Master Planning With the Land As Brand With Kris Maher

Kris Maher is an architect and developer. For over 20 years, she’s worked for the Rancho Mission Viejo community in Orange County, California, where she is currently senior vice president of community development. The master planned community lies on a former cattle ranch, and currently they are developing a 23,000 acre entitlement that will have 14,000 homes in six non-contiguous villages. Almost three-quarters of that land will remain open space surrounding the villages. Kris leads urban planning and community design, with the natural, preserved landscape at the heart of her efforts. “The land is our brand,” she says.

In this episode, Kris and show host Neal explore her life journey from a mechanical drafting class in high school to becoming a pivotal figure in community development. They trace the history of Rancho Mission Viejo from the 1800s when it was a cattle ranch, to the 60s when the owning families decided to develop a master planned community, to today as it continues to grow with new homes and an emphasis on the land in the age of the agrihood. They discuss the variety of amenities at Rancho Mission Viejo, including the community farm where residents can volunteer and pick up produce, and the horses who live on site and have captured the hearts of the community. Kris shares insights into the intricacies of marketing to different generations, the challenges of dealing with rising insurance costs in light of wildfire risk, the creative solutions they’ve employed for water efficiency, and the general obstacles of greenfield development and creating affordable housing. For more information about Kris and her work, visit ranchomissionviejo.com.

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This podcast isn’t just about ideas—it’s about action. From these conversations, two organizations have emerged to bring regenerative real estate to life:

Latitude Regenerative Real Estate is the world’s first regenerative-focused real estate brokerage, dedicated to aligning values-driven buyers and sellers. With a strong presence in the Pacific Northwest and Great Lakes regions, Latitude also supports purpose-driven developments across North America through strategic marketing and branding services. If you're looking to buy, sell, or amplify a regenerative project, Latitude is your trusted partner.

Hamlet Capital is an investment and development firm committed to building resilient communities rooted in working farms. If you’re developing an agrihood or conservation community, we’d love to hear from you. Together, we can turn visionary ideas into thriving, place-based investments.