When people live in vibrant, connected environments, they thrive. But in neglected, isolating “cages” issues like addiction and apathy flourish. If we want change, we must build better spaces that foster connection, purpose, and pride. Let’s create communities where people can truly thrive.

Yesterday, I led a workshop in Palmetto with Florida Main Street on combating civic apathy by fostering pride. After, Keep Manatee Beautiful hosted a scavenger hunt/trash cleanup. We saw the power of teamwork and the pride in action. Small steps, big impact! #CivicPride #Palmetto

I’ll never be good at short form social. If I can’t write 1200 words I don’t want to do it.

Here’s a piece I wrote on local growth vs extraction and why we have to rethink our development policies.

Thanks @ilanapreuss.bsky.social for the suggestion!

11/11
Healthy cities = healthy people. By building places where people can walk, connect, and thrive, we’re not just fixing cities—we’re transforming lives.
#UrbanDesign

10/11
Raise your city’s standards. Good enough isn’t enough anymore. Set a vision, enforce quality, and make people proud to call your city home.
#UrbanAesthetics

9/11
Civic pride starts with ownership. From your front yard to city hall, care breeds pride. Everyone plays a role in making a city lovable again.
#CommunityMatters

8/11
Fiscal health = better communities. Cities should invest in projects that create lasting value, not gimmicks or quick wins. Build a legacy, not liabilities.
#SmartDevelopment

7/11
Mental health isn’t just personal—it’s civic. The way our cities look and feel impacts how we live. Beautiful, well-maintained spaces foster connection and reduce stress.
#UrbanWellness

6/11
Your city has a side-chick. Too much focus on tourists and not enough on locals? Prioritize residents who live and invest in your city every day.
#CommunityFirst

5/11
Your city is stubborn AF. Clinging to outdated systems isn’t working. It’s time to evolve—or get left behind.
#UrbanInnovation

4/11
Your city is addicted to bad habits. Chasing big manufacturers and sprawling growth? That’s the junk food of economic development. Time for better solutions.
#EconomicHealth

3/11
Neglect is killing our cities. Like anything valuable, cities require care and maintenance. Stop treating your town like a disposable item.
#CivicHealth

2/11
Your city is sick—but it doesn’t have to stay that way. We’ve neglected the spaces that matter most. Let’s talk about symptoms and solutions.
#HealthyCities

1/11
Your city is sick.
These posts are highlights from my book, Your City is Sick, where I explore why so many cities are struggling and how we can transform them into thriving, healthy communities. Let’s rethink how we treat the places we call home.

If you want to live in a place where all the brightest don’t move away, you’re going to have to accept some standards.

Suburbs make me sad and angry at the same time.

A little harsh but accurate

100 years ago tomorrow.

New York Times, November 23, 1924: “The automobile looms up as a far more destructive piece of mechanism than the machine gun. The reckless motorist deals more death than the artilleryman. … Immediate action [is necessary] to halt the homicidal orgy of the automobile.”

I haven’t, but I like the suggestion!

I think a second book just about place might be in my future.

Pittsburgh to gain 2 entertainment projects worth more than $800M The $740 million riverside development and $64 million concert venue will bring new leisure, retail and housing options to the Steel City.

Pittsburgh could build some quality housing and establish some decent urbanism but an amusement park would be way more fun for visitors.
www.constructiondive.com/news/pittsbu...

Paris to Replace Parking Spaces With Trees The city’s new climate plan promises to drop speed limits, repurpose traffic lanes, remove 60,000 parking spots and create urban “oases” to combat extreme heat.

By 2030, Paris will have removed 60,000 parking spaces and replaced them with trees.

www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

A woman in Texas said to me last week that they need to change the local culture in order to make the town nicer, but it’s actually the other way around. The culture improves along with the conditions of the built environment.