86 / Families are smaller, yet homes are larger / with Eric Kronberg

Eric Kronberg — Principal at Kronberg Urbanists + Architects — is in good traffic this week to talk about the mechanics of building better neighborhoods. Are family units have gotten smaller, while our home sizes have gotten larger. This means less supply, and less opportunity to build more. We get into what makes zoning reform such a powerful tool in evolving this housing dynamic, why parking minimums are the silent killer of affordability, and how small-scale development is the most durable path forward.

Eric translates urbanism into practical action better than anyone — not just through design, but through policy advocacy and development.

His perspective is vital to American urbanism.

We discuss:

00:00 Eric Kronberg is in good traffic.

01:34 From Ohio roots to southern urbanism.

04:25 What zoning actually does (and doesn’t do).

06:25 Parking minimums, explained.

11:27 Visual storytelling in policy change.

21:04 Household size, square footage, and the housing crisis.

28:22 Why Atlanta’s growth patterns matter nationally.

31:05 Optimistically tackling NIMBY politics.

34:35 How local advocates shape real change.

43:22 On the Incremental Development Alliance.

46:15 Revising ordinances and quick development math.

49:26 What new developers need to learn.

52:18 The promise of an e-bike commute.

Further context:

The household size slide we reference.

Kronberg Urbanists + Architects.

Incremental Development Alliance.

Inc Codes.

Follow Eric on LinkedIn.