What does it look like to actively love the place you live? Tiffany Owens Reed talks with New Haven Alder Caroline Tanbee Smith about community-building, public space, and how small, people-powered projects grow into lasting civic impact. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local Recommendations: Criscuolo Park Ozzy’s Pizza The Crooked Goat Taqueria Oyameles Caroline Tanbee Smith (site) Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

Norm sits down with Connor Legros, an undergrad student studying city planning and administration. Connor explains how he's creating a one-stop-shop for building backyard cottages in Flagstaff, Arizona. He shares how better guidance and streamlined approvals can support local housing and reduce the burden on city staff. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Learn how to make housing easier to build in your community with the Strong Towns Housing Toolkits. Connect with Connor: LinkedIn Instagram ‍Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here.   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

In this special episode, Norm introduces Mary Kate Norton, Strong Towns' new Mobilization Coordinator and Trainer. Mary Kate shares about her background in grassroots organizing, leadership development, and coalition building. She also offers some tips for people hoping to make change in their communities. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Find a Local Conversation near you. Mary Kate Norton (LinkedIn) ‍Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here.   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

When a tragic car crash forced street safety changes in Chattanooga, Tennessee, local businesses panicked about losing customers. But they soon discovered that foot traffic beats car traffic every time. Emily Thompson, entrepreneur, author, and marketing chair of the North Shore Merchant Collective, explains how she helped push for increasing walkability and reclaiming space for people — and how those efforts made surrounding businesses more successful. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local Recommendations: Frazier Five and Dime I Go Tokyo Verre Noir Basecamp Almanac Supply Co (site) Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

What happens when a planner stops following broken rules and starts rewriting them instead? Brad Callender, director of planning and zoning for Monroe, Georgia, legalized the housing people actually need. Duplexes and backyard cottages are now popping up across town. He joins Norm today to explain how he did it as a department of one. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Brad Callender (LinkedIn) Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

Megan Ramey has advocated for kid-friendly transportation for over a decade, culminating in her role as the Safe Routes to School Manager for Hood River County, Oregon. Megan and Tiffany discuss the importance of walkability and bikeability for children, and Megan shares lessons she's learned from advocating in cities as big as Boston and towns as small as Hood River. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local Recommendations: Historic Columbia River Highway Ten Speed Coffee Shop Love and Hominy Walk And Roll Hood River County Schools (site) Bikeabout (site) Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

Your downtown isn't a money pit — it's a money pot. When Medicine Hat, Alberta, discovered the real financial value of traditional urban form, it sparked something bigger: a grassroots movement that's now changing who runs city hall. Superintendent of Planning Shawn Champagne joins Norm to discuss small bets, fiscal resilience, and why bottom-up change actually works. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Shawn Champagne: shacha@medicinehat.ca Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

In her day job, Victoria Via is an architect who designs affordable housing. In her off hours, she's one of the leaders of a powerhouse Local Conversation in Portland, Oregon. Victoria joins Tiffany to explain what affordable housing has in common with luxury projects and how Strong Towns PDX is working with neighborhood groups and city officials to transform Portland for the better. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local Recommendations:‍ Roste Chocolate House‍ Kate's Ice Cream ‍Orange & Blossom‍ Bike Summer (Pedalpalooza)‍ ‍Strong Towns PDX‍ (site)‍ Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

What happens when a data analyst starts studying their hometown's finances? For Karl Urich, it meant seeing Albany, New York, in a whole new light. Karl shares how he makes intimidating financial statements accessible to everyone, why unbiased storytelling matters more than gotcha journalism, and practical tips for aspiring data storytellers. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Albany Data Stories (site) Hudson Finance Decoder (site) Karl Urich (LinkedIn) Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn)   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

Why do some places make us want to stay forever while others repel us? In honor of Member Week, we're bringing back a great episode with architect Will McCollum. He explores the timeless principles of urbanism, why we need to democratize that knowledge again, and how understanding cities helps us understand what it means to be human. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES It's Member Week at Strong Towns! Join the movement today. Local Recommendations: Piedmont Park Bold Monk Brewing The Works Food Hall Citymakers Collective (Website) Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Strong Towns members are doing remarkable things in their communities, but none of it requires magic abilities. Norm shares what he's learned from 50 interviews — and explains how you can get involved. Additional Show Notes It's Member Week at Strong Towns! Join the movement by making a donation of any amount.

Many cities will greenlight a billion-dollar highway but struggle to paint a crosswalk. Liza Burkin has spent 12 years changing that through advocacy, private consulting, and federal policymaking. The founder of Providence Streets Coalition, she joins Tiffany to share hard-won lessons on political navigation and practical tools anyone can use to start transforming their streets. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local recommendations:‍ Providence Pedestrian Bridge‍ Dave’s Coffee‍ The Village‍ Johnny Chimi’s‍ Woonasquatucket River Greenway‍ Streetmix‍ ‍Providence Streets Coalition (site)‍ Neighborways (site)‍ Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!   Hey listener! You hear from us all the time, but today we want to hear from you. We want your feedback on this podcast and any other Strong Towns podcast you like to listen to. Please fill out this quick survey to share your thoughts: strongtowns.org/survey   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

Dr. Shakeel Dalal builds spaceships for a living, and he never planned to run for mayor of Longmont, Colorado. He just kept doing the next small thing that made sense. That led him from writing about city council meetings to moderating congressional debates, founding housing organizations, and running for office. Today, Shakeel joins Norm to discuss his journey, the challenges facing his community, and his advice for advocates. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Shakeel Dalal (site) Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Hey listener! You hear from us all the time, but today we want to hear from you. We want your feedback on this podcast and any other Strong Towns podcast you like to listen to. Please fill out this quick survey to share your thoughts: strongtowns.org/survey   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

What if you could change a dangerous street today instead of waiting 10 years? Isaac Gonzalez founded the advocacy group Slow Down Sacramento to prove that you can. Two years later, the group has helped transform Sacramento from a city that resists innovation to one that's embracing tactical urbanism. Today, Isaac explains how he kickstarted this change and how you can do the same. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Stop waiting. Start acting. Learn how to analyze crashes and quickly transform streets today. Connect with Isaac: Slow Down Sacramento (site) Email: slowdownsacramento@gmail.com Strong SacTown (site) Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

McKenzie Ortiz is the founder of Pedestrian Pride, a digital storytelling project that uplifts the realities of life for working-class people who can't drive. She also serves on the Planning and Zoning Commission in Columbia, Missouri. Today, McKenzie joins Tiffany to discuss what it's really like to be a nondriver in America and how storytelling can transform advocacy. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local Recommendations: ‍Uprise Bakery‍ Hitt Records‍ Ragtag Cinema Learn more about Pedestrian Pride Website‍ Instagram McKenzie Ortiz (site) Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

Sam Foster is an engineer, Local Conversation leader, and mayoral candidate in Marietta, Georgia. He joins Norm to talk about why he's running for office at 24 years old, how he uses social media to educate the public, and what he has planned for a more prosperous Marietta. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Connect with Sam: Website Instagram TikTok A Better Cobb (site) Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

Zoe Tishaev and Dylan DelliSanti work for the Institute for Justice, a nonprofit, public interest law firm. As part of the Cities Work program, they partner with cities to make it cheaper, faster and simpler to start small businesses. Today, they join Tiffany to talk about the importance of small businesses and to explain how cities can revitalize their local economies. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local Recommendations: The Pug Copy Cat Cities Work Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

Tyler Moldovan is a bus driver, urban advocate, and community organizer in Port Huron, Michigan. Today, he joins Norm to share how his work in transit, street safety, and local arts is helping to build a safer and more connected city. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Learn how your city can make its streets safer today with the Crash Analysis Studio model. Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here! This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

Kyle and Beverly Greenwood brought together nearly 2,000 residents to stop a proposed highway in Brazos County, Texas. What began with a single flyer turned into a community victory that protected historic ranches and homes. Today, they join Tiffany to explain how they took on a highway expansion and won. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local Recommendations:‍ Messina Hof Winery‍ C&J BBQ‍ Joe’s Place‍ ‍Bush Library‍ Aggie Land Safari ‍No East Loop (site)‍ Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

Mary Coddington is the founder of Twelve Inc., an affordable housing consulting firm based in Colorado. She also serves on the Denver Planning Board and works with the Colorado State Housing and Finance Authority. Today, she joins Norm to talk about her efforts to bring more housing affordability to her community on the neighborhood, city, and state levels. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Want to bring more housing to your community? Download our brand-new housing toolkit, "Who Will Build the Housing-Ready City?" for free! Mary Coddington (LinkedIn) Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!   This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.