Why Local Developers Matter More Than Ever with Jim Heid

Building Better Cities · May 28, 2026 · 40m · transcript

For generations, cities were built by the people who lived in them. That's why so many of our most beloved neighborhoods feel like quilted fabrics of architectural styles, mixed uses, interwoven public spaces, and human-scale details. These vibrant neighborhoods weren't delivered all at once through a single master plan — they emerged gradually through incremental urban development, one building, one block, one local investment at a time.

But somewhere along the way, building small became harder. Harder for local developers and entrepreneurs to shape the places they live. Harder for…