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Housing

Small Developer Incubator Program

The City of Sacramento piloted a Small Developer Incubator Program in 2025. The goals of this program are to create a network of developers and contractors who are invested in the economic health and vitality of local Sacramento neighborhoods and build local capacity to develop smaller-scale housing solutions to address our housing shortage.

The pilot program included seven events and trainings throughout the year made possible via funding from the City of Sacramento, Build it Green, and other program sponsors. While the City will continue to host ongoing City-focused programming in the coming years, future external programming and trainings focused on small developers will be led by the California non-profit Build It Green.

Upcoming events

Learn about upcoming events and register to attend.

Small developer open house

Date: May 6, 2026
Time: 3:00pm – 5:00pm
Location: 300 Richards Boulevard, 2nd Floor, Room 221

Are you a new or emerging developer? Do you have a small-scale development project in the works? The City invites you to participate in its second Small Developer Open House. As part of an ongoing effort to lower barriers to entry and provide more streamlined services, the Community Development Department is continuing its pilot open house series for small-scale developers. Participants will have the opportunity to meet directly with City staff from Planning, Building, Development Engineering, Public Works, and Utilities. Come with questions, leave with answers!

 

Event flyer for the small developer open house hosted at 300 richards blvd second floor, room 221 from 3pm to 5pm. At this event meet with City staff and get answers for any current or future projects. open_in_full

Connect with City of Sacramento Staff at the Small Developer Open House! RSVP here!

Small Developer Open House Frequently Asked Questions

What can I expect at this event?
Participants should come ready with questions about their development project or specific aspect of planning, building, or other disciplines reviews in the development review process. Staff will be available to answer questions at different stations around the room.

Will there be presentations?
No, there will be no presentations.

Can I show up any time?
Yes, you do not need to be present for the entire event time.

Do I need to have a specific development project that I am working through to come to the event?
It is most helpful if you come with a specific parcel and preliminary site plan, but staff are happy to answer general questions to the best of their abilities. We recommend showing up with paper and pens!

REGISTER FOR THE EVENT HERE

Small Developer Incubator Program Listserv

Check back often for more upcoming events! Sign up here to receive updates in your inbox. 

Past events

Small Developer Incubator Program Kick-off and Free Introductory Lecture

February 5, 2025
Pannell Community Center Multipurpose Room

The City hosted a networking event followed by an information session to describe the pilot Small Developer Incubator Program and upcoming training opportunities. The purpose was to share what will be learned at future trainings, answer questions, and gauge interest. Faculty will introduce attendees to the core concepts of Incremental Development and enable networking between future cohort members and the development community at large.

Small Development Workshop

March 8, 2025
Oak Park Community Center

This 8-hour in-person class explained the processes and concepts a small developer encounters in a project in a manner that is accessible to private, public and non-profit audiences.

This baseline training was open to the public, and available for those at all levels/professions.

Sacramento Small Developer Networking Mixer

April 1, 2025
Bike Dog Brewing East Sac

As a way to support the local small developer community and workshop cohort, the City of Sacramento organized a free in-person networking event for the small development community (not hosted). Small developers and professionals from adjacent fields attended and connected with potential project partners, lenders, suppliers, mentors, and like-minded individuals working toward a common goal!

Sacramento Small Developer Networking Mixer

April 1, 2025 | 6-8 PM
Bike Dog Brewing East Sac
1210 66th St, Sacramento, CA 95819

As a way to support the local small developer community and workshop cohort, the City of Sacramento is organized a free in-person networking event for the small development community (not hosted). Small developers and professionals from adjacent fields attended and connected with potential project partners, lenders, suppliers, mentors, and like-minded individuals working toward a common goal!

Sacramento Small Developer Incubator Networking Mixer open_in_full

Sacramento Small Developer Incubator Networking Mixer, a free event organized by the City of Sacramento.

Small Developer Open House

June 3, 2025
300 Richards Blvd, Room 221

In an effort to lower the bar for entry to small developers and provide streamlined City services, the Community Development Department piloted an open house concept for small developers. Participants were able to meet with City staff representatives from the following Departments and Divisions: Planning, Building, Development Engineering, Public Works, and Utilities. Come with questions, leave with answers!

In an effort to lower the bar for entry to small developers and provide streamlined City services, the Community Development Department piloted an open house concept for small developers. Participants met with City staff representatives from the following Departments and Divisions: Planning, Building, Development Engineering, Public Works, and Utilities. open_in_full

Lender Open House

July 24, 2025
Hagginwood Community Center

The City hosted an open house and panel discussion event aimed at:

  • Convening lenders who are working with our development community to share best practices and inspire innovation.
  • Connecting small developers with lenders who have the right product for them. 
  • Providing clear information on what a small developer needs to know to obtain the right product which will meet their needs.

Attendees were able to meet lenders at tables and participate in an interactive panel presentation and discussion on available development funding programs and lending best practices. Any lender who wanted to join was invited to have a table and/or contribute to a directory of lenders who serve small developers. The below directory includes the list of lenders who voluntarily contributed their information. It is meant to be a resource for the Small Developer Incubator Pilot Program to show some of the range of lenders and loan products available to small developers. Potential borrowers are encouraged to ask questions and consider what works best for their situation.

It is not a comprehensive list nor does the City endorse any of the listed lenders. If you know of any lenders who would want to be included, please contact Elizabeth Boyd at eboyd@cityofsacramento.org.

LENDER DIRECTORY

City of Sacramento Small Developer Academy

August 29, 2025

Attendees learned about the development process from initial inquiry to final inspection. Whether they were pursuing an ADU, a small residential project, or just exploring options, this session covered every critical step.

Topics covered: 

This event included Q&A throughout the event with answers from City staff.

Small Developer Academy PowerPoint Presentation

Small Developer Academy Flyer, Text reads: Small Developer Incubator Pilot Program. Planning a development project in Sacramento? Learn from City staff about tips for success in zoning an dproject submittals, site plan and design review, plan review process, and inspections. Hybrid event! August 29, 2025 9am to 11:45am at Historic City Hall 915 I Street room 201. open_in_full
Image of pencil on top of building design. Text reads: Small Scale Developer Bootcamp. Sponsor logos border the top and bottom of the banner. open_in_full

17 bootcamp participants worked through exercises like building and refining their pro forma, creating an investor proposal package, and drawing out the zoning parameters for their lot. Participants also practice pitching their project to the group and instructors to get feedback in a supportive environment. See the Bootcamp Schedule at-a-glance here.

The Sacramento Bootcamp was made possible by the City of Sacramento with sponsorships from SKK Developments and the Capitol Area Development Authority.

Dream BIG, Build Small: A Showcase for Small-Scale Developers and Builders

Sacramento Showcase – January 10
Location: Hagginwood Community Center Auditorium
Address: 3271 Marysville Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95815

Dream BIG, Build Small was the capstone event of Build It Green’s 2025 Small Development Incubator, with the Sacramento Showcase held at the Hagginwood Community Center before continuing in the Bay Area the following day. The event brought together small-scale residential developers, builders, and housing innovators with suppliers, financiers, architects, contractors, and process experts who supported small residential projects. Exhibitors highlighted practical tools and resources related to materials, financing, design, construction, and emerging building innovations.

The Showcase also featured a small set of learning sessions focused on community-building and the role of small-scale development in supporting thriving neighborhoods and natural systems. Attendance was free for all participants. After the event, attendees received a digital resource guide that included:

Connect

Sign up to stay up-to-date on future announcements about the Incubator and to learn more about other housing-related project updates from the City of Sacramento.

Staff Contact:

Greta Soos, Senior Planner
Community Development Department
(916) 808-2027
gsoos@cityofsacramento.org

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