Strong Towns

Stacked Against Us

Society EN ↓ 6 episodes

The 2008 financial crisis did more than rattle Wall Street—it reshaped our neighborhoods. Homes that once built security for families became speculative investments. Over ten years later, that tension has only sharpened. This series explores how we got here and what it will take to put control back in local hands—because the question isn’t whether the void will be filled, but by whom. Learn more at strongtowns.org/stackedagainstus

Author

Strong Towns

Episodes

The City that Saved Itself 09.12.2025 51:32

South Bend spent decades defined by what it lost: a factory, a workforce, a future. But instead of trying to resurrect a past that wasn’t coming back, it chose incremental, local repair. This episode explores how a city long in decline wrote a new story on its own terms. Continue to learn more at strongtowns.org/stackedagainstus Strong Towns: (Video) Can American Cities Save Themselves? This One...

Escaping the Housing Trap 25.11.2025 41:12

How can communities rebuild stability in a system designed for speculation? This episode highlights bottom-up efforts where neighbors, small developers, and local leaders are charting a different path. Show notes: Strong Towns: When one extra unit triggers a giant leap in red tape New York Times: Would the Housing Crisis Ease if Boomers Rented Out Their Empty Rooms? https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05...

A New Generation of Corporate Ownership 11.11.2025 38:50

A new wave of investors is targeting struggling cities, betting they can profit regardless of local conditions. This episode explores how financial incentives keep the model alive—and what that means for communities trying to resist. Continue to learn more at strongtowns.org/stackedagainstus Become a Strong Towns member today at strongtowns.org/members

Building the Housing Trap 28.10.2025 31:23

After the 2008 crash, federal policies fueled the financialization of housing, transforming it from shelter into an investment vehicle. The result: a new breed of landlords and investors moving into markets once dominated by local ownership. Continue to learn more at strongtowns.org/stackedagainstus Hey listener, you hear from us all the time, but today we want to hear from you. We want your feedb...

When Your Landlord is an App 14.10.2025 34:35

Turning housing into a tech product promised speed and scale. What it delivered instead were broken homes, frustrated tenants, and a widening gap between the people who own property and the people who live in it. Learn more at strongtowns.org/stackedagainstus

Stacked Against Us Trailer 02.10.2025 0:43

This podcast explores how a national economic gamble broke housing, and why local resilience is the only way forward. Learn more at strongtowns.org/stackedagainstus