What does it mean to live wisely and grow well in the desert? Judith Rognli of Strong Towns WashCo shares how St. George residents are facing water scarcity, rapid growth, and livability challenges as a community.

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

Butch Roussel is the founder of the 24 Hour Citizen Project, an annual event that connects everyday citizens with the expertise and resources they need to solve challenges in their town. Over the last decade, the 24 Hour Citizen Project has funded dozens of incredible projects to the tune of $170,000 and counting.

Butch joins Tiffany to discuss the big impact that small, locally funded projects can have on a community and how to bring those projects to life.

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

In this special episode of Bottom-Up Shorts, Norm is joined by John Pattison, Strong Towns' community builder and head of the Local Conversations program. They discuss what drives people to start one of these local advocacy groups, as well as the real costs and rewards of stepping into leadership. They also explore how mentorship, shared tools, and bottom-up collaboration knit single-issue advocates into a culture of lasting community change.

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This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

Jessica David and Josh Daley are co-founders of Local Return, a nonprofit in Rhode Island dedicated to building community wealth through ownership and investment. They empower residents through education and financing, with a particular focus on small-scale developers and small business owners. Today, Jessica and Josh explain how Local Return works, how it benefits communities, and the legal and technical challenges of starting this kind of program.

This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.

Christine Corrado is a city councilmember in Brighton, New York. She’s also the founder of Brighton Safe Streets for All and has served on a variety of city committees, from the Zoning Board of Appeals to the Public Works Committee. She and Norm discuss how she’s making her community safer and more prosperous.

Brighton Safe Streets for All (Facebook)

Christine Corrado

LinkedIn

Town of Brighton (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.

Professor Jack Duncan is a professor of architecture and preservation at the College of Charleston. His mission is to help students and communities understand and rediscover the human-scaled patterns that make places beautiful, legible, and lasting. Today, Jack joins Tiffany to discuss how this mission relates to architecture, urbanism, and craftsmanship.

Local Recommendations:

Nathaniel Russell House

Magnolia Plantation Gardens

Angel Oak on Johns Island

Duncan & Co. Studio (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.

Gioia Calabretta is one of the leaders of Livable Lynchburg, a Local Conversation in Virginia. She is also Strong Towns’ graphic design intern. She and Norm discuss a walk audit she recently participated in, as well as her unique viewpoint as both a Local Conversation leader and Strong Towns staff member.

Livable Lynchburg (Instagram)

See more from Gioia:

LinkedIn

“I Refuse To Accept That My Best Days of Walkability Were in College” by Gioia Calabretta

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.

Will Gardner is the founder of South Coast Places For People, a new nonprofit — and Strong Towns Local Conversation — in Massachusetts. He previously founded Alma del Mar Charter Schools and now spends much of his time plotting street redesigns, housing reforms, and community events.

In this episode, Will discusses the three working groups his Local Conversation recently started, which focus on parking reform, backyard cottages, and street safety.

Local Recommendations:

Millicent Library in Fair Haven

New Bedford Whaling Museum

Ice Cream Cottage

South Coast Places For People

StrongHaven (Substack)

Learn more about Strong Towns Local Conversations.

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.

Today, Norm is joined by Jess and Dan Sollaccio from Warrenton, Oregon. Jess is a city commissioner and a small-scale housing developer. Dan is a commissioner for the Warrenton Budget Committee and works remotely for a financial institution. They explain their asset-based mindset for strengthening their community, as well as their efforts to redevelop a vacant building into a community hub.

Jessica Sollaccio (site)

The Outpost (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.

Memphis, Tennessee, was ranked the #1 most dangerous metro area by Smart Growth America in 2024. That’s not stopping Kelsey Huse, a safe streets advocate and grad student studying city and regional planning. She’s tackling the problem head-on by analyzing car crash sites, helping launch a city-wide advocacy coalition, and raising awareness for safer infrastructure online.

Today, Kelsey joins Tiffany to share the inside scoop on Memphis’ dangerous design and how she’s working to change it.

Local Recommendations:

Lulu’s Cafe

Overton Park

Follow Kelsey on Instagram at Memphis Urbanism

Learn more about the Memphis Crash Analysis Studio.

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.