Clarity isn’t about changing the rules. It’s about making them visible, understandable, and accessible, especially to people who haven’t done this before. When someone walks into city hall with an idea, they shouldn’t have to guess where to begin.

Recognize that different projects carry different risks, then adjusting the city’s process accordingly. When a city saves its heaviest tools for its biggest projects, it creates space for everyone else to build.

Many small developers aren’t professionals. They’re learning as they go. What they need is acommunity — mentors, guides, and peers — who can help them figure things out and keep goingwhen things get hard.

The culture of your city matters more than your code. Developers — especially first-timers — canfeel instantly whether they’re seen as a burden or a partner. Small projects don’t need a green light for everything, but they do need a clear signal thatsomeone wants them to succeed.

Even the best small-scale project stalls out without financing. Most would-be developers don’t have access to traditional capital. Their projects are too small, too local, too new. Cities don’t have to become lenders. But they can start by acknowledging the gap. For now, the most important thing a city can do is recognize the barrier — and start thinking creatively about how to lower it.