Join Chuck in examining how everything from urban design to economics to ... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes600Founded16 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Government

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Artwork for The Strong Towns Podcast

Latest Episodes

Massachusetts voters are being asked a surprisingly simple housing question: Should a single-family home be legal on a 5,000-square-foot lot with public sewer and water? Chuck talks with Andrew Mikula, a Boston policy researcher who spearheaded the v... more

Parking reform used to feel like a niche fight. Now North Carolina has eliminated most parking mandates statewide, cities are following one another’s lead, and Tony Jordan says he sometimes finds out about reforms only after they happen. The Parking ... more

If housing feels impossibly expensive, one answer is that a smaller home, a less in-demand place, or a slower climb may simply be part of starting out and working your way up. But what if getting the house that has long stood at the center of the Ame... more

After six years of legal fights, we finally have a federal court ruling in Chuck’s dispute with Minnesota’s engineering licensing board. Chuck and Strong Towns executive director John Reuter go back to the complaint that started the case, why Chuck’s... more

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Recent Guests

Andrew Mikula
Volunteer advocate for Yes on Massachusetts question seven, with a background in think tanks and housing policy
Legalized Charter Homes Ballot Committee / Yes on Massachusetts question seven
Episode: Massachusetts Is Putting Starter Homes on the Ballot
Tony Jordan
President and co-founder of the Parking Reform Network
Parking Reform Network
Episode: What Comes After Cities Kill Parking Mandates?
Sheinya Joseph
Architectural designer
Emerging New Urbanist
Episode: Is Homeownership Still Part of the American Dream?
Camille Cortes
Urban designer
DPZ
Episode: Is Homeownership Still Part of the American Dream?
Richard Ciccarone
President Emeritus at Merit Research Services
Merit Research Services
Episode: The $1 Trillion Infrastructure Backlog Cities Aren’t Counting
Rebecca Serna
Executive Director at Propel ATL
Propel ATL
Episode: This Atlanta Corridor Makes Walking Normal and Deadly
Sagirah Jones
Program Director at Propel ATL
Propel ATL
Episode: This Atlanta Corridor Makes Walking Normal and Deadly
Rebecca Higgins
Vice President of Policy at The Eno Center for Transportation
Eno Center for Transportation
Episode: America’s Half-Funded Highway System
Krista Nightengale
Executive Director of the Better Block
Better Block
Episode: A Better Block Versus Years of Planning

Host

Chuck Marohn
Founder and President of Strong Towns; host of the show.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 769 ratings
  • Must-hear content for those seeking after a healthy city

    Can your city financially sustain its current growth pattern in the long term? Why or why not? Why should you care? If you are curious about the health of your local city and want to dive deeper to understand more about city development and finances, check out this phenomenal podcast.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    kinsleygr
    United States24 days ago
  • 3:19 minutes in and you lost a Long time listener

    Rep. Jake Auchincloss was given your forum to talk about a governor telling the president to go pound sand. Did he mean crooked and wasteful Minnesota? California? Where Billions earmarked to help people are lost in fraud because the locals are part of the fraud?

    How dare you destroy the small towns program by allowing this unfocused fool a platform!

    Republicans brought the power to small government in the 80s and 90s but we’ve seen in the last 20 years state and local governments abuse th... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Future-is-bright
    United States4 months ago
  • 3:19 minutes in and you lost a Long time listener

    Rep. Jake Auchincloss was given your forum to talk about a governor telling the president to go pound sand. Did he mean crooked and wasteful Minnesota? California? Where Billions earmarked to help people are lost in fraud because the locals are part of the fraud? How dare you destroy your program by allowing this baloney! Republicans brought the power to small government in the 80s and 90s but we’ve seen in the last 20 years state and local governments abuse the federal trust. Local and state ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Future-is-bright
    United States4 months ago
  • Christopher

    Incredible content every time! Anyone who loves their city and wants to see it succeed, needs to follow Strong Towns!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ISUandU
    United States5 months ago
  • Intro and outro suck a star

    I love everything about this podcast (almost) but I can’t stand the intro and outro. The worst part is the random screaming people. Chuck is so able to see so many things but then he adds screaming people randomly to the podcast. Why? 😱

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Pagan Poetry
    United States6 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Thoughtful, data-driven discussions on urban design and policy.
Consistently insightful on local finance and street design, with practical takeaways for practitioners.
Challenging, practical, and sometimes provocative takes on infrastructure and governance.
High-quality guests and deep dives, though a few listeners critique pacing and framing.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#24
United States/Government
Apple Podcasts
#53
Canada/Government
Apple Podcasts
#147
United Kingdom/Government
Apple Podcasts
#69
Australia/Government
Apple Podcasts
#123
Germany/Government
Apple Podcasts
#230
France/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

What Comes After Cities Kill Parking Mandates?
Q: Okay, we repeal our parking minimums. We're no longer mandating this. We're done basically pounding our own finger with a hammer. So what comes next, in practical terms?
The immediate next steps include revising zoning rules to allow more housing and commercial uses, formalizing curb management to allocate space more efficiently, and gradually implementing pricing and revenue use that funds improvements rather than plugging it into a general fund. The idea is to manage space for access and activation, not extract revenue from drivers.
Chuck on Data Centers, YIMBYs and E-Bikes
Q: What is the minimum a city should demand from developers before approving a data center?
A city should require temporary, reversible infrastructure where possible, ensure ongoing maintenance responsibilities are clear, and mandate a reclamation bond to restore the site after the operation ends, preventing long-term liabilities and derelict sites.
This Atlanta Corridor Makes Walking Normal and Deadly
Q: Describe Buford Highway for listeners unfamiliar with the corridor.
Rebecca and Sagirah describe Buford Highway as a six-to-eight lane state route with high speeds, rough shoulders, no sidewalks in many places, and a design that treats it like a highway through dense immigrant communities, creating dangerous conditions for pedestrians and transit users.
America’s Half-Funded Highway System
Q: What is your view on devolving transportation funding to states as the most likely future outcome, and what would that entail for federal functions?
Devolution could leave essential federal functions in place—such as interstate coordination, certain regulatory activities, and post roads—while transferring asset ownership and funding decisions to states. It could increase flexibility and state experimentation but would require hard conversations about standards, equity, and national priorities.
America’s Half-Funded Highway System
Q: What were the key outcomes of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in terms of funding levels and program goals, and how did that interact with existing Highway Trust Fund dynamics?
IIJA increased funding and aimed to maintain elevated program levels, but the scale of expansion exposed limitations in implementation and in sustaining those levels. While some components (like rail and bridges) benefited, other areas (like EV charging) faced challenges due to state readiness and operational design, underscoring the complexity of translating funding into outcomes.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Gender Skew
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Strong Towns Podcast

What is The Strong Towns Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, policy- and design-forward program that centers on making cities more livable, resilient, and financially sound. Episodes commonly explore urban design, transportation funding and reform, housing policy, and governance, often featuring researchers, policymakers, and practitioners who bring data-driven perspectives to practical urban challenges. The program shines when guests share tangible case studies (from walk audits to highway removals) and actionable paths for local leaders to implement bottom-up improvements at scale. Distinguished for its rigorous approach, it frequently blends fiscal realism with human-centered design, challenging listeners to rethink conventional mobility, street design, and funding paradigms while hi... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Strong Towns Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Strong Towns Podcast:

1. Upzoned
2. The War on Cars
3. The Bottom-Up Revolution
4. The Messy City Podcast
5. Volts

How many episodes of The Strong Towns Podcast are there?

The Strong Towns Podcast launched 16 years ago and published 600 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Strong Towns Podcast?

Recent guests on The Strong Towns Podcast include:

1. Andrew Mikula
2. Tony Jordan
3. Sheinya Joseph
4. Camille Cortes
5. Richard Ciccarone
6. Rebecca Serna
7. Sagirah Jones
8. Rebecca Higgins

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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