Give Me Shelter: How Small, Local Development Can Change Our Communities

Charles “Chuck” Marohn is the founder and president of Strong Towns. With decades of experience as a land use planner and civil engineer, Marohn is on a mission to help cities and towns become stronger and more prosperous. He spreads the Strong Towns message through in-person presentations, the Strong Towns Podcast, and his books and articles. In recognition of his efforts and impact, Planetizen named him one of the 15 Most Influential Urbanists of all time in 2017 and 2023.

Marohn, a civil engineer and land use planner with two decades of experience, believes communities across America have succumbed to “the Suburban Experiment,” a top-down development approach that leads to sprawl and unsustainable long-term costs. He advocates a return to incremental local development, attuned to local communities’ needs and capacity for growth. In his latest book, Escaping the Housing Trap, he explains how this approach can empower local communities and make housing affordable for the average family again, without expensive subsidies or government programs.

Following a short presentation, Marohn will sit down with a panel of local housing stakeholders to share insights and drill down into the specifics of housing in Lancaster County.

Confirmed panelists include: Dana Hanchin, President & CEO of HDC MidAtlantic

Chad Martin, Executive Director of Chestnut Housing

Douglas Smith, Director of Location and Land Use for the U.S. Green Building Council and former Chief Planner for Lancaster City

Ben Lesher, Founder and President of Pacel B