1 smart way to draw your community closer together

ByBecky McCray

Whether your town is growing fast or in a decline, keep renewing your core. No one likes a mushy core, in an apple or a small town. 

Make the most of your existing water and sewer and street. Build more in the center, less on the outside. 

Draw your community closer together. People who live close to the core can walk and bike more to run errands. They can go downtown for shopping and events more easily. 

Here’s how you do it. Find the empty lots within your existing core residential areas. Then get together and brainstorm ways you can promote building in the core:

  • make people aware which lots are available for building
  • offer incentives like waiving utility startup fees
  • sell empty lots at low prices
  • remove zoning barriers

“Fabulous homebuilding location! Close to downtown!” 

Keep shaping the future of your town, 
Becky

PS – Housing is our theme this month. Discover more good ideas for just $5 at Improving Rural Housing.