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
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Community Action Lab Event #1
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
New Member Orientation
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Session #1: Strong Towns Core Principles
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
- 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
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
- 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
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Leadership Team Briefing 1: March 27
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Session #4: The Growth Ponzi Scheme
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
- 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
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Leadership Team Briefing 2: May 22nd
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Session #6: Infinite Game - Limits of What You Know
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
- 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
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Special Session - City Government Can't Fail
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
- 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
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Session #7: Who's Leading Growth
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
- 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?
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Tough Conversations: What does development look like in a Strong Town?
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Local Lessons: Lake County Success Stories
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Session #8: Municipal Government as the Highest Form of Collaboration
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Shifting the Conversation
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Helpful Resources: Accessory Dwelling Units
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
- 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
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Helpful Resource: Pre-Approved Building Plans
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Escaping the Housing Trap
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Session #9: Transparent Local Accounting
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Next Smallest Steps
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Session #10: Citizen as Developer
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Community Action Lab Event 3: November 14-15, 2023
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Neighborhood Evolution Webinar
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Taking Action
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Pre-Approved Building Plans Webinar with Matthew Petty
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Roundtable Sessions
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Visualizing Growth
Available in
days
days
after you enroll