Stop having the same argument at every public hearing.

Development Literacy Briefing

A 90-minute, custom-tailored session for local elected officials, appointed commissioners, and board members that demystifies how housing and community development actually pencil and achieve the desired outcomes. Decision-makers leave with a shared working model of what is financially possible — so they can ask sharper questions, set realistic expectations, and support or reject projects based on how projects actually work, not how they wish they worked.

Pricing and Timing:

$3,500, 90-minute session, 14-day turnaround

Book a 15-minute fit call →

It’s the right fit…

For these roles:

City councils
County boards of commissioners, especially in areas where development pressure clashes with expectations for preservation of rural and agricultural heritage
Planning commissions and zoning boards
Housing authority and housing commission boards
Downtown Development Authority (DDA) boards
Brownfield Authority Boards
Chambers of commerce with housing or economic development committees

With these conditions:

New election cycle — new members just seated, orientation scheduled
Recent development controversy (the vote that went sideways)
Upcoming master plan, zoning overhaul, or housing strategy adoption
Staff signaling that council keeps reliving the same fight
Annual council retreat scheduled

This workshop was designed to address these challenges:

Council members ask developers for things developers literally cannot deliver — and then feel misled when projects stall.

Planning commissioners approve or reject projects on vibes because nobody has ever explained the math to them.

Every public hearing becomes adversarial because no two people in the room share the same working model of what's possible.

New elected officials inherit contentious projects with no framework to evaluate them.

Staff are exhausted from re-explaining the same fundamentals to each new board member.

What You Get

30-minute pre-call with the city manager, clerk, or chair to tailor content to your community's actual situations
90-minute live session (in-person preferred; Zoom available) using your own sites and past projects as case material
Custom slide deck
One-page 'what I can and can't ask for' take-home for every attendee
30-day follow-up email with Q&A recap, glossary of key terms, and additional resources
Optional add-on: 30-minute private briefing with the mayor or manager in advance of the public session (+$250)

Investment

$3,500
90-minute session
2-4 week lead time

How It Works

We confirm this is the right moment for your community (retreat, vote, transition), identify the decision-maker, and check that budget is aligned with expectations.
We send a 1-page scope memo and e-sign contract. You pay a 30% deposit to lock the date.
We walk through 2–3 local examples the session will use, so every minute is tailored to your community.
We deliver the briefing. Every attendee leaves with a one-page take-home summarizing what's feasible.
We send Q&A recap and a glossary. Recommend potential next steps based on community needs and readiness.

Common Questions

In-person is strongly recommended because the session includes small-group exercises that don't translate well to Zoom. That said, we do deliver virtually when travel isn't feasible. Virtual sessions are the same price but Q&A is often less robust due to screen fatigue.
Most housing 'literacy' sessions are academic. This one uses your community's actual sites, actual past votes, and actual local comps. Attendees learn the math in the context of decisions they've recently made or are about to make.
Yes, and that's a natural fit. The 30-minute pre-call is where we customize placement and connect the briefing to your retreat agenda.
Yes. The briefing teaches how development finance works as a matter of math, not which policies should win. We explain tradeoffs without recommending specific outcomes - unless you ask for our recommendations.
Everyone on the board or commission, plus key staff (city manager, community development director). 10-30 people is ideal. We've run sessions as small as 5 and as large as 75.

“Inspirational” is the one word to describe Ryan Kilpatrick’s presentation to the manufactured housing industry at our annual conference. He provided insight, data, and ammunition to combat Nimbyism. He provided Real tools to get attainable housing projects off the ground with less hassle.

-Wisconsin Housing Alliance