Go Cultivate!

In this episode, Kevin speaks with Liz Farmer about the current economic situation and how it compares (so far) to the 2008 recession. They discuss the magnitude and impact of unemployment, recent credit downgrades for cities and states, and the ramifications of projected budget shortfalls for Medicaid, pensions, and infrastructure. They also delve into the Federal Relief Bill and what it covers, as far as state and local agencies go. And finally, Liz gives her thoughts on what recovery looks like, plus some advice for local leaders while navigating this crisis.Liz Farmer is a fiscal policy expert and journalist whose writing centers on the ways state and local governments spend taxpayer money. Her areas of expertise include budgets, fiscal distress, tax policy, and pensions. In the past, you may have read her excellent work for Governing (including the Finance 101 series); nowadays, you can find all of her writing at Farmers Field. Follow Liz on Twitter & LinkedIn.--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.(This episode features music from No Money, Custodian of Records, Cosmic Dan & the Mole Men, and Isaac Horwedel.)verdunity.com/podcast/episode-60

We’re back with another edition of our series “Are We Doing This Right?” This time around, we take a closer look at parking minimums. They might seem like a harmless feature of your zoning ordinance, but they play a huge role in shaping the physical environment of your community. Intentionally or not, parking minimums adversely affect the viability of public transit and local businesses, housing affordability, regional ecological health, and the fiscal strength of the cities that enact them.In this episode, we dig into the history and consequences of minimum parking requirements, and then we talk about practical steps cities and towns can take to move beyond them. And of course, we always close by answering the question, “Are we doing this right?” (You might have guessed by now what the answer is on this one.)Your hosts for this episode: Jordan Clark & AJ Fawver.Want to see links to things we discussed in this episode? Head on over to the show page on our website.--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.(This episode features music from No Money, John H. Glover, Custodian of Records, Cosmic Dan & the Mole Men, Yung Chomsky, and Midnight Star.)verdunity.com/podcast/episode-59

John Simmerman, founder of Active Towns and host of the new Active Towns podcast, joins the show for a second time. John and Jordan discuss how the coronavirus is changing the way people are interacting with their neighborhoods, and some of the creative things cities are doing to enable more people to safely get outside and stay active.John explains how this crisis offers an opportunity for us to build and sustain a culture of activity while cars are off the streets and demand for accessible active spaces grows.Toward the end of this episode, John mentions a handful of resources for those looking for inspiration right now:COVID19 Livable Streets Response Strategies (Google Sheets database)Local actions affecting walking and biking during social distancing (Google Sheets database)Better Block FoundationStreet PlansLet’s Not Overthink This: Opening Streets is Easy, Says Urban Planner Mike LydonMilan’s Car-Free Blueprint for Life After LockdownStreetsblogNACTO – Rapid Response: Tools for CitiesCNU 28 – A Virtual GatheringPeopleForBikes Foundation--Follow Active Towns on Facebook / Instagram / Twitter / VimeoJohn’s personal TwitterYou can also reach John at [email protected]'t forget to subscribe to the Active Towns podcast!--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.(The music in this episode is from No Money, Custodian of Records, & Isaac Horwedel.)verdunity.com/podcast/episode-58

R. John Anderson, co-founder of Incremental Development Alliance, joins the show to talk about the small developer movement, the CARES Act and its impact on small businesses right now, and what cities can do to cultivate a stronger small business ecosystem.You can learn more about IncDev at incrementaldevelopment.org and on the IncDev Facebook page. John also founded and maintains the excellent Facebook group "We Do Incremental Development" (formerly "Small Developers & Builders") for anyone interested in small-scale, incremental development. John shares some of his thoughts over at his blog, RJohnTheBad.com. John is also Principal at Anderson|Kim Architecture + Urban Design.--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.(The music in this episode is from No Money, Custodian of Records, & Isaac Horwedel.)verdunity.com/podcast/episode-57

Disaster recovery & resilience specialist Laura Clemons rejoins the program to talk about taking advantage of federal disaster relief funds to build more resilient cities and towns in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Laura previously joined us to talk about how smaller cities should be preparing for natural disasters—not just how to mitigate them but also how to effectively take advantage of (and not miss out on) federal funding. In this episode, Laura talks about the same process, but tailored to pandemic response. As before, this episode is absolutely full of practical tips for leaders of municipalities of all sizes.As we mention in the discussion, we're here to talk if you have questions on how to respond to this new reality. Email Kevin at [email protected] or Laura at [email protected]. See the show page for this episode for links and resources from Laura.Learn more about Laura's work: Collaborative CommunitiesFollow Laura on Facebook--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.(The music in this episode is from No Money, Custodian of Records, & Isaac Horwedel.)verdunity.com/podcast/episode-56

The COVID-19 crisis has been a disaster for small businesses across the country. In this episode, Kevin speaks with Basel Musharbash about why an aggressive local government response to the small business crisis is essential—and what legal strategies cities and towns should be using immediately to help them survive and eventually recover.In this episode we discuss the key takeaways from Basel’s recent blog post: Directing Capital to Small Businesses Affected by COVID-19: Legal Strategies for Texas Local Governments.In it, Basel outlines three specific strategies that local governments can use to leverage public, private, and philanthropic resources toward liquidity for small business:Using Chapter 380 authority to establish emergency loan or grant programs funded by public and private capital;Using procurement authority to purchase goods and services from businesses using “time warrants,” which can be sold to local banks or factors for liquidity; andUsing Chapter 380 authority to seed “public purpose” investment funds combining public, private, and civic capital to enhance the availability of debt and equity financing for local business.Disclaimer from Basel: Please note that the Texas constitutional requirements for the issuance of city and county debt apply to time warrants, even though those requirements are not addressed in the podcast. Local officials should always consult their city attorney or bond counsel prior to issuing debt.ALSO: It wasn't mentioned in the show, but Basel compiled a terrific resource for local governments—The Manual of Aid to State and Local Governments Under the CARES Act. It’s a comprehensive guide to the coronavirus relief bill for states and localities.Basel Musharbash is an attorney with the Patel Law Group. His practice focuses on real estate, corporate, and community development matters. He also writes about lawyering for sustainable, integrated, and democratic communities on his blog, Lawyering For The Town. You can follow Basel on LinkedIn.--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.(The music in this episode is from No Money, Custodian of Records, & Isaac Horwedel.)verdunity.com/podcast/episode-55

In this episode, Kevin and Jordan discuss (some of) the flaws of the prevailing approach to development that are being exposed and magnified by this growing crisis. We also highlight a few opportunities that cities have for doing things differently from here on out. (It turns out that being resilient is exponentially more important in a disaster.) This will not be our last discussion on these matters! Crises require swift, bold, and informed actions—and they also offer us an opportunity to rethink what we previously took for granted. We'll be continuing to explore some things that cities can be doing in the short term to respond to the new reality, and we'll also be talking more in depth about what, specifically, a more resilient approach looks like for those planning, building, and running our cities. Have suggestions or questions? Let us know and we will cover them in upcoming episodes: [email protected] Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.

In this episode, Kirsten Wyatt, co-founder & executive director of Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL), joins us to talk about how her organization is doing just that.If you enjoy this episode, make sure you find the partner episode over on the GovLove podcast, where Kirsten interviews AJ and Kevin.Follow Kirsten on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.(We recorded this episode before things really got flipped upside down in the past few days with the coronavirus. If you still want to "go out and cultivate," as we suggested at the end of the show, take all the precautions! We'll be back soon with another episode. Stay safe, be kind, and look after your neighbors, your loved ones, and yourself.)--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.--(Music in this episode is from No Money and Custodian of Records.)https://www.verdunity.com/podcast/episode-53

Jeff Siegler, founder of Revitalize, or Die, joins the podcast to talk about the importance of place, how cities can encourage effort (and discourage apathy), how we can cultivate civic pride, and much more. Find out more about Jeff's work at RevitalizeOrDie.com. While you're there, make sure to check out his videos! He's also on Twitter (@jeff_in_one_ear) and Facebook (@RevitalizeOrDie).--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.--(Music in this episode is from No Money, Custodian of Records, and Coleman Hawkins.)https://www.verdunity.com/podcast/episode-52

In this episode, we speak with Jerome Horne, ridership experience specialist for IndyGo, about Indianapolis's ongoing transit transformation and some of the key elements in building a reliable and effective bus system. Indianapolis makes a great case study for car-dependent cities looking to overhaul under-performing transit systems or even start from scratch.Some of the topics we cover in this episode include:Reasons to prioritize the bus over the trainThe ridership vs. coverage dilemmaWhy frequency means freedomGetting the details right: bus stop spacing, amenities, and schedulesWhy grids are better than hub-and-spoke systemsHow to do public engagement that actually reaches the people who use (or would use) transit (and how Indianapolis did it)Why it matters who you send to public meetings in different neighborhoodsHow this transit makeover got funded (and why it succeeded where other cities' transit measures failed)The Red Line, Indy's first BRT (bus rapid transit) line that launched in September 2019: what has gone well and what hasn'tChallenges so far, relating to: running the US's first-ever all-electric BRT fleet, introducing a new fare system, and finding enough drivers to staff the expanded systemShould transit be free to use?IndyGo's new CEO, transit agency culture, and why it's important for transit decision-makers to use they system they runTransit-related book recommendations!Find Jerome on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Check out the incredible International Micro Museum of Transit, curated entirely by Jerome. And if you're up to it, take a peek inside New Urbanist Memes for Transit-Oriented Teens (you don't have to be a teen to join).*Note: We had some issues with the audio files on this episode. You might notice the occasional brief skipping. :( We think it's still very listenable, but we apologize for the less-than-ideal sound on this one!--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.--(Music in this episode is from No Money & Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers.)https://www.verdunity.com/podcast/episode-51

Friend of the show Daniel Herriges, senior editor at Strong Towns, joins us to talk about some important housing-related stories from 2019 and what lessons they hold for those of us who care about housing equity. In this episode, we discuss:An emerging trend of (re)legalizing certain types of missing middle housing in some cities and states.A peculiar story about a mixed-use project in San Bruno, CA, that was eventually killed after three years of concessions—and, more importantly, what it can teach us about the conflicting incentives that our desire to maintain control can create.A fascinating new study on the impact that building new market-rate housing may have on freeing up affordable housing in the same city—and why we should think more ecologically about the ways that cities and housing markets work.Further reading on the stories we discussed in this episode:Making Normal Neighborhoods Legal AgainApproaching Peak Housing Dysfunction in CaliforniaThe Connectedness of Our Housing EcosystemKevin Bacon & musical chairs: How market rate housing increases affordabilityAdditional Dwelling Unit toolkit (City of Boston) – This is one of a number of city-run programs that provide design and financing assistance to residents who want to build an ADU on their property.You can follow Daniel on Twitter at @DanielStrTowns and read his latest writings on Strong Towns.--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.--(Music in this episode is from No Money & Tours.)https://www.verdunity.com/podcast/episode-50

For the December installment of 'Are We Doing This Right?’ on the Go Cultivate! podcast, we’re diving deep into the world of pop-up retail and food trucks. The whole concept is a lot older than you (might) think. Join us for a walk through some of the history, regulatory and social issues, and much, much more.Your hosts for this episode: Jordan Clark & AJ Fawver.--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.verdunity.com/podcast/episode-49

It's a crossover episode! Kevin Shepherd (along with our friend Monte Anderson) was recently interviewed on an episode of Chaffee Housing Report from KHEN in Salida, Colorado, and we're delighted to share it on our feed. In this hour-long chat, Kevin, Monte, and the hosts discuss affordable housing, the fiscal impact of development patterns, incremental development, and much more. Want to host a workshop in your city on any of the topics discussed here? We're putting together our 2020 schedule right now. Send us an email to [email protected] Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.--(Music in this episode is from Scott Joplin & Custodian of Records.)

In this episode, we welcome back Chuck Marohn, Founder and President of Strong Towns, to talk about some of the themes from his brand-new book Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity.Here's a sampling of what Chuck and Verdunity's Kevin Shepherd talk about in this show:What Chuck says when people ask him “okay, well what specifically should we do?”What the role of the professional class is in generating cities that can’t pay for their growthWhat it means for cities to do a comprehensive plan or a zoning code in a way that is consistent with Strong Towns thinking (and how Chuck’s thinking is still evolving on that issue)The importance of feedback loops and what those should look like for city staffHow Chuck responds to the criticism that sometimes the incremental approach doesn’t work when you’re trying to build large-scale systemsDon't forget to pick up a copy of Chuck's book, and also make sure to check out all three of their fantastic podcast streams: The Strong Towns Podcast, Upzoned, and It's the Little Things.--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.--(Music in this episode is from Custodian of Records & Coleman Hawkins.)

For the November installment of 'Are We Doing This Right?’ we’re tackling public engagement. What does it look like when it’s done well? What are some pitfalls to look out for? Who and what is it for, exactly? It shouldn’t come as a surprise that there’s no one-size-fits-all right answer to public engagement. But we think there is such a thing as the right approach.In this double episode, we dig into literally everything you need to know about public engagement. Just kidding; we probably left a few things out. But we do think this sets a good starting point for moving toward a more productive and inclusive (and, importantly, ongoing!) public engagement process. And the good news is: there are so many good examples out there already!You can find recommendations for further reading at the show page for this episode.This is Part 2 of our discussion. You can find the other episode in the same feed as this one!Your hosts for this episode: Jordan Clark & AJ Fawver.--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.--(Music in this episode is from No Future & Rick Springfield.)verdunity.com/podcast/episode-45

For the November installment of 'Are We Doing This Right?’ we’re tackling public engagement. What does it look like when it’s done well? What are some pitfalls to look out for? Who and what is it for, exactly? It shouldn’t come as a surprise that there’s no one-size-fits-all right answer to public engagement. But we think there is such a thing as the right approach.In this double episode, we dig into literally everything you need to know about public engagement. Just kidding; we probably left a few things out. But we do think this sets a good starting point for moving toward a more productive and inclusive (and, importantly, ongoing!) public engagement process. And the good news is: there are so many good examples out there already!You can find recommendations for further reading at the show page for this episode.This is Part 1 of 2. You can find the other episode in the same feed.Your hosts for this episode: Jordan Clark & AJ Fawver.--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.--(Music in this episode is from No Future & Custodian of Records.)verdunity.com/podcast/episode-45

In this episode, AJ and Kevin sit down with Mike McKay, Assistant City Engineer for Lubbock, Texas, for a wide-ranging discussion on the past, present, and future of the engineering profession, and its role in the way we’ve built our cities.Some of the ground we cover in this episode:The relationship between engineers and planners—how it could improve, and what each side should understand about the otherWhat it means for our cities to be sustainable, and whether we’re on the right track in any meaningful waysWhether street standards and specification should have flexibilityWhat the ideal Capital Improvement Plan looks likeLong-term maintenance costs, and whether engineers tend to consider them when evaluating new developmentThe overemphasis on auto-based mobility, and where that leaves planners and engineers who want to make life easier without a carHow to increase support for additional infrastructure funding when cities are struggling to find the moneyWays to modify design approaches to be more considerate of long-term maintenance costs and to minimize up-front construction costsHow the different staff members in a city’s development process can better collaborateAdvice for cities in the early stages of growthLessons learned from Mike’s long engineering career--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.--(Music in this episode is from No Future, Custodian of Records, & Gary Numan.)verdunity.com/podcast/episode-44

This is Part 2 of our 'Are We Doing This Right?' discussion on placemaking! This time, we delve deeper into some criticisms of placemaking as it is commonly applied.Your hosts for this episode: Jordan Clark & AJ Fawver.--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.--(Music in this episode is from No Future & Dr. John.)verdunity.com/podcast/episode-43

Placemaking is one of those ubiquitous urbanist buzzwords these days. Yet it can be difficult to get a broadly agreed-upon definition. We discuss what is actually means (as far as we can tell), what trends it came about as a response to, and why it might look different depending on the location. We run through some of the key elements of (the different forms of) placemaking, and a few notable (good and bad) examples of where it's been done.This is Part 1 of a two-part discussion. In Part 2, we'll get more familiar with some of the different criticisms of placemaking and its outcomes. Your hosts for this episode: Jordan Clark & AJ Fawver.--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!Join us (and your peers!) in the Community Cultivators Network.--(Music in this episode is from No Future, Custodian of Records, & Sludgefest.)verdunity.com/podcast/episode-42

The fascinating Jerry Paffendorf, CEO & co-founder of Loveland Technologies, joins the show to talk about the ways that fine-grained parcel data can be a tool for making cities more equitable and transparent. We also discuss Detroit’s history and present, where its majority Black population is undergoing a historic loss of property ownership due to a flawed tax foreclosure problem—as well as what Jerry’s team is doing to help arm residents with information they need. And of course, we geek out a bit on the history and long legacy of the U.S. public land survey, as well as the centrality of city form in generating (or constricting) possibilities for the next generations of society. [Editor’s note: We had a few brief instances of audio issues in this episode. It’s noticeable but (we hope) not overwhelming.]Mentioned in the episode:Measuring America: How the United States Was Shaped by the Greatest Land Sale in History by Andro Linklater Your hosts for this episode: Jordan Clark & Felix LandryLearn more about Jerry’s work at Landgrid.com, or send them an email at [email protected]. You can follow Jerry on Twitter, too: @wello.--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!--(Music in this episode is from No Future and The B-52's)verdunity.com/podcast/episode-41

Federally declared disasters impact countless communities every year, and the vast majority are small municipalities with very limited resources. We brought on Laura Clemons, a disaster recovery and resilience specialist, to talk about what smaller cities ought to do (and sometimes not do!) before, during, and after a disaster.We discuss what cities should be planning for now to take advantage of federal funding opportunities should a disaster strike. This episode is full of practical tips for city officials across the country. You never know when your town could get hit with a disaster (and they don't usually tend to be the flashy events the media fixate on). But if you have a reliable and up-to-date plan in place, you can avoid the additional misfortune of losing your chance to rebuild in a more resilient and equitable fashion.Mentioned in the show: FEMA's Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant ProgramLearn more about Laura's work: Collaborative CommunitiesFollow Laura on Facebook--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!--(Music in this episode is from No Future, Custodian of Records, and Etta James)verdunity.com/podcast/episode-40

Verdunity CEO Kevin Shepherd sits down with Lynda Humble, city manager of Bastrop, Texas, to talk about what she learned from a fiscal model of the city's development pattern, how that reshaped discussions with City Council and citizens, and how it is informing Bastrop's overhaul of plans and codes that don't align with its goal of fiscal sustainability.(Spoiler: they learned the city would soon go broke if it kept its current approach to growth.)Lynda and Kevin also discuss the immediate and long-term fallout from the 86th Texas Legislative Session for Texas cities, and Lynda gives advice to city managers working in communities with similar situations.By the way, if you want to learn a bit more about the most impactful laws passed in that Texas Legislative Session, check out the webcast we recently did on the subject.And to hear earlier episodes we did with Bastrop leadership, look up episode 3 and episode 24.--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!--(Music in this episode is from No Future, Custodian of Records, and Cosmic Dan & the Mole Men.)verdunity.com/podcast/episode-39

Tiny homes have been growing in popularity over the past decade. To some, they’re an opportunity to shed unnecessary “stuff” and fully embrace a minimalist lifestyle. To others, they’re a critical part of addressing the homelessness crisis in this country. But in most cities in the U.S., it’s not exactly clear where they fit in with housing regulations.In this installment of our “Are We Doing This Right?” series, we take a look at some of the common assumptions about tiny homes, how people are using them, what laws are applicable to them (and what’s often left unclear), which cities have embraced them, and whether other cities should follow their lead.As always, we pull from our experience working within cities (AJ’s, anyway) and a wide body of literature on the subject to build an informed understanding of the role tiny homes can play in our communities. We look at each topic through the lens of the social and environmental impact it can have, as well as how it relates to your city’s financial and economic health.For additional reading recommendations on this topic, head on over to the show page for this episode.Your hosts for this episode: Jordan Clark & AJ Fawver.--The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate.You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedInAnd if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here!--(Music in this episode is from No Future, Custodian of Records, & David Byrne.)verdunity.com/podcast/episode-38

Cities across the country face a shortage of affordable housing, despite a nationwide glut of single-family homes. Accessory dwelling units (ADUs)—often referred to as granny flats or other quaint-sounding names—have emerged as one way to quickly add affordable units to single-family neighborhoods, without tearing down existing homes. Yet, in most cities, they remain illegal to build. And while some cities have re-legalized them, they often put in place so much red tape that few units end up actually getting built. In this episode, we cover: the myriad arguments in favor of building more ADUs some common pushback and reasons why ADU allowances aren’t more common the types of people who would benefit from and/or occupy ADUs how some cities are discouraging the construction of ADUs even when they technically allow them suggestions for what your city can do to enable and encourage residents to build ADUs Want to research this further? Here are some of the resources we found helpful: The ABCs of ADUs: A guide to Accessory Dwelling Units and how they expand housing option for all ages All About Accessory Dwelling Units AccessoryDwellings.org Santa Cruz Implements “Granny Flat” Program Why tiny ADUs may be a big answer to the urban housing crisis American Planning Association KnowledgeBase: Accessory Dwelling Units BuildingAnADU.com -- "Are We Doing This Right?" is a new series where we dig deeper into an issue that affects cities across North America, bust (or uphold) a few myths, set some context, and give our frank opinions about whether or not we could be doing things better. Check out the other episodes with "Are We Doing This Right?" in this podcast feed if you dig this one. And we're always taking submissions: [email protected]. Your hosts for this episode: Jordan Clark & AJ Fawver. The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate. You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn And if you haven't yet, sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not lame! (Each week we collectively curate a list of the things we read that caught our attention. Then we hand-package your copy, spank a first-class stamp on that baby, and drop it right in your email inbox.) Sign up here! -- (Music in this episode is from No Future, Blue Note Sessions, Chuck Jackson, Custodian of Records, & Fred Rogers.) verdunity.com/podcast/episode-37

Texas is the latest state to pass or amend legislation capping the amount cities’ revenue from property taxes can increase year to year. Bills like Texas’ SB2 are passed with the intent of limiting the amount homeowners have to pay in property tax and keeping them from getting priced out of their homes. That stated goal is a noble one (on its face), but there’s another side to the equation, and that includes the increasing costs cities have to provide basic services and maintain aging infrastructure, fund education and support programs intended to cultivate growth and opportunities for residents and businesses. In states where cities rely on property tax revenue as the primary funding source to cover these needs, the property tax caps limit cities’ ability to generate revenue to keep up with these liabilities, and it’s resulting in growing deficits, deferred infrastructure maintenance and cuts to basic services. Additionally, studies of early adopters such as California, Michigan and others have shown that these caps also impact social justice and wealth inequality as well. In this episode, we discuss the fallout from this type of legislation in states across the country—and what cities can do in response. -- Sign up for our weekly email digest. It's not your grandmother's e-newsletter. We round up our favorite reads from the week, alert you to new podcasts and blogs, and give you the scoop on upcoming events you won't want to miss. -- For our Texas friends: Don't miss out on our live Q&A on the 2019 Texas legslative session. We'll answer your questions about this and other new laws and discuss how they will affect your community. Sign up here! -- Want to discuss this further? If you're in local government or part of a local agency, sign up for our FREE online community—the Community Cultivators Network. Join us and like-minded peers across the country to talk about the biggest challenges you face. We're discussing new things every week, and the experience only gets better with more awesome change agents taking part! -- The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate. You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn -- (Music in this episode is from No Future & Custodian of Records.) verdunity.com/podcast/episode-36

Across the country, cities big and small are facing a housing affordability crisis, yet many single-family houses sit vacant. Many of the same cities have serious infrastructure funding shortages. We examine the role of single-family zoning in shaping these issues and more—and we explore why there is momentum building to re-legalize other housing types, such as duplexes and fourplexes. "Are We Doing This Right?" is our new podcast series where we dig deeper into an issue that affects cities across North America, bust (or uphold) a few myths, set some context, and give our frank opinions about whether or not we could be doing things better. (Hint: we usually think we could be doing things better than we currently are, but we always try to find examples of places that already are doing a good job.) Your hosts for this episode: Jordan Clark & AJ Fawver. -- The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate. You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn -- (Music in this episode is from No Future, Custodian of Records, & Malvina Reynolds.) verdunity.com/podcast/episode-35

Small developer Monte Anderson joins the show for a second time to go a bit more in depth about his Dallas-area projects that give small-time entrepreneurs a place to make a living and build wealth for the community. If you haven't yet, supplement this episode with parts 1 & 2 of our interview with Monte from Season 1. And if you're in local government, and you want to ask Monte any follow-up questions on the examples we talk about in this show, you need to do two things: 1) Join the Community Cultivators Network, and 2) show up on July 31st for our live Q&A webinar. Mentioned in the show: Monte's tri-party loan agreement -- The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate. You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn -- (Music in this episode is from No Future & Custodian of Records.) verdunity.com/podcast/episode-34

We’re starting a new series on the Go Cultivate! podcast called “Are We Doing This Right?” Once a month we’ll pick a topic – some element of the way we design or operate our cities – and honestly ask the question: Are we doing this right? We’ll explore common assumptions, bust (or uphold) a few myths, and try to get toward a sense of what we might be able to do differently (based on the experiences of those who have already tried it themselves). This month’s topic: Fire departments. Fire departments. Public safety. You hardly hear one of these phrases without the other following shortly behind. The idea, of course, is that fire is an ever-present threat to human safety, no matter where you are. The fire department—and the development codes that work along side it—are supposed to make the city safer as a whole. A pretty uncontroversial notion, right? Well, we wanted to take a closer look at the ways fire response is informing the physical form of our communities. Is there any chance that our attempts to optimize for fire response make our cities less safe in other ways? For the most part, the history of fire fighting truly is a history of making cities safer places to be. Much of the progress centered on issues such as codifying building exits and reducing flammable materials. Starting a few decades ago, though, we started seeing the incorporation of emergency vehicle access requirements into city zoning codes. The idea being, in the event of fires still occurring, we should make it easier for fire response vehicles to get to the scene, set up, and control the fire. What that translated to was an increased focus on removing any obstacles that might get in the way: fewer obstacles in the way should equal a faster response time, and with fires, saving time could mean saving lives. The idea makes sense. We should want fire fighters to get to the scene of a fire as quickly as possible. But, as we’ll see, the way we’ve chosen to go about that has left us in a tricky spot. In this episode, which kicks off our new series "Are We Doing This Right?," we explore the ways that fire standards have influenced the design of streets in our cities, and how our cities may actually be ending up less safe overall as a result. What got us here in the first place, and how might we approach fire response and public safety in a more holistic manner? Listen in to hear us discuss, and then let us know your thoughts! And if you want to do some further reading, we've got a list of resources on the show page for this episode. -- The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate. You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn -- (Music in this episode is from No Future & Custodian of Records.) verdunity.com/podcast/episode-33

Welcome back to Part 2 of our discussion about trust and distrust between the public and planners. If you haven't listened to Part 1, we'd recommend starting with that. :) Who you're hearing in this episode: Jordan Clark (your host), Daniel Herriges of Strong Towns, and Verdunity's Felix Landry. The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate. You can also find us on social media. Facebook / Twitter / LinkedIn -- (Music in this episode is from NO MONEY & Custodian of Records.)

What happens when the public doesn't trust planners? What does that even mean? And how can we work to build trusting, responsive, two-way relationships between community members and the folks in local government? On today’s episode, we’re returning to two common themes from this show: "change" and "trust.” Changes to the failed status quo of city building and trust between the people who live in a city and the ones pulling the levers of power. So much of the business as usual in cities is leaving them bankrupt, making them more fragile socially, environmentally, and economically—and because of this, our discussions have centered on some of the ways to establish a more resilient approach to land use, development, and community building. But change is always hard, it’s often scary, and it usually generates pushback from someone. And much of this stems from a lack of trust, maybe even more so than a lack of having the “facts." This is a discussion about why there is so often a breakdown of trust in cities, and how city leaders—and we’re especially thinking about this from a planning and development standpoint—can build trust with the community they serve. Who you're hearing in this episode: Jordan Clark (your host), Daniel Herriges of Strong Towns, and Verdunity's Felix Landry. The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Find more about this and other episodes (and our blog) at verdunity.com/go-cultivate. -- [Jordan’s note: Yes, I used “who” and not “whom” in the title. Most people don’t use whom anymore in cases like this. Language evolves.] (Music in this episode is from NO MONEY & Custodian of Records.)

Would you like to spend 10 minutes listening to us announcing what you can expect from the next season of the Go Cultivate! podcast? Then, boy, are you in luck! Later this week, we're releasing the first episode of the new season. Make sure you're subscribed! ALSO: If you are a city (or other municipal) employee of any sort, and you want to be a beta tester for our online community before we officially launch, then click here! Otherwise, keep an eye out for our official announcement. (Music: NO MONEY & Tours)

Hope y'all have been coping during our short hiatus. We'll be back with more episodes before you know it. Promise! We're checking back in to let you know about a couple pretty cool opportunities: 1. WORKSHOPS! If you've followed this podcast for a while and want to dig deeper into the complex challenges facing cities of all sizes—and the realistic actions you can take to make meaningfull progress with limited resources—then we have good news! Our new workshop series is designed to help city leaders diagnose, understand, and explain their city’s financial situation—and get a clear idea of how to close their resource gap. Want to bring us to your town? Visit our Workshops page. Or if you're in the Houston area, consider joining us on May 24 in League City, Texas for our "Cultivating Financially Resilient Communities" workshop! Learn more and get tickets at verdunity.com/workshops/league-city. Early registration ends Friday (4/19), in case you'd like to save a few bucks. 2. ONLINE COMMUNITY! We're also starting something totally new, and we need your help to make sure it reaches the amazing potential we think it has. We're launching a focused online community (NOT on Facebook!) for our friends within city governments who are frustrated by the status quo, and who want to learn, discuss, and share actionable steps cities can take to become stronger & more resilient—socially, economically, environmentally, and fiscally. Want to be a beta tester? Sign up here: verdunity.com/online-community-test ** We'll be back soon! Go Cultivate! is a project of your friends at Verdunity. Check out more episodes and blog posts at verdunity.com/go-cultivate (Music: Blank & Kytt)

We're back with the second part of our interview with Derek and Bianca Avery, incremental developers and community builders with COIR Holdings. In this episode we talk more about the history and very present effects of redlining in American cities and why Derek and Bianca first look for those neighborhoods to invest in. We then discuss some specific things cities can do to set the environment for responsible, incremental development. For part one of this interview, check out episode 29. This is also the last episode of Season 1 of this podcast! We'll be back after a short hiatus with more episodes and some pretty exciting news. ** The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Learn more at verdunity.com. Find more about this and other episodes, and our blog here. (Music in this episode is from Custodian of Records & Tours.) https://www.verdunity.com/podcast/episode-30

On this episode, we talk with Bianca and Derek Avery of COIR Holdings about what it means to be a responsible developer – especially at a time when many people are skeptical of the profession. We talk the difference between a "spreadsheet developer" and a "community developer," and the possibility of "revitalizing" a neighborhood without generating displacement. Then we dig into their holistic approach to sustainable community development that is focused on creating mixed-income neighborhoods. This is part one of our interview. Part two will be available next week! ** The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Learn more at verdunity.com. Find more about this and other episodes, and our blog here. (Music in this episode is from Custodian of Records.) https://www.verdunity.com/podcast/episode-29

Hey listeners! If you're a Strong Towns follower, don't forget that March 10 is the deadline to submit your city to the 2019 #StrongestTown contest. Verdunity is proud to be a sponsor of this year's contest. Even if you don't submit, it's a great way to learn how other cities are incrementally building financial strength and improving lives. Sign up here! ** [EDIT: The original release of this episode had some audio we meant to clip out. We've gotten that taken care of now! Re-download your episode if it's still showing up. You'll know it when you hear it. :-P Sorry about that!] Today's show (interview starts at 8:15): We’ve talked before about the importance of understanding your city’s true financial situation. For the majority of cities across the country, their development pattern has put them in a long-term budget shortfall. Our guests today are a pair of city leaders who are doing everything they can to make sure their development decisions strengthen their financial situation, rather than jeopardizing it. Michael Kovacs and Justin Weiss are the city manager and assistant city manager for the City of Fate, Texas, a small city on the outskirts of Dallas. We talk about their transition from business as usual city management to the realization that their city’s development pattern was actually setting them up to go broke—and the way they conveyed that to staff and council to get them on board with making some pretty drastic changes. We also talk about the spreadsheet model they have been using in negotiation with developers, to steer any new development in a direction that puts them in a better long-term financial position. And we talk about their economic development strategy, which is focused on a small core footprint in the center of the town, and is geared toward small, local businesses rather than courting big outside corporations. Link to the Curbside Chat videos mentioned in this episode: https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/7/27/a-strong-towns-crash-course ** The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Learn more at verdunity.com. Find more about this and other episodes, and our blog here. (Music in this episode is from Custodian of Records and Tours.) https://www.verdunity.com/podcast/episode-28

We're excited to bring you a conversation with Active Towns founder John Simmerman (@JohnSimmerman), who's been on a long journey to document what cities are doing to become safer and more comfortable places to walk, bike, and be active. John joins Jordan Clark on the podcast talk about his findings since beginning his Active Towns Tour in 2012, including: The best ways to encourage cycling among the "less confident" majority of the population How cities can navigate potential "bikelash" by trying out small, temporary accommodations The "hardware" and "software" assets that every city needs How an "active transportation" network can serve as way more than just "exercise" If you dig what John's about, and you want to find out more, follow his updates on Vimeo, or find Active Towns on social media: @ActiveTowns on Twitter and facebook.com/activetowns. ALSO: Don't forget that John's Indiegogo campaign wraps up at the end of February. If you'd like to make a contribution, you can do that here. The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Learn more at verdunity.com. Find more about this and other episodes, and our blog here. (Music in this episode is from Custodian of Records.) https://www.verdunity.com/podcast/episode-26

Today we're talking about a push by state lawmakers in Texas to put a cap on how much cities can raise their property tax rates from one year to the next. This proposed legislation would have huge repercussions, severely undercutting cities' ability to collect enough revenue to pay for needed services. To help us dive deeper into what this means for city governments, we're joined by Mayor Connie Schroeder of Bastrop, Texas. Though this episode is specifically about the legislative battle in Texas, the discussion absolutely has relevance for cities and citizens across the country. As we've talked about repeatedly, so many cities are facing a resource gap between what they have on hand and what they really need. We feel strongly that cities (and the people who make them up) would suffer unnecessarily should their state legislatures restrict their ability to collect revenue. Have some thoughts on this episode? Let us hear it! Email [email protected]. Here's the link to Texas Municipal League's "Our Home, Our Decisions" campaign that Mayor Schroeder mentioned in the episode. Be sure to catch the two videos they produced. Attention Podcast Land! Could you take a moment to help us make this podcast more relevant or interesting to you? We're running a quick (nearly pain-free!) little questionnaire to learn more about what you'd like us to dive deeper into, and what things we could stand to work on. Just go to this Google Form. It'll take you 5 minutes, tops, or your money back. ;) We really appreciate it. The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Learn more at verdunity.com. Find more about this and other episodes, and our blog here. (Music in this episode is from Custodian of Records.) Show page: https://www.verdunity.com/podcast/episode-26

We're back with the B-Side to episode 25! That discussion ran too long for one episode, so we're back to talk about some specific ways cities could tie their zoning codes, subdivision ordinances, transportation plans, and economic development decisions to a rigorous fiscal analysis. Attention Podcast Land! Could you take a moment to help us make this podcast more relevant or interesting to you? We're running a quick (nearly pain-free!) little questionnaire to learn more about what you'd like us to dive deeper into, and what things we could stand to work on. Just go to this Google Form. It'll take you 5 minutes, tops, or your money back. ;) We really appreciate it. The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Learn more at verdunity.com. Find more about this and other episodes, and our blog here. (Music in this episode is from Custodian of Records and Tours.)

In this episode, we follow up on last week's chat on the crucial challenge facing city administrators across the country—their city's resource gap. We talk about how city leaders can understand whether their current processes and daily decisions are moving them toward or away from long-term fiscal health. We say often that in many cities, "business as usual is broken." But that doesn't mean city administrators have to throw everything they know out the window. We explore some new ways cities can put the tools they already possess to work to close their resource gap. We got so wrapped up in talking about this that we had to split it into two parts. Check out the 'B-Side' (coming soon) for some more specifics on how cities might tie their zoning codes, subdivision ordinances, transportation plans, and economic development strategies to their goals of financial strength. Joining Jordan Clark on this episode are Kevin Shepherd, CEO of Verdunity, and Felix Landry, urban planner at Verdunity. Attention Podcast Land! Could you take a moment to help us make this podcast more relevant or interesting to you? We're running a quick (nearly pain-free!) little questionnaire to learn more about what you'd like us to dive deeper into, and what things we could stand to work on. Just go to this Google Form. It'll take you 5 minutes, tops, or your money back. ;) We really appreciate it. The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Learn more at verdunity.com. Find more about this and other episodes, and our blog here. (Music in this episode is from Custodian of Records.) https://www.verdunity.com/podcast/episode-25

Running a city is hard work, and it’s even harder when there aren’t enough resources to cover basic service and infrastructure needs. More and more cities are finding themselves in this tricky spot, and it’s easy for city leaders to feel helpless. In this episode, we talk about the challenges facing city administrators (as well as their staff) who are increasingly stretched thin by their city's growing resource gap. Then we discuss what they can do about it. There are plenty of tools (related to land use, growth management, economic development, etc.) that cities across the country are using to become more fiscally viable. But these involve changes to the status quo, and change often generates pushback. This episode is about clarifying and communicating your city's resource gap so that you can build consent for taking measures that cultivate greater financial resilience. We discuss: The importance of quantifying your city's real resource gap. How you can use fiscal strength as the common language for framing your community's decisions on planning, development, housing, economic development, street design and maintenance, and more. How you can put fiscal analysis to use to communicate the resource gap to the broader community—and the 3 options it presents you with. Attention Podcast Land! Could you take a moment to help us make this podcast more relevant or interesting to you? We're running a quick (nearly pain-free!) little questionnaire to learn more about what you'd like us to dive deeper into, and what things we could stand to work on. Just go to this Google Form. It'll take you 5 minutes, tops, or your money back. ;) We really appreciate it. The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Learn more at verdunity.com. Find more about this and other episodes, and our blog here. (Music in this episode is from Custodian of Records and Tours.) https://www.verdunity.com/podcast/episode-24

Attention Podcast Land! Could you take a moment to help us make this podcast more relevant or interesting to you? We're running a quick (nearly pain-free!) little questionnaire to learn more about what you'd like us to dive deeper into, and what things we could stand to work on. (Do we say "um" too much? Great, now you're listening for it...) Just go to this Google Form. It'll take you 5 minutes, tops, or your money back. ;) We really appreciate it. Ben Orcutt is a bike-advocate-turned small business owner and candidate for city council of Anderson, Indiana. He joins (one-time Anderson resident) Jordan Clark on this podcast to discuss the importance of believing in your neighborhood, how cities could help clear hurdles for citizens who want to contribute, and what we stand to gain by focusing on authenticity and transparency in local government. Ben has spent years demonstrating—through his neighborhood businesses as well as his advocacy and volunteer work—what is possible when you invest your time making repeated small bets on your community. After being approached by many of his neighbors and peers to take that approach to city government, Ben is now running for a seat on Anderson’s City Council. Ben is the first to tell you he’s still learning, that he doesn’t possess all the answers. But he is serious about asking questions, about observing local needs, and about trying new things out incrementally to see if they make a difference. And if you ask us, that’s exactly the kind of person we need in positions of city leadership. Check out Ben's campaign page here. Near Anderson? Visit Buckskin Bikes for all your bike needs, and then hop over to Jackrabbit Coffee for your caffeine fix. The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Learn more at verdunity.com. Find more about this and other episodes, and our blog here. (Music in this episode is from Custodian of Records and Tours.) https://www.verdunity.com/podcast/episode-23

We design our homes to the scale of a human being. We used to design our neighborhoods that way. So what happened? And does it matter how we size our streets or our cities? In this episode, Jordan Clark and Felix Landry discuss the implications—economic, equity, human, and more—of designing cities to primarily accommodate moving objects that are ten times bigger than human beings. We wrap things up by talking about some of the ways we can start addressing the various problems created by an out-of-whack transportation network (starting at the 51:45 mark). This podcast is brought to you by your friends at Verdunity. For more episodes, check out verdunity.com/go-cultivate. (The music in this episode is from Custodian of Records)

We hear this a lot: Apartments bring higher crime, which means more police, which means higher police costs. But is that really the case? Join Felix Landry and Jordan for a quick discussion about Felix's latest piece for the Verdunity blog. The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of your friends at Verdunity. If you like this addition to the podcast feed, or if you hate it—or if you really want us to riff on a particular subject—let us know: [email protected]. Find us elsewhere in cyberspace: Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn (Music in this episode is from Blank & Kytt)

It's a full house on the podcast today. Felix Landry, Tim Wright, and Kevin Shepherd join Jordan to talk about our favorite reads and listens from the year. Here are links to the stuff we talked about in the show: Tim's picks: There’s a missing middle for commercial spaces, too – Kevin Klinkenberg, The Messy City What’s Up with All Those Empty Commercial Storefronts in New Mixed-Use Developments? – Rachel Quednau, Strong Towns Podcast: Typology with Ian Morgan Cron (We also discuss his book The Road Back to You) Felix's picks: Building Jerusalem: Christianity and New Urbanism – Kathleen Curran Sweeney, Public Discourse The Economy of Cities by Jane Jacobs 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles Mann 1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created by Charles Mann Jordan's picks: Book: Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown Book: Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse Blog: Mr. Money Mustache Blog: Brain Pickings Podcast: On Being with Krista Tippett Podcast: Philosophize This! Podcast: Akimbo, from Seth Godin Kevin's picks: The Big Sort by Bill Bishop The Righteous Mind by Jonathan Haidt Building a Vibrant Community by Quint Studer The Art of Explanation by Lee LeFever Strong Towns blog Farnam Street blog Podcast: Strong Towns Podcast: Entreleadership Podcast: Serial Podcast: Building Local Power (ILSR)

In this episode, Jordan speaks with Tim Wright, Levette Fuller, Luke Lee, and Chris Lyon of Re:Form Shreveport. We discuss how they are building a more trusting relationship between the people of Shreveport and City staff and officials, why and how to avoid a "criticize-first" mentality, lessons for city governments on embracing neighborhood-led change (or co-creation) instead of top-down planning, the role of local business, and MUCH more. If you're a city leader or just a neighbor looking for some inspiration to take action heading into 2019, this chat is a great place to start! The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Learn more at verdunity.com. Find more about this and other episodes, and our blog here. (Music in this episode is from Custodian of Records and Tours.)

Here's what we discuss in part 2 of our interview with Monte Anderson: Three things a small developer (or a small entrepreneur) needs [2:00] Why Monte says low-interest loans are more effective than “giveaways” [4:00] Why too much business and not enough space is better than the opposite [7:15] Assessing the fiscal productivity of small developments as opposed to large-scale developments [9:05] "It’s a lot easier to train a carpenter to be a business man than it is to train a business man to be a carpenter.” [16:55] Why planners and developers should stay on the ground in planning a place, and testing while planning [20:10] The importance of being nimble in the face of unexpected change [22:45] A model for un-subsidised homeless housing [25:35] The importance of good leadership from mayors and city managers [30:10] How to get community banks on board with small development [31:45] The importance of mentoring, and why "money is the best mentoring glue you can have” [35:10] The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Learn more at verdunity.com. Find more about this and other episodes, and our blog here. (Music in this episode is from Custodian of Records and Tours.)

We’ve talked about the value of small investments on this podcast before, and in this episode we sit down with someone whose name is synonymous with small, incremental development—Monte Anderson, CEO of Options Real Estate. Monte is a developer, small-business booster, and co-founder of the Incremental Development Alliance. In part one of this discussion, we talk about the ways Monte is trying to help communities build wealth one incremental development at a time, how small development can address affordable housing needs, the importance of finding a low-risk entry point for people who want to own their own business, and much more. In this episode: How desperation got Monte into the business of small, incremental development [4:00] Why committing to a place or a purpose “changes all the rules” [7:00] Monte’s early work in Duncanville, TX, and how the City responded to big developers and businesses refusing to come to town [7:55] How small developments can provide viable affordable housing – and how they compare to large apartment buildings [10:45] How the Incremental Development Alliance is helping local people own and operate their own buildings [15:15] Small doesn’t mean low-quality [20:00] Learning as you go: why finding a low-risk entry point is essential for building discipline and understanding business—and not going bankrupt while doing it [22:10] How the retail apocalypse and the internet are shaping the future of small towns [24:10] How a vacated shopping center became the thriving DeSoto Market Place retail incubator (and did not become a dollar store) [26:40] Partnerships vs. incentives [29:40] Mentorships for tenants [31:20] The importance of shaking up the outside of a repurposed strip center or big box [34:20] Why Monte tends to prefer shop owners in who physically make something [37:10] Tyler Station – how an old manufacturing facility was turned back into a “creative village” and pillar of the neighborhood How to encourage collaboration in a shared creative space [46:30] Realizing that social interaction keeps us human [50:00] The value of social integration in a living space [52:50] Links to things discussed in this episode: Small Developers/Builders Facebook group Incremental Development Alliance More on the DeSoto Market Place: This Former Ace Hardware Is Now an Incubator for Black-Owned Businesses The DeSoto Marketplace: A Hub for New Local Businesses and New Places to Live Check out this short video to see what the interior and exterior looks like More on Tyler Station: How Belmont Hotel developer turned warehouse full of dead raccoons into a south Oak Cliff anchor Extra: Article published this month in D Magazine featuring Monte: Developer Monte Anderson Wants to Stop the Handouts The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Learn more at verdunity.com. (Music in this episode is from Custodian of Records and Tours.)

In this episode we speak with Kevin Klinkenberg, an urban designer, planner, architect, and writer on all things cities. We discuss what city leaders can learn from the messiness of cities past, why small scale development is better for our communities (and why these days it's so hard to actually do), how to balance top-down and bottom-up action, zoning recommendations for cities that want to become walkable, and more. [2:00] Kevin’s background and involvement with Congress for the New Urbanism [5:00] Why he got into writing, where it’s taken him, and his focus on practical advice for cities [9:15] Why he chose to relocate to a walkable city [10:15] Involvement in the Savannah (GA) Downtown Master Plan, and what other cities can learn from Savannah [14:30] What is a "Messy City”? And what is the value of embracing messiness as opposed to order? [22:00] If the benefits of walkable cities are so clear, why is it so hard to change the way cities are getting built? [29:30] The importance of fiscal analysis in showing cities the (current & long-term) value that walkable neighborhoods and small-scale development present – and the fragility inherent in large-scale development [32:05] Challenging city leaders to not be the ones who put their city’s future in jeopardy [33:00] What Kevin K would do if put in charge of a suburban city? The need to balance a “messy” approach with vision-setting and planning [39:50] The “can-do” spirit that he sees in much of the country, and why some places draw that out into action more than others [42:10] Kevin’s top three zoning code recommendations for cities who want to built walkable neighborhoods [44:00] What is “missing middle” commercial development—and why should you care? [49:30] The financing challenges with building small spaces, despite their greater long term resiliency [51:45] What advice would Kevin give to a planning director who wants to communicate the need for a smaller-scale, messier city-building approach [54:00] The need to "know your own community” and which ways of framing the issues will get the best response [57:00] Kevin’s reading recommendations (see below for links) Links to things discussed in the podcast Kevin's book: Why I Walk Kevin's blog: The Messy City What is a “Messy” City? Kevin K’s reflections on the Downtown Savannah 2033 Master Plan – Part 1 & Part 2 “Missing Middle” commercial buildings Kevin’s favorite blogs to read: Notes from the Underground (Jason Segedy) The Corner Side Yard (Pete Saunders) Granola Shotgun (Johnny Sanphilippo) The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Learn more at verdunity.com. (The music in this episode is from Custodian of Records and Tours.)

We're following up on the economic development discussions of the last two weeks. Where is the status quo approach to economic development leaving our cities and our citizens? How do recent changes in economic trends affect the ways cities attempt to do business? What does a more localized, sustainable, and people-focused version economic development actually look like? Links to things discussed in the show: Should Economic Development Focus on People or Places? Walmart is building 'town centers' in its parking lots Economic gardening Unfortunately, we've had to push off our next webinar. But, you CAN watch the recording of our most recent webinar: How to Cultivate (Real) Fiscal Sustainability + Community Engagement. And we'll still take your questions! Just send them to [email protected]. The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Learn more at verdunity.com. (The music in this episode is from Custodian of Records.)

[Some of you may have had a sound issue at the beginning of this podcast. We've fixed it but it still might show up for some listeners. Sorry about that!] This is the second of a short series on city growth. Are there good ways or bad ways to grow? In this episode, we're asking: What should a city's relationship with debt look like? Are there bad debts? Are there good debts for a city to take on? Felix Landry (Verdunity's resident city planner and data geek) is back on this week's episode to talk with Jordan about the following: Can we say that taking on debt is good or bad, whether in personal life or as a city using tax dollars? What are most cities currently using debt to finance? Are there types of debt that are more risky than others? Are some uses of debt a better bet? How does a city's development pattern increase or decrease its likelihood of needing to take on debt? And how does debt inform the city's land use pattern? How does debt play into a city's economic development scheme? It's a full episode, and despite its length, we still didn't get to cover nearly as much as there is to say about the subject of debt and cities. We'd love for you to inform the way this discussion progresses. Do you have thoughts? We want to hear from you. Email us: [email protected]. The Go Cultivate! podcast is a project of Verdunity. Learn more at verdunity.com. (The music in this episode is from Custodian of Records.)