Small-Scale Developers Seek to 'Find Their Farm' and 'Unleash the Swarm'

Grassroots urbanists aim to build more housing units in local communities through incremental development.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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This article explores the growing small-scale development movement, where urbanists are seeking to 'find their farm' and 'unleash the swarm' of independent builders and rehabbers to increase housing supply in their local communities. The piece introduces key organizations like Strong Towns, IncDev, and NEVO that are supporting this effort, and provides advice for budding small-scale developers on how to get involved even with limited capital or transient lifestyles.

Why it matters

The small-scale development movement represents a grassroots, community-driven approach to addressing the housing shortage, in contrast to the profit-driven, suburban sprawl model that has dominated housing construction for decades. By empowering more local residents to build housing units themselves, this movement aims to reshape cities and neighborhoods to better meet the needs of the people who live there.

The details

The article highlights advice from small-scale development leaders like Monte Anderson, Jim Kumon, and Neil Heller on the importance of 'finding your farm' - committing time, money, and resources to a specific local area for the long-term. It also explores the concept of 'unleashing the swarm', which refers to reviving small-scale development as a significant force to shape and grow cities, with many independent builders and rehabbers working collectively. The piece provides a chart outlining various ways that budding small-scale developers can get involved, even with limited capital or transient lifestyles, such as investing in crowdfunding platforms, building accessory dwelling units, or 'house hacking' by renovating fixer-uppers.

  • In November 2025, Neil Heller posted an insightful summary in the IncDev alumni Slack channel about his personal experience finding his farm.

The players

Strong Towns

A non-profit urban advocacy organization that has reached a worldwide audience with thousands of followers and changemakers, particularly through its Incremental Housing core campaign.

IncDev

An organization that provides education, resources, and support for small-scale developers, including hosting office hours and an alumni network.

NEVO

A non-profit organization that complements and contributes to Strong Towns' pro-housing campaign, co-founded by Monte Anderson and Jim Kumon.

Neil Heller

A small-scale developer, builder, and entrepreneur based in Portland, OR, who is the Principal at Neighborhood Workshop.

Alli Thurmond Quinlan

The Acting Director of IncDev.

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What they’re saying

“If you want to see housing built, you have to do it yourself.”

— Alli Thurmond Quinlan, Acting Director, IncDev (Instagram)

“If you can't get the rent, you can't do the project.”

— Ivy Vann, IncDev Faculty (IncDev Alumni Slack Channel)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This article highlights the growing small-scale development movement, where grassroots urbanists are seeking to build more housing units in their local communities through initiatives like 'finding their farm' and 'unleashing the swarm' of independent builders. It provides guidance for budding small-scale developers on how to get involved, even with limited capital or transient lifestyles, demonstrating the movement's potential to reshape cities and address the housing shortage.