Designing the Future of Neighborhoods | Devon Zuegel on Esmeralda

Devon Zuegel, founder and CEO of the Esmeralda Institute, joins us on the latest episode of The Coral Capital Podcast.After building online communities, scaling open-source programs at GitHub, and hosting Notion’s Pioneers series, Devon Zuegel is now bringing her expertise offline to create a family focused village north of San Francisco.In this episode, she shares the challenges of shaping a people centered village, from navigating complex land use regulations to balancing environmental realities.Topics explored:- How San Francisco’s housing shortages inspired Devon to create Esmeralda- Why California’s CEQA further fueled Devon’s passion for urban planning- Designing multi-generational, walkable communities with a balance of density and nature- The concept of “traveling neighborhoods” and fostering connection through shared experiences- The hardware and software of building a physical community- Integrating seniors, families, and diverse age groups into a cohesive community- Creating lasting culture and connection through deliberate programming and shared experiencesIf you're working on something ambitious, we’d love to hear from you at Coral Capital!Get in touch with us here: bit.ly/contactcoralConnect with Devon: X: https://x.com/devonzuegelLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/devonzuegel/Connect with Tiffany:X: https://x.com/tiffanykayoLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiffanykayo/Connect with Alexandra Silverman: X: https://x.com/AlexandraFayeSLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afsilverman/00:00 Intro00:46 Meet Devin08:19 Placemaking and Traveling Neighborhoods16:51 Building Esmeralda31:12 Supporting Families in Northern California33:23 Incorporating the Elderly in Community Planning38:17 Learning from Other Towns and Cities47:09 Building a New Town