Jim Heid of Small Scale Developer Forum and Building Small | Community and Coaching for Entrepreneurial Developers
Courtesy of Building Small
The Platform for Small Scale Developers
Hundreds of real estate conferences happen every year, but very few address the tactical realities of small scale development.
In 2012, Jim Heid, in conjunction with the Urban Land Institute, launched the first Small Scale Developers Forum (SSDF) with 20 people in San Francisco. What started as an "Island of Misfit Toys” now sells out within a week of registration and draws in 100+ participants per event. Attendees tour projects, workshop development challenges, and connect with peers facing similar obstacles in other cities.
The success of SSDF revealed a deeper need: Developers wanted more than twice-yearly gatherings. They needed ongoing support, access to proven templates, and connections that lasted between events. Jim's book "Building Small" captured a decade of knowledge from 150+ projects, and now the Building Small platform expands that foundation into a membership program with coaching workshops, online project critiques, and resources organized around each stage of the development process.
Our conversation also addresses the practical barriers facing small scale development today, from local regulatory cultures to national capital structures. Plus, we discuss how small scale development can address housing diversity and affordability.
Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Podcasts | Watch on YouTube
“Our basic purpose at Building Small is to support entrepreneurial developers’ success. We’re focusing on a whole series of tools for the ones who are building at the granular level.”
About Jim Heid
Courtesy of Building Small
Jim is an infill developer and sustainable development advisor based in Sonoma County, California. Known for his aspirational but practical approach, he works with a range of tools and best practices to communicate the value of inspired design and sustainability within the realities of local market norms. With over forty years experience as an urban designer, land planner, sustainability strategist and now infill developer, he brings a broad range of perspectives and skills to the discussion about how communities grow. Trained as a landscape architect, he received a Masters in Real Estate Development from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as a way to more effectively integrate economics, development and design thinking.
An active member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI), Jim was at the forefront of defining the tenets of sustainable community design, serving as co-instructor for ULI’s pioneering program in Sustainable Community Design. He continues his leadership as founder and lead instructor for ULI’s program focused on small scale incremental development. He has organized and led fifteen national tours where participants explore the impact and benefits of non-institutional approaches to real estate development, and how it creates stronger local economies and more authentic places. Drawing on his own experience and the work of others seen during these tours, he authored Building Small: A Toolkit for Real Estate Entrepreneurs, Civic Leaders and Great Communities. Published by ULI, the book has quickly gained a national following from all professions engaged in shaping the built environment.
Courtesy of Building Small
Courtesy of Building Small
Episode Timestamps
(04:57) Jim’s early projects and formative development experiences
(14:41) How the SSDF format grew from single-day programming to immersive multi-day events
(31:50) The three pillars of Building Small: community, bridging the gap, and championing great design
(39:46) How small scale development responds to today’s housing challenges
(42:10) Working through industry barriers and scaling sustainably
(46:03) The distinction between mentoring and coaching
(56:55) How to get involved with Building Small
Courtesy of Building Small
About your host:
Atif Qadir is a licensed architect and entrepreneur, interested in solving big problems through innovation and technology. He has founded two proptech companies and a real estate development firm, building products ranging from software to workforce housing.
His work has been covered by Technology Review, The Real Deal, Commercial Observer, and Propmodo. He’s also a frequent speaker on the future of buildings and cities on popular industry podcasts and at conferences, including this past year at the Commercial Observer National DEI Conference, Yale AREA Conference, Columbia Real Estate Symposium, Open Data Week NYC and Austin Design Week.
About Michael Graves
The world-famous design firm Michael Graves is also a founding sponsor of American Building. Its namesake, the iconoclastic designer Michael Graves, FAIA was a fierce advocate for people-centric design. His work defines a generation of American architecture and includes the Portland Building, the Humana Building and the Denver Public Library. The 1st season of American Building was filmed live at The Warehouse, his historic home in Princeton, New Jersey:
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