It's the Little Things

Danny Wind is a Local Conversation leader and Regional Transportation Commission member from Lake County, California. In this Bottom-Up Short, Danny discusses their Open Street Map Project, which gives people a space to share photos and descriptions of the everyday challenges they face. Danny explains how this method of humbly observing where people struggle is a powerful force for change and how it intersects with their Regional Transportation Commission work. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Read more about Danny: “A Love That Helps Your Place Live Up To Its Full Potential” Learn more about the Strong Towns approach to public investment. Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn). Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Noah Roth is the founder of Streetcraft, a platform that uses visual storytelling and urban design to explore and improve the built environment. He joins Tiffany to talk about what led him to this form of advocacy, how visualizations can bring people on board with a project, and what he's learned since starting his platform. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Want to hear more from Noah? Get your National Gathering tickets today! Streetcraft (YouTube) Local Recommendations: Sleeping Bear National Dunes The Flying Noodle Farm Club Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Danny Lapin is a revitalization specialist with the New York State Department of State. He and Norm discuss the ways that New York state is encouraging bottom-up community development, as well as Danny's strategies for getting buy-in from communities that are wary of state programs or intervention. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Danny Lapin (LinkedIn) Read more about Danny: “A Strong Towns Voice in State Government” Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn). Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Rachel Leonardo is the video producer at Strong Towns. She has a bachelor's degree in architecture and specializes in breaking down complex topics into clear, actionable ideas that inspire local change. Rachel and Tiffany discuss the importance of collaboration in building great places that foster community, culture, and connection. They explore how social media can encourage that collaboration and how it intersects with Strong Towns' mission. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Want to hear more from Rachel? Get your National Gathering tickets today! See Rachel's work: Studio Leonardo (YouTube) Strong Towns (YouTube) Local Recommendations: Bar Casa Jesus Mari Posada de Sorauren   Gosaria Coffee Shop Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Hazen Elwood is a student, a member of Strong Towns Calgary (in Alberta, Canada), and a community manager with the organization For the City. Today, Norm and Hazen discuss ways to build an advocacy network and the power of raising local awareness through storytelling. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Unsprawling (site) Calgary made it to the Elite Eight in this year's Strongest Town Contest. There are many great lessons that cities of all sizes can learn from their hard work. Click here to read more about their progress. Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn). Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Justine Underhill is an elected city council member in Falls Church, Virginia, and an award-winning video journalist and independent filmmaker. She's worked for international and domestic news organizations, created an award-winning docuseries, and started an educational YouTube channel. Justine joins Tiffany to discuss how media can be used to connect with people and drive change. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Want to hear more from Justine? Get your National Gathering tickets today! Learn more about Justine's work: YouTube Channel Falls Church Forward Local Recommendations: Panjshir Restaurant  Saturday morning farmer's market Cherry Hill Park Northside Social Café Kindred Godfreys Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

How do you turn three people with snow shovels into an initiative that gets covered on the news, triggers a city-funded pilot program, and inspires people to stay in the city long-term? That's what Andrew Neidhardt and Dustin Moore of Walkable Albany, a Local Conversation in New York, are here to explain. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Walkable Albany (site). Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn). Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Rosaline Hill is a registered professional planner and awards-winning architect from Ottawa, Canada. She's consulted on zoning for the city of Ottawa and is the founder and principle architect of BuildingIn, a planning program that helps municipalities reach their housing goals through infill development. Today, Rosaline joins Tiffany to discuss the complexities of housing reform. She explains how she created a 3D modeling program that helps municipalities visualize and argue persuasively for development. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local Recommendations: Equator Coffee  Capital Pathway Bike Trail Learn more about Rosaline's work: BuildingIn (site) Walkable Ottawa (site) Ottawa Cohousing (site) Learn about the six simple code reforms local officials can implement today to welcome new housing. Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

In this episode of Bottom Up Shorts, Norm is joined by Saeed Vahid, a Local Conversation leader from Richmond Hill, Ontario. They talk about how he started the Local Conversation, how the group is collaborating with city officials, and how the expansion of the Greater Toronto Area has affected Richmond Hill. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Strong Richmond Hill (site). Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn). Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Diane Alisa is an author and founder of the nonprofit End Car Dependency. Her nonprofit helps support families by making it easier to get around safely without a car, build strong support networks, and empower children to be part of their communities. Diane joins this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to discuss the impact of car-dependent design on families and the importance of building integrated communities (or "villages"). ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Support the work of advocates like Diane by becoming a Strong Towns member today! Local Recommendations: Downtown Provo “Love Letter to Suburbia: How to Restore the American Village” by Diane Alisa End Car Dependency (website) Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Daniel Bloemker is a Strong Towns member and Local Conversation leader from Bellingham, Washington. He's been instrumental in advancing local efforts on parking reform, housing, and community spaces. He joins Norm in this Bottom-Up Short to discuss these efforts and the progress the city has made. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Want to support advocates like Daniel? Become a Strong Towns member today. Bellingham won the “Most Progress in Building Better Budgets” award in the Strongest Town Contest. There are many great lessons that cities of all sizes can learn from their hard work.

Elizabeth Turman-Bryant is a councilmember in Burlington, Washington. She's passionate about community building, revitalizing historical areas, and making Burlington more bicycle and pedestrian friendly. Turman-Bryant joins Tiffany to discuss her journey from nonprofit work to local government. She explains some of the projects she's working on and the importance of striking a balance between the responsiveness of bottom-up activism and the influence of local government involvement. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local Recommendations: Tacos Tecalitlan Train Wreck Bar Railroads Pizza and  Bar Taste of Thai by Wipa Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Denyse Trepanier is the president of Bike Walk Alameda, a nonprofit organization in the island city of Alameda, California. She joins Norm to discuss the city's efforts to improve biking infrastructure, including the creation of a network of low-stress bikeways and neighborhood greenways. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Bike Walk Alameda (site) Alameda made it to the Sweet 16 in this year's Strongest Town Contest, from a list of almost 40 nominees. There are many great lessons that cities of all sizes can learn from their hard work. Click here to read more about their progress. Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Steven Zittergruen is a city councilor and Strong Towns member from Decorah, Iowa. In this Bottom-Up Short, he joins Norm to discuss the ways he's making his community stronger. His efforts include revamping Decorah's budgeting process, helping launch Decorah's Local Conversation group, and writing about local governance. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Dear Decorah (Substack) Learn how to do the math in your own community. Decorah made it to the Elite Eight in this year's Strongest Town Contest. There are many great lessons that cities of all sizes can learn from their hard work. Click here to read more about their progress. Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Will McCollum is a registered architect and the president and co-founder of Citymakers Collective, a nonprofit that teaches aspiring architects and planners how to design resilient, beautiful and prosperous places. He joins Tiffany on this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to talk about what it takes to design environments for human flourishing, as well as the importance of educating the next generation of architects and planners. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES 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!

Amy Emery is a community leader focused on fostering sustainable growth and smart development in Warrenville, Illinois. In today's Bottom-Up Short, she joins Norm to discuss several initiatives the city is running, including an incubator program for local businesses and a zoning overlay that allows for mixed-use development. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Warrenville made it to the Sweet 16 in this year's Strongest Town Contest, from a list of almost 40 nominees. There are many great lessons that cities of all sizes can learn from their hard work. Click here to read more about their progress, and remember to vote today in the Championship Round! Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Sarah Rose is an artist from Spokane, Washington, who uses her art to raise awareness about street safety and the protection of native insects. She is active in her city's Local Conversation, Spokane Reimagined, and often speaks with local reporters and at city council meetings. She joins Tiffany on this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to talk about how the intersection of advocacy and art is driving change in Spokane. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local Recommendations: Pacific to Palouse Wine Bar Page 42 Bookstore Zola “One Block Revolution” by Summer Hess Connect with Sarah Rose: Instagram Website Spokane Reimagined (Website) Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Hannah Rechtschaffen is the director of the Greenfield Business Association in Greenfield, Massachusetts. She joins Norm on this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts to discuss the unique challenges and opportunities that Greenfield faces and how it's becoming a stronger town. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Read more about Greenfield: Hope for More Affordable Housing Options Is Growing in Greenfield (article) Strongest Town Nomination Visit Greenfield (site) Feeling inspired? Vote for Greenfield in the Strongest Town Contest! Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Kip Santos is a trained civil engineer and construction manager who quit his job to build Local Conversations full-time. Now he splits his time between the U.S. and Canada, nurturing the groups he's founded and building missing middle housing In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Santos talks about what inspired him to quit his job, what his different groups are working on, and how he became an small-scale developer. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES The Strong Towns National Gathering is coming to Providence this June! Get your ticket today. Local Recommendations: Nitro Coffee Bar East Bay Bike Path Providence Athenaeum  Del's Lemonade Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Sean Hayford Oleary is a city council member in Richfield, Minnesota. A Strong Towns member of seven years, Oleary has helped reintroduce duplexes, reduce parking mandates, and support walkable, financially strong neighborhoods in his community. In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, he and Norm discuss the progress Richfield is making in becoming a stronger town. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Richfield made it to the Sweet 16 in this year's Strongest Town Contest, from a list of almost 40 nominees. There are many great lessons that cities of all sizes can learn from their hard work. Click here to read more about their progress, and remember to vote next week in the Final Four matchup! Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Montana Gau is the founder of Strong Denver, a Local Conversation in Colorado. A software engineer by trade, he built the group into a registered nonprofit with a board of directors and several hundred members. Now, city officials are reaching out to the group for collaboration on a variety of initiatives. In this episode of the The Bottom-Up Revolution, Gau joins Tiffany to discuss Strong Denver's origins and where the group is now. He talks about how his role shifted as the group grew, from advocating “on the ground” to creating a space where others can more effectively advocate, and the new challenges and opportunities he has because of it. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local Recommendations: Rino Neighborhood South Broadway Washington Park Irish Rover Pub  Strong Denver (Twitter/X) Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Travis Goedken is the city manager of Decorah, Iowa. In this Bottom-Up Short, he joins Norm to talk about a few of the practices and reforms that are making Decorah strong, including making its budgeting easier to understand for residents, embracing a highly collaborative planning process, and opening up new housing options by finding creative loopholes in restrictive state laws. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Feeling inspired? Vote for Decorah in the Strongest Town Contest! Travis Goedken (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!

Ryan Andrews is the CFO of Hiatus Homes, a small-scale development company in Bend, Oregon. He is also the CFO of the Hiatus Capital Fund, which helps Bend locals invest in development projects in their own community. He's managed more than 20 investment funds and syndications across real estate debt, equity and venture capital, and he specializes in capitalizing construction and development projects. In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Andrews discusses the importance of local investment and explains how to fund small-scale development in a way that channels profits back to locals, instead of outside investors. He and Tiffany discuss the success this model is having in Bend and how it could be replicated in other cities. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Feeling inspired? Vote for Bend in the Strongest Town Contest! Local Recommendations: Crosscut Pub Mount Bachelor Community Inc. Hear more about Hiatus Homes: “The Bottom-Up Revolution Is...Making a Big Impact With Tiny Homes” (podcast) Hiatus Homes (website) Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

David Jenkins is a city councilor in La Plata, Maryland, as well as the city's Local Conversation leader. He joins Norm on this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts to discuss his work with the city's budget, particularly his efforts to share the city's financial information with the community in a way that's easy to understand and actually allows residents to participate in the budgeting process. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES La Plata Financial Sustainability podcast The Local-Motive session that inspired Jenkins: “Parsing Through Your Local Budget to Find Some Real Answers” “You'll Pay for This! How We Can Afford a Great City for Everyone, Forever” by Michel Durand-Wood Learn more about: Finance in a Strong Town Local Conversations Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Dr. Jonathan Gingrich is a professor of engineering at Dordt College in Iowa. A trained chemical and environmental engineer, he started teaching transportation engineering due to staffing shortages. Unsatisfied with the standard materials required for the class, he incorporated the book "Confessions of a Recovering Engineer" by Chuck Marohn into his curriculum and had his class conduct a Crash Analysis Studio. In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Dr. Gingrich shares how his unusual background helped him see past engineering codes and look for a better way to design streets. He explains the logistics of incorporating crash analysis and safe street design into the classroom, as well as the benefits it had for his students. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local Recommendations: Dordt College The Fruited Plain Casey's Bakery Learn more: Crash Analysis Studio "Confessions of a Recovering Engineer" by Chuck Marohn “How One Professor is Inspiring the Next Generation of Transportation Engineers” Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Josh Stewart is an advocate from Littleton, Colorado. A year ago, his 12-year-old son was struck and killed by a car while biking to school. Since then, Josh has been relentlessly pushing for safer streets in his community. He joins Norm in this Bottom-Up Short to share his story and what he's learned over the last year of advocacy work. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES “The Cost of an Extra Foot” (article) “Large Trucks Need Better Street Design” (article) Learn more about the Crash Analysis Studio model for responding to and preventing car crashes. Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here! Subscribe to The Bottom-Up Revolution on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Podbean or via RSS.

Jesse Russell is the founder and CEO of Hiatus Homes, a development company in Bend, Oregon, that specializes in small home design and cottage community development. In 2019, he introduced Bend's first small-scale housing community. He's also been involved in citywide policy and incentive reform for small-scale development and urban infill. Russell joins Tiffany on today's episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to discuss his journey from Los Angeles TV producer to small-scale developer. They talk about how to navigate the challenges of building small homes, including city policies and project financing, and how this kind of development can benefit communities. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local Recommendations: Deschutes Bar Boneyard Brewery Hayden Homes Amphitheatre Whitewater Park Surf Wave Hiatus Homes (website) Learn how to bring more housing to your city: “The Housing-Ready City: A Toolkit for Local Code Reform” Accelerator program, spring session: Get expert guidance in making your community housing ready. Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here! Subscribe to The Bottom-Up Revolution on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Podbean or via RSS.

In this Bottom-Up Short, Norm is joined by Christian Schick, the leader of Strong Towns RVA, a Local Conversation in Richmond, Virginia. The group has built a lot of momentum in the past year, and Schick talks about how they did that in a productive and helpful way, particularly while juggling local elections. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Strong Towns RVA (Linktree). Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Mike Christensen is the executive director of the Utah Rail Passenger Association, where he works to educate the public and policy makers about the value of investing in passenger rail. He also serves on Salt Lake City's planning commission, as well as the boards of the Utah chapter of the Congress for the New Urbanism, the Utah Transit Riders Union and the national Rail Passengers Association. Christensen joins Tiffany Owens Reed on this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to discuss the benefits of passenger rail, including how it can lead to more productive land use, as well as his work advocating for better public transit outside of metropolitan areas. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local Recommendations: Temple Square Red Iguana Park Cafe Mike Christensen (Twitter/X) Utah Rail Passenger Association (website) Amtrak Long Distance Study Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Varsha Gopal is an architect from Chennai, India. She is putting Strong Towns ideas into action by starting conversations about what makes places thrive — what makes them special, sustainable and prosperous. On this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, she joins Norm to discuss two research projects she recently conducted in her city and what they taught her about thriving cities, urban design and community engagement. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here! Subscribe to The Bottom-Up Revolution on iTunes, Google Podcasts, Podbean or via RSS.

Maricela Sanchez is a city council member and anesthesiologist from Prosser, Washington. She has lived in major cities all over the U.S., including Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York City. In today's episode, she joins Tiffany to discuss how her travels and profession molded her perspective on what makes a town safe and resilient. They also discuss Sanchez's role as a councilor, where she focuses on creating safe, walkable neighborhoods and improving active transportation. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local Recommendations: Historic Mercer Building Princess Theatre Brewminatti Coffee Shop Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram) Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Stanis Moody Roberts is a business owner from the Portland, Maine area. For the past year he has been organizing locals to oppose a highway expansion that would have claimed eight acres of his land. He joins Tiffany on today's episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to discuss this journey and the progress his community has made — including how they convinced their town council to rescind support for the project and delayed construction by several years. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local Recommendations: Mr. Tuna Bubba's Sulky Lounge Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Welcome to this episode of Bottom Up Shorts! Today, Norm is joined by Andrew and Anna Carley, the leaders of Strong Towns Grand Rapids, a Local Conversation in Michigan. They discuss the progress they've made in advocating for policy changes in their city and how they became one of the go-to groups that city officials turn to when they're considering policy changes. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Strong Towns Grand Rapids (site). Want to hear more from the Carleys? Hop on the Spring Local Motive Tour, where they'll share their tactics for regional organizing and letter-writing campaigns. Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Emily Hutcheson is a bike advocate in San Antonio, Texas, and a mom of three. She joins Tiffany on this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to discuss her work improving bike infrastructure in her city. They discuss her path to advocacy, some of the initiatives she's spearheaded, including a bike club and bike bus, and the response from the public and local officials. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local Recommendations: Bright Coffee. Copper Rose Winebar. SoHill Café. Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Spencer Coyne is the mayor of Princeton, British Columbia. As a proud Strong Towns member, he works to bring incremental development and community resilience to his city. Coyne joins this Bottom-Up Short to explain how he's implementing the Strong Towns approach in Princeton, including how to incrementally reform a zoning code and how to do a lot with a small amount of funding. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Connect with Spencer Coyne: Facebook. 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!

In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, host Tiffany Owens Reed is joined by Ellie Riggs and Ryan Carter from Catawba Riverkeeper, a grassroots organization that preserves the waters of the Catawba-Wateree River basin in North Carolina. They discuss stormwater's effect on the environment, how it's connected to parking reform and developers, and a new stormwater management bill that Riggs and Carter are introducing to the North Carolina state legislature in a few weeks. They also discuss Riggs and Carter's experience with advocacy at the state level. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local Recommendations: Legion Brewing. Birdsong Brewing. The Diamond Restaurant. McGill Rose Garden. Catawba Riverkeeper Website. 2025-2026 Catawba Riverkeeper Legislative Agenda. Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Michael Bassili, one of the leaders of Strong Towns Nanaimo, a Local Conversation group based in British Columbia, Canada. Bassili explains how his Local Conversation created a parking campaign that convinced their city council to vote 8-1 to eliminate parking mandates in their downtown. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Connect with Strong Towns Nanaimo: Website. Instagram. LinkedIn. Try Strong Towns Nanaimo's letter of support generator. Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Matt Harder is the founder of Civic Trust, a participatory budgeting company that provides technology infrastructure, communications and process methodology to help citizens participate in their governments' budgeting process. In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Harder joins host Tiffany Owens Reed to discuss participatory budgeting, a method of getting resident input on how a city's budget is spent. They talk about the three phases of participatory budgeting, the benefits and challenges to implementing this method, and real-world examples of where it's been implemented. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Transcript available on our site. Local Recommendations: Pearl Street Mall. Verde Burritos. Chautauqua Park. Civic Trust (website). Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

In this special episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Edward Erfurt, chief technical advisor for Strong Towns, to discuss a transformative 4-step approach to public investment. They explore real-world examples of this approach in action, including the inspiring stories of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and Chisholm, Minnesota. These stories illustrate the power of starting small, focusing on what's possible today, and engaging local energy to build something truly transformative over time. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Read more about the incremental approach to public investment: “The Strong Towns Approach to Public Investment” (article). “Starting a Local Business Can Be As Easy as Setting Up a Chair” (article). “Learn the 4-Step Process for Public Investment” (Academy course). Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Jake Loftis, a pastor and leader of the Local Conversation group Strong Towns Blair. They discuss the ways that North America's built environment can lead to social isolation and how Loftis used his local paper to combat that isolation and encourage engagement in his community. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Transcript available on our site. Read more about Loftis and Strong Towns Blair. Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, host Tiffany Owens Reed is joined by Chloe Groome and Aaron Feldman, co-leads of the Local Conversation group Strong Towns Chicago. They discuss the initiatives that Strong Towns Chicago is working on, including legalizing fourplexes throughout the city and getting city officials involved in tactical urbanism. They also talk about the challenges the group faces and their strategies for overcoming those difficulties, including building a coalition with other advocacy groups. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local recommendations: The winter Christkindlmarket Summer streetfests. Four Moon Tavern. Live music concerts. Lou Malnati's Pizzeria. Strong Towns Chicago (Instagram). Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Joshua Hopkins, the newly elected mayor of Chugwater, Wyoming. They discuss Hopkins' path to becoming mayor and how he created a rodeo ring that provides a third place for his community and supports local businesses and walkability. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Tri-County Mercantile. Read more from Strong Towns about Chugwater. Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Sara Studdard is a community engagement and communications expert. She's also a partner at City Thread, a nonprofit consulting firm that specializes in helping city governments design and implement active mobility plans. Studdard joins this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to explore how having a variety of mobility options (walking, biking, public transit, etc.) benefits communities, as well as the importance of effective messaging and communication. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local recommendations: Nowhere Coffee. Westwood Neighborhood. City Thread (site). “Communication Strategies That Work” (blog). “How to Activate Local Support Through Messaging” (blog). Case Study: Providence, Rhode Island. Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Sully Israel, leader of Strong Towns Santa Barbara, a Local Conversation group. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Santa Barbara's main street was closed to car traffic, which revitalized the area. Now, Israel and his group are working to keep the street closed to cars and address the community's other needs in the public realm. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn). Strong Towns Santa Barbara. Local coverage of efforts to keep State Street car free. Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Ken Kunka, a consultant and coach for small-scale developers. A former building and permitting manager, Kunka helps others develop their craft as builders of stronger communities, with a focus on infill development. Here's how he does it. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Jaime Izurieta is an architect, designer and author from Montclair, New Jersey, who focuses on the interaction between users and the built environment. He's also the founder of Storefront Mastery, an award-winning creative agency that works with place management organizations to design and activate interactions between local businesses and their community. This week, Izurieta joins host Tiffany Owens Reed to discuss the importance of designing experiences, instead of just buildings, and how local leaders can shift their perspectives of downtowns to make them more successful. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local recommendations: Le French Dad Bakery. Local Coffee Montclair. Watchung Booksellers. Tino's Artisan Pizza. Storefront Mastery (site). Check out Jaime Izurieta's book, “Main Street Mavericks.” Learn more about the Storefront Renaissance League. Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Julie Emery, one of the leaders of Strong Milwaukee, a Local Conversations group. Emery and her group are helping to make their community stronger by building bus benches. Here's how they started their program and how it's evolving. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Katy Clagett is a commercial real estate appraiser, but at her core, she's an urban explorer and champion for overlooked spaces. At this year's National Gathering, she won the Small Bets Competition for her “Flock Party” pitch of reclaiming a neighborhood alley using sheep and goats. Clagett joins this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution to talk about the ways bottom-up projects can bring neighbors together and build community, as well as her experience with spearheading this kind of project. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local recommendations: Manheim Gardens. Broadway Cafe. Flock Party before-and-after images. Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

In this episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, host Norm Van Eeden Petersman is joined by Sarah Brady, the leader of Strong Towns Poway/Rancho Bernardo, a Local Conversations group. Brady and several of her friends teamed up to install bike racks in places that were lacking them. Here's how they used a really small budget and lots of determination to make something good happen in their community. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES 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 Member Week, we're excited to introduce you to Bottom-Up Shorts, a new collection of 10-minute episodes that we're adding to The Bottom-Up Revolution feed. Each week, Member Advocate Norm Van Eeden Petersman will talk with inspiring guests who are taking action in their community. This week, he's joined by Manav Sharma, one of the leaders of Strong Towns Vancouver, a Local Conversations group. Sharma and his group were inspired to make their community stronger through the tactical deployment of stickers. Here's how they're doing it. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Become a member today! Strong Towns Vancouver sticker campaign coverage, pictures and video. Resources for creating safe and productive streets. Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!

Rik Adamski is the founder and president of Ash+Lime, a planning firm that strives to help cities and neighborhoods create thriving places by drawing on the wisdom of the past. Originally from Chicago, Adamski consulted for several of the most prominent planning organizations in the U.S. before moving to Texas and embracing a more nimble, actionable and participatory approach to developing communities. In this episode of The Bottom-Up Revolution, Adamski joins host Tiffany Owens Reed to discuss his approach to urban planning, the challenges of implementing a new planning approach in cities, and the importance of community engagement and incrementalism. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES Local recommendations: Ten Bells Tavern (reopening soon). Texas Theatre. Jefferson Boulevard. Tyler Station. Stockyards District in Fort Worth. Ash+Lime (website). A Better Brainerd report. Tiffany Owens Reed (Instagram). Do you know someone who would make for a great The Bottom-Up Revolution guest? Let us know here!