You want your community to be owned by locals for locals?
What are the 12 Steps To Town Making?
The 12 Steps to Town Making is a workbook designed to cover the topics that small-scale developers need to address to have a successful project. It covers bank interviews, running project numbers, design, property management, and so much more.
Our goal is that if you host 12 Step to Town Making meetings every month, each topic will be covered, and small developers and/or potential local developers will gain the confidence, ecosystem, and education necessary to make the best decisions possible as they journey through their renovation or new build.
Buy a workbook. Watch the Strong Towns videos. Run (or help run) your community 12 Steps to Town Making meeting.
Learning the 12 Steps with The Happy Urbanist
Follow along as Jon Jon, The Happy Urbanist, brings the 12 Steps to Town Making to life through a series of short, educational videos. Each episode breaks down one step at a time—showing how small-scale developers, neighbors, and local leaders can apply these lessons in their own communities. Four of twelve steps are now available, with more on the way.
Step 1. Find your Place
Find your farm and find your way into the flywheel
Step 2: Get to Know Your Neighbors
Meet people, make friends, shop local. It will come back to help you.
Step 3: Follow The Money
Become attractive to local money by having your house in order.
Step 4: Hire Pros For Your Organization
Don’t try to hack the legal & accounting. Set yourself up for success with solid professional counsel.
Start a 12 Steps to Town Making Group
Want to bring small-scale development and town making to your community? The 12 Steps to Town Making framework gives neighbors a roadmap to meet monthly, learn together, and take action toward building more vibrant, people-centered places.
Groups are already meeting in cities like Dallas, Kansas City, Lafayette, and South Bend—and yours could be next.
Where We’re Building:
A Map of 12 Steps to Town Making Groups
Explore the growing network of communities putting the 12 Steps to Town Making into practice. Each location represents neighbors, small developers, and local leaders meeting monthly to learn, collaborate, and build stronger, more connected towns.