For several years now the Prosperity Agenda radio show has discussed the importance of creating places where people want to live, work and enjoy. It’s a concept called placemaking or simply put – building communities that you love and never want to leave.

Inspiring and helping communities reach their potential and capitalize on their existing placemaking assets is a large part of what we do at the Michigan Municipal League.

To be frank, placemaking costs money. However, there’s a significant economic development argument about the advantages to placemaking. In other words, today’s communities of all shapes and sizes can’t afford not to create vibrant places.

On this most recent radio show on News/Talk 760 WJR we talk about the economic benefits to placemaking, the financial challenges facing Michigan’s communities and some proposed solutions.

My co-host for the show is Mike Wilkinson, who has covered this topic as computer-assisting reporting specialist for Bridge Magazine (Bridgemi.com). Our guests are Shanna Draheim of Public Sector Consults; my colleague Anthony Minghine, associate executive director and COO for the League; and Hazel Park City Manager and MML Board Member Ed Klobucher.

The Michigan Prosperity Agenda is a monthly radio show that challenges listeners to help make Michigan a better place to live, work and play by creating vibrant and prosperous local communities. It has aired on News/Talk 760 WJR since 2010. The hour-long radio program is hosted by me, Dan Gilmartin, CEO of the League. The show is sponsored by the League and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). The show airs May 25, 2016, on News/Talk 760 WJR, but you can listen anytime at the League’s website or by subscribing to the FREE iTunes podcast. Learn more about the League’s placemaking work here on this blog.