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Strong Towns is a non-profit institution advocating for changes in urban planning and advancement to foster financially strong and resilient communities. Founded in 2008, the organization challenges conventional approaches to growth and promotes a return to incremental development, local autonomy, and community-driven solutions.
What is Strong Towns?
Table of Contents
Strong towns is a media organization, consulting group, and advocacy organization dedicated to supporting local leaders and residents in building strong, resilient communities.
The organization argues that North America’s post-World War II development patterns - characterized by auto-dependency, sprawling subdivisions, and large-scale infrastructure projects – are financially unsustainable and contribute to social and environmental problems. They advocate for a shift towards more localized, incremental approaches to development that prioritize affordability, walkability, and community engagement.
Example: Strong Towns’ advocacy led to increased discussion around the financial burdens of single-family zoning and the benefits of allowing more diverse housing types in many cities. Charles Marohn, the founder, frequently discusses these issues in the strong towns podcast.
Key Concepts & Advocacy Areas
Strong Towns focuses on several core concepts to achieve its goals.
- Incremental Development: Prioritizing small-scale, locally-led projects over large, top-down developments.
- Local Autonomy: Empowering local governments and residents to make decisions about their communities.
- Financial Resilience: Ensuring that development generates positive cash flow for local governments and residents.
- Walkability & Mixed-Use Development: Creating neighborhoods where people can easily walk to shops, services, and jobs.
Detail: The organization’s advocacy extends to challenging the conventional wisdom of growth subsidies,arguing that they often benefit developers at the expense of taxpayers.They also promote the concept of “subsidies hidden in plain sight,” such as the costs of maintaining extensive road networks and providing free parking.
Evidence: Strong Towns published a report in 2023 detailing the financial liabilities associated wiht suburban sprawl in several U.S.cities. Strong Cities, Strong Suburbs
Leadership & History
Strong Towns was founded in 2008 by Charles Marohn III, a professional land use planner.
Detail: Marohn initially started the organization as a blog, Smaller Steps, Greater City, to share his observations and critiques of conventional planning practices. The blog gained a following,and Marohn eventually transitioned it into a formal non-profit organization.
Example: Charles Marohn authored the book,”Confessions of a Planning Professional,” published in 2018,which outlines many of the core principles of the Strong Towns movement. Island Press – Confessions of a Planning Professional
Impact and Current Status (as of January 11,2026)
As of January 11,2026,Strong Towns continues to be a prominent voice in the urban planning and development debate.
Detail: the organization has expanded its reach through its podcast, online courses, and local action groups. It has also gained recognition from mainstream media outlets and is increasingly influencing policy discussions at the local and regional levels.
Evidence: Strong Towns’ work has been cited in articles by publications such as The New York Times and The Atlantic. New York Times – The Case for Building More Homes. The organization maintains an active presence on social media and continues to publish articles and reports on its website. No significant changes to the organization’s core mission or leadership have been reported as of the date of this update.
- congress for the New Urbanism (CNU): CNU Website – Another organization advocating for walkable, mixed-use communities.
- Local Government Associations: Such as the national League of Cities (NLC Website) and the U.S. Conference of Mayors (US conference of Mayors Website) - frequently enough engage with Strong Towns’ ideas.