Communities that acknowledge the modern development pattern is not working and have leadership that’s willing to change the conversation competitively apply to host a Community Action Lab. During this two-year journey, we help introduce Strong Towns ideas and shift the conversation about growth, development, and public investment.
Are you ready to change everything?
Only 5 communities are selected each year. Get in touch with a Strong Towns staffer today to learn more about the Community Action Lab and get notified with updates on our 2024 application cycle.
In the meantime, you can take a look at the online curriculum below.
Course Curriculum
Welcome to the Lake County Community Action Lab
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Community Action Lab Event #1
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New Member Orientation
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Session #1: Strong Towns Core Principles
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- 1.1. Principles of a Strong Town
- 1.2. Excerpt from Strong Towns
- 1.3. Complex versus Complicated and Spooky Wisdom (11:10)
- 1.4. Taco John's of Brainerd
- 1.5. Growth versus Productivity (13:55)
- 1.6. Optional Deep Dive
- 1.7. Action Team: Discussion Items and Discussion
- Assignment 1: Three Topics to Discuss
- Action Team Session February 23, 2023 (90:03)
Session #2: Financial Solvency is a Prerequisite for Long-Term Prosperity
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- 2.0. Introduction
- 2.1. What is financial solvency?
- 2.2. Is this a good project? (2:14)
- 2.3. Filter #1: Does the project improve the community's balance sheet? (1:20)
- 2.4. Filter #2: Does the project justify raising taxes on the entire community? (3:04)
- 2.5. What it looks like to do the math
- 2.6. Discussion
- 2.7. Deep Dive
- Action Team Session March 9, 2023 (89:14)
Session #3: The Bottom Up Approach
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Leadership Team Briefing 1: March 27
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Session #4: The Growth Ponzi Scheme
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- 4.1. Introduction to the Growth Ponzi Scheme
- 4.2. Growth or Stability
- 4.3. Exploring the Transactions of the Growth Ponzi Scheme (8:33)
- 4.4. Bonus: This Ponzi Scheme Might END Suburban Prosperity (10:22)
- 4.5. Spotlight on Lake County: Growth
- 4.6. Optional Deep Dive
- 4.7. Discussion
- Assignment: Hard Conversations (Action Team Only)
- Action Team Session: April 6, 2023 (92:24)
- Action Team Session: May 4, 2023 (90:45)
Session #5: The Illusion of Wealth
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Leadership Team Briefing 2: May 22nd
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Session #6: Infinite Game - Limits of What You Know
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- 6.1. Introduction
- 6.2. The Limits of Knowledge (4:20)
- 6.3. An Infinite Game
- 6.4. How to Make Decisions When We Can't Predict the Future (2:21)
- 6.5. Spotlight on Lake County: Growth Vs Wealth
- 6.6. Optional Deep Dive
- 6.7. Discussion
- Action Team Session: June 1, 2023 (80:33)
- Action Team Session: June 16, 2023 (120:31)
Community Action Lab Event 2: June 21-22, 2023
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Special Session - City Government Can't Fail
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- Introduction: City Government Can’t Fail.
- Dollars and Sense: The Economics of Development in Florida
- Spotlight Lake County: Lake County’s Taco Johns Example
- Action Team Study: Replacing a Water System every 10 years
- Action Team Session: June 29, 2023 (75:55)
- Action Team Session: July 13, 2023 (91:00)
- Action Team Session: August 10, 2023 (62:25)
Leadership Team Briefing 3: July 24, 2023
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Session #7: Who's Leading Growth
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- 7.0. Introduction
- 7.1. Success and Failure
- 7.2. Strategy 1: The Current Experiment (3:00)
- 7.3. Strategy 2: Stronger Growth - Increase the Productivity
- 7.4. Strategy 3: Strongest Growth - Predictable Productivity
- 7.5. Spotlight: The Most Productive Block in Lake County
- 7.6. Optional Deep Dive
- 7.7. Discussion
- Action Team Session: August 24, 2023 (118:04)
- 7.8. Action Team Assignment: Value Per Acre Using County Maps (4:03)
- Action Team Session: September 7, 2023 (97:42)
Tough Conversations: Should Cities Run a Profit?
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Tough Conversations: What does development look like in a Strong Town?
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Local Lessons: Lake County Success Stories
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Session #8: Municipal Government as the Highest Form of Collaboration
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Shifting the Conversation
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Helpful Resources: Accessory Dwelling Units
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- Additional Resource: Accessory Dwelling Units
- Accessory Dwelling Units: A Flexible, Free-Market Housing Solution
- How to Navigate the Obstacles of Building an Accessory Dwelling Unit
- Building an Accessory Dwelling Unit in Windsor, ON
- Big Win for ADUs: FHA To Count Rental Income for Mortgages
- The Controversy over Accessory Dwelling Units (14:07)
Leadership Team Briefing 4: September 25, 2023
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Helpful Resource: Pre-Approved Building Plans
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Escaping the Housing Trap
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Session #9: Transparent Local Accounting
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Next Smallest Steps
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Session #10: Citizen as Developer
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Community Action Lab Event 3: November 14-15, 2023
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Neighborhood Evolution Webinar
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Taking Action
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Pre-Approved Building Plans Webinar with Matthew Petty
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Roundtable Sessions
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- Action Team Contacts
- Roundtable 1: February 1, 2024 (95:29)
- Roundtable 2: March 7, 2024 (88:48)
- Roundtable 3: April 9, 2024 (96:34)
- Roundtable 4: May 8, 2024 (87:38)
- Roundtable 5: June 5, 2024 (94:41)
- Roundtable 6: July 10, 2024 (92:39)
- Roundtable 7: August 8, 2024 (97:45)
- Roundtable 8: September 3, 2024 (94:09)
- Roundtable 9: October 9, 2024 (68:08)
- Roundtable 10: November 6, 2024 (92:00)
- Roundtable 11: December 11, 2024 (87:33)
Visualizing Growth
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