When I worked as a corporate consultant, I had access to all sorts of enterprise software packages that would’ve been cost-prohibitive to most people, but that didn’t stop me from trying out free programs. Especially if it meant I could dabble in someone else’s area of expertise without getting permission for a software seat license.

If you’re an armchair urbanist or moonlight as a community activist, you know how important it is to maximize your impact with limited time. I’ve been there, I’m still there, and I can help. There’s a treasure trove of free web tools online related to urbanism. I don’t know of anyone using all of these all the time, but I use some of these every week. Use these resources to demonstrate expertise in your amateurbanism work.

“Amateurbanism” is not a dig at people who aren’t working professionally in planning, design, or engineering. As someone who gets paid to plan and implement great street networks for all ages and abilities, I want amateur urbanists to be equipped for conversations and presentations about creating happy, healthy communities. 

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