Ep. 6: Legalize Slums

This week the boys discuss one of the most controversial ideas alluded to by the Strong Towns organization: “legalize slums.” Strong Towns is a non-profit organization that advocates for walkable neighborhoods, higher-density housing, ending parking minimums and many other urbanist policies but they have largely avoided addressing the topic of informal housing. While “legalize slums” can be interpreted quite literally, Joseph and Nathan envision on this week’s episode that the slogan can be used as a dysphemism for vernacular architecture, higher density housing, loosening zoning restrictions, and reducing permitting hurdles for new construction. Amongst other things they discuss Jane Jacobs, Englewood, the migrant crisis, and San Francisco NIMBYs.

 

Links:

Upzone’s “legalize slums”-esque episode
You don’t need to move to the Netherlands to be happy
The U.S. Needs More Housing Than Almost Anyone Can Imagine by Annie Lowry 
Curing Slums: The Jane Jacobs Way
Library Patrons' Psychosocial Needs
A Love Letter to the Slums: The Urbanism of Final Fantasy 7

 

Art by Daniel Rautenbach 

 

Recorded on 12/17/2023