Groveland will go head-to-head with 15 other North American cities in the 9th Annual Strongest Town Contest, and voting begins now. In this bracket-style voting tournament, Groveland will compete for the “Strongest Town” title by shining a national spotlight on its progress toward safety, financial resiliency, housing and transportation.
Cast your vote for Groveland this week at Groveland, Florida (strongesttown.com).
How did Groveland make it into the competition? The City of Groveland has been recognized for being one of the most innovative and well-planned cities in the country. It wasn’t always like this, but here’s what the city has accomplished in the last few years: Newly adopted Future Land Use Elements in the Comprehensive Plan, new Form Based Code, new Strategic Plan, and other elements and accomplishments such as community workshops and becoming a DarkSky Certified Community. All of this has Groveland balancing an unprecedented level of residential and commercial growth. This is what makes Groveland a Strong Town!
Here’s how voting works. In the first round, Groveland will compete with three other cities in a special category, “Healing Local Housing.” Then, all cities will advance to Round 2, where they will compete head-to-head and advance weekly based on votes collected during that period:
- R2: Sweet Sixteen (March 11–15)
- R3: Elite Eight (March 18–22).
- R4: Final Four (April 1–5).
- R5: Championship (April 8–12).
The Champion will be announced on Monday, April 15. Previous contest winners have adapted their roads to be safer and pedestrian friendly, created public centers where local commerce thrives, and provided access to community services through a strong network of community partnerships. What do all these Strongest Towns have in common? They put people first.
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Strong Towns is a 501c(3) nonprofit and media advocacy organization that shifts conversations around the North American development pattern. Through articles, podcasts, videos, live events, and city partnerships, they provide knowledge and tools to help cities transform their streets and communities.
