Using Corporate Retailers As Backers For The Movement
Manfred wrote to ask:
I have been a fan of the Strong Town movement for a long time. As someone who grew up in a walkable neighborhood of the metropolitan area of Haiti's capital and now lives in NYC, I truly value walkability as a central vision for designing urban areas.
Unfortunately, it seems that many people in the US do not value this principle. As I learned from your very instructional videos and from my personal experience, there is this bone-headed resistance to making places walkable despite the well researched evidence that you as well as other urbanist movements have provided. This is truly unfortunate as many people in the US are facing high car prices, rising inflation and potential tariffs. I do not even need to mention the climate crisis as another problem that America's current urban design isn't ready to tackle.
Considering that corporate lobbying is a big (and unfortunate) influence in American politics, wouldn't it be in favor of Strong Towns to use it? If enough corporate retailers are shown that foot traffic can improve their bottom line, it is possible that they could influence enough people in the United States' Congress as well as state assemblies to make places more walkable. While this wouldn't necessarily undo the general trend of American shopping online, an argument could be made to some representative of these companies that they could keep a physical presence in America's metro areas
It would be better of course to go about urbanism in a more democratic way. But like the saying goes "When in Rome, do as the Romans do". So if corporate lobbying is the way to get things done in this country, it would be in the interest of the Strong Towns movement and organization to take that path.
Thank you in advance for your time
Comments
1 comment
You’re absolutely right that there’s a frustrating resistance to walkability in many parts of the U.S., even when the benefits—economic, environmental, and social—are well-documented. And while corporate interests certainly play a role in shaping policy, we believe the most lasting and meaningful change happens from the bottom up.
We’ve seen time and again that organizations that pin their hopes on lobbying efforts—whether they seek influence in a Democratic or Republican administration—end up caught in a pendulum swing. The priorities of those in power shift, and groups that once had insider influence can find themselves on the outside overnight. This instability undermines long-term progress and makes it difficult to create the kind of enduring change we need.
That’s why we advocate for a different approach: one that focuses on local organizing and empowering communities to take action where they have the most control. When residents, business owners, and local leaders work together to improve their places—starting small and proving what works—they can create models that others replicate. This kind of grassroots momentum has staying power, and it doesn’t depend on who happens to hold office or what corporate interests are currently aligned.
I really appreciate you raising this conversation, and I encourage you to keep advocating for walkability in your community. The more we can shift the conversation at the local level, the more we can make walkable places a reality—without relying on a top-down system that’s often slow to respond to real needs. Our local conversation groups are showing that there's great power in local advocacy!
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