It's incredibly empowering to know that we can create the world of our dreams if only we're bold enough to go out and build. Yes, much reform is needed. And a thousand things can go wrong. But all that exists today is the result of dreams that were executed yesterday!

Every strip mall in this country could be redeveloped into a far better experience while also maintaining parking.

We can build more housing in the suburbs and create more walkable spaces through small retrofits, all while preserving the qualities that make suburban living appealing.

Walkable neighborhoods are the antidote to loneliness! 🚶‍♀️ When you can easily walk to shops, parks, cafes & see friendly faces, it combats isolation. Proximity to community is key. Ditch the car & get to know your neighbors on foot. Walkable cities = happier, connected people! 🌆

Seems like a way to tackle the loneliness epidemic in our world is to create a public realm where strangers can become friends.

What if we DIDN’T surrender our cities and our lives to cars?

In the last two hours, Austin voted to lower the minimum lot size needed to build a home from 5,750 SF to 1,800 SF, and Cincinnati just voted on its biggest zoning reform update in decades. Here’s to more affordable and inclusive communities; we are just getting started! 🥳🎉

👵: 'Why don't children play outside anymore like we did when we were young?' The outside we created for them:

Despite the fact that New York's dining sheds have become a powerful catalyst for sacred social hubs and a resurgence of community life, they are now at risk of being destroyed. sociallifeproject.org/dining-sheds-s… by Fred Kent

Meet The People Choosing To Live Car-Free In Dallas “A lot of people associate freedom with car ownership. It’s the opposite… It’s so freeing to not have to pay for the car, to not have to spend 10 mins looking for parking every time you go somewhere.” dallasnews.com/business/autos…

Me this morning: “JUST missed the train.” My boys: “No problem, Dad. Next one’s in 2 minutes.” My boys understand that with good public transit, Frequency Is Freedom. #FrequencyIsFreedom HT @Translink Jarrett Walker

Very often, a car is not the most appropriate tool for the job. (🎥 by Bike Is Best)

This is what one of the densest neighborhoods in the country looks and feels like:

Bike lanes - good. Bike parking - good. Metro access - good. Big public green square - good. Density - good. Mixed use - good. Tired of North America acting like we are reinventing the wheel with 100 consultations per project when Europe has just been doing it.

We need to understand this. Technology is a crutch teens use to navigate a flawed environment. They need social connection & interesting experiences but their surroundings don’t provide it. So they turn to the next best thing. Technology use is not the root problem but a symptom.

Every neighborhood is several traffic cones and a handful of plastic chairs away from being a vibrant hub of social activity.

I hear the “but what about my big weekly grocery shop? I need a car for that” argument from people who don’t understand that when your grocery store is a 3 min walk from home, the shop doesn’t have to be a big once-a-week haul. You just pop down & get whatever you need any time.

People like to say "well, Paris was never as car-centric as the US to begin with". The truth is, it was as car-centric as any city in the US. They just made a concerted effort to make the city about people not cars. Express Rive Gauche is now Parc Rives de Seine 📸@EmmanualSPV

#Placemaking is an important solution to the loneliness crisis in America! Survey from Harvard's Making Caring Common shares that "activities/fun community events" & "Connection-focused #publicspaces" are the most important social solutions for Americans: capita.org/loneliness-in-…

Want to learn how to create places that foster community, well-being & social life? 🌿 Join us in Amsterdam on Sept 28 for our inaugural Vital Cities event! Register now, info below #SocialLife #HealthyCities #VitalCities #HealthyPlacemaking