Is Bend The “Strongest Town” In the Country?
Your vote can help decide!
Bend has advanced to the Final Four in the national Strongest Town Contest—an exciting recognition of the work being done to create a more sustainable, resilient, and livable city.
The next round of voting opens March 31, and your vote can help carry Bend to the championship!
How You Can Help
🗳 Vote for Bend – Starting March 31, cast your vote for Bend at the Strong Towns website.
📢 Spread the word – Share this with friends, neighbors, and community groups.
📌 Stay engaged – Follow Central Oregon LandWatch for updates on local policies and planning efforts that will shape Bend’s future.
Bend has a chance to be named the Strongest Town in America—if we show up and vote!
Important Recognition for Bend
Coordinated annually by the Strong Towns organization, the Strongest Towns competition highlights cities that are taking proactive steps to build communities that are fiscally responsible, environmentally sustainable, and socially equitable.
Jesse Russell of Hiatus Homes nominated Bend, and Central Oregon LandWatch has been excited to invite our supporters to participate in the voting because the Strong Towns’ mission is closely aligned with our own: preventing sprawl, promoting compact, walkable neighborhoods, ensuring housing options for all, and keeping nature within reach.
As one of the fastest-growing cities in Oregon and nationwide, Bend faces significant challenges:
How do we ensure affordable housing for current and future residents?
How do we prevent sprawl from consuming the forests and farmlands that surround us?
How do we create safe, accessible ways for people to get around without relying on cars?
The Strongest Town competition spotlights cities that are tackling these issues with creativity and urgency. This recognition is a good way to celebrate Bend’s progress, and it’s also a tremendous opportunity for our city to serve as a model for intentional growth, climate resilience, and community well-being.
What Makes Bend a Strong Town?
Bend’s competition profile highlights key policies and projects that have been shaping a more sustainable future, including:
✅ Promoting Infill and Mixed-Use Development – By prioritizing development within the urban growth boundary, we reduce the need for costly sprawl while making housing more affordable and neighborhoods more walkable.
✅ Eliminating Parking Mandates – This policy change opens up opportunities for small businesses, reduces housing costs, and ensures land is prioritized for people over cars.
✅ Investing in Multimodal Transportation – Bend is making it safer and easier to get around without a car through investments in bike lanes, pedestrian-friendly streets, and transit improvements. The Hawthorne Bridge project, which LandWatch and many others have worked hard to advance, was specifically highlighted in the competition.
✅ Bend’s Core Area Plan – This ambitious plan aims to transform underutilized areas of central Bend into vibrant, mixed-use neighborhoods with better infrastructure for walking, biking, and transit.
✅ Neighborhood Greenways Program – Slowing traffic and improving safety in residential areas makes our city more walkable and connected.
✅ Data-Driven, Transparent Budgeting – Smart financial decisions ensure that Bend grows in a way that’s sustainable and equitable, rather than burdening future generations with unsustainable costs.
Looking Ahead: Bend’s Next Comprehensive Plan
Making it to the Final Four of this competition reflects the hard work of city leaders, advocates, and engaged residents who are helping Bend grow with intention. That work is never completed, but ongoing and continual.
The city is about to launch a comprehensive planning process that will shape Bend’s future for the next 20 years. This is a critical moment to insist on and invest in the strategies that make Bend a strong town: prioritizing infill over sprawl, supporting diverse housing options, and investing in a transportation system that works for everyone.
The Strong Towns competition is a reminder that Bend’s future is in our hands. We have a unique opportunity to set an example for other fast-growing cities across the country.
Let’s make sure we’re recognized as a leader in sustainable growth by pushing Bend into the final round.
