AI Could Fix America’s Housing Crisis… But Nobody’s Ready for What Happens Next | Jill Ferrari

Developers are drowning in delays, municipalities are stuck in the past, and housing affordability is collapsing.Jill Ferrari believes AI is about to completely change how housing gets built in America — from land acquisition to zoning, permitting, financing, and occupancy.In this episode of The AI Edge Podcast, Louis Fernandes sits down with commercial real estate attorney, developer, and entrepreneur Jill Ferrari for a deep operator-level conversation on the future of housing development, AI, and affordability in America.Jill has spent nearly 30 years solving some of the hardest development problems in commercial real estate — from brownfield redevelopment and complex capital stacks to workforce housing and public-private partnerships.But what makes this conversation different is where it goes next.Jill breaks down how AI is beginning to reshape the housing development process itself:• Site selection• Land banking• Municipal permitting• Zoning analysis• Construction workflows• Housing affordability• Income-qualified housing placement• Developer operations• Public-sector bottlenecksThis is not a hype conversation.It’s a real discussion about where AI is actually creating leverage inside real estate development — and where the industry is still completely unprepared.We also dive into:• Why affordable housing is so misunderstood• The hidden friction slowing down development• Why municipalities may resist AI adoption• How developers are quietly building their own AI tools• The future of workforce housing• Why operational efficiency matters more than everIf you’re a developer, investor, operator, architect, municipality, proptech founder, or anyone building in the real world — this episode is packed with insight.👤 GUEST INFOJill FerrariCommercial Real Estate Attorney | Developer | Founder | Housing & Economic Development StrategistJill Ferrari specializes in complex commercial real estate development, brownfield redevelopment, public-private partnerships, affordable housing strategy, and incentive-based financing structures.She is also co-founder of Renovare Development and creator of Homeverse, an AI-driven platform designed to connect income-qualified renters and homebuyers with housing opportunities.Jill recently moderated a national Urban Land Institute panel focused on AI and housing development.Connect with Jill Ferrari:LinkedIn:Jill Ferrari https://www.linkedin.com/in/jill-ferrari-6729891/Firm Website:sbdetroit.comPodcast:Breaking Ceilings, Breaking Ground