Michael Yarne

Michael Yarne Email and Phone Number

Housing innovator, entrepreneur & builder of purpose-driven teams. @ Black Oak Group
About Michael Yarne

My career spans 25 years of urban development and policy experience, including co-founding a construction tech company, developing over 2,000 units of multifamily, serving in two mayoral administrations, and practicing land use law. I’m a creative problem-solver, design thinker, and skilled coach.In late 2021, I was recruited to lead MX Studio (MX) a division of Lendlease Digital launched to cultivate product development partnerships with manufacturers in the prefab construction space. In six months, I reorganized the North American team, sourced new manufacturer partnerships, and accelerated the development of internal processes to test and improve prefab products. In July 2022 the group CEO terminated the entire physical products division, including MX. I left in August.From 2018 to 2021, I was cofounder of Social Construct (SoCo) a venture-backed construction tech start-up. SoCo’s platform combined a ‘digitally native’ prefab kit-of-parts system with innovative site logistics and installation protocols to achieve multifamily construction labor and schedule savings. In three years, we raised over $17M, launched a software platform, designed our own suite of hardware, established an independent supply chain, and delivered Project One, a proof-of-concept apartment building in Oakland.From 2012 to 2017, as a partner at Build Inc., I lead a team responsible for delivering a 2,000+ unit pipeline of San Francisco multifamily projects. I also founded PlaceLab, a public-private partnership incubator and served as an adjunct faculty member at UC Berkeley, teaching a graduate course on land use law and economics. From 2008 to 2012, I served as an advisor to San Francisco Mayors Newsom and Lee. During my tenure I helped craft legislation reforming the City’s impact fee system, passed the City's first Infrastructure Financing District, and negotiated the approval of the $7B, 152-acre, 5,600-unit Parkmerced project. From 2005 to 2008, as Development Director at Martin Building Company, I secured entitlements and financing for hundreds of housing units and San Francisco’s first privately funded public street-to-plaza conversion. From 2001 to 2005, I was a land use attorney at Farella Braun + Martel, providing counsel to both private developers and local government. I received a JD and MCP from UC Berkeley and a BA from Williams College. My passion for purpose-driven work began in Peace Corps Niger where I served from 1993 to 1996, launching three micro-credit banks and helping farmers plant over 5,000 trees to combat desertification.

Michael Yarne's Current Company Details
Black Oak Group

Black Oak Group

View
Housing innovator, entrepreneur & builder of purpose-driven teams.
Michael Yarne Work Experience Details
  • Black Oak Group
    Founder
    Black Oak Group Oct 2022 - Present
    San Francisco, California, United States
    I provide strategic advice to a diverse collection of tech companies, real estate developers, and policy makers, from global platforms like Airbnb to early stage startups. My primary expertise is housing innovation, with a focus on finding product-market-fit, evaluating construction tech, developing creative regulatory solutions and aligning economic interests for the public and private good.
  • Lendlease
    Head Of Mx Studio
    Lendlease Jan 2022 - Aug 2022
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Hired in late 2021 to lead Lendlease Digital’s North American physical products innovation team, called MX Studio (MX). The goal of MX was to feed carefully vetted physical products into an emerging generative design software platform called Podium for Development. Reporting directly to the Chief Product Officer in Sydney, Australia, I managed a 7-person team and oversaw a 60,000-sf R&D facility located in Fremont, California. Within three months of arriving, I reorganized the team, developed a business strategy, and identified five new customers. In July 2022, Lendlease Digital’s CEO decided to terminate the entire physical products division, including MX. Key Accomplishments:• Revamped MX’s phase-gate product development process and launched the development of a new product-testing methodology called Design for Site Assembly. These changes attracted the interest of at least six new Supplier-Manufacturer-Partners.• Spearheaded business development and identified a pipeline of at least six new fee-paying customers for Product Lab’s mass timber, prefab, and Kit-of-Parts (KoP) consulting services. • Received a “stellar” performance evaluation in July, based on my successful efforts to reposition MX into a self-supporting, income-generating business unit.
  • Social Construct Company
    Cofounder
    Social Construct Company Dec 2017 - Aug 2021
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Founded in 2017, Social Construct (SoCo) was a venture-backed construction tech start-up. Our platform paired a Kit of Parts (KoP) system with innovative site logistics and installation protocols to achieve labor and schedule cost savings. I led business development, regulatory, and labor strategy, as well as managing a real estate development team. Key accomplishments:• Delivered our first proof-of-concept apartment building, Project One, within 10% of our cost target despite COVID-related disruption. • Ensured delivery, just-in-time, of all hardware to the job site. A culture of active listening, clear goal-setting, and continual learning allowed us to leap from prototype to construction-ready product in two years. • Recruited and managed multifamily user groups to provide our product team with early, high-quality feedback. These included building inspectors, carpenters, marketing experts, GCs, architects, and property management.• Developed a training plan with the Northern California Carpenters to certify subcontractors in SoCo’s system and minimize challenges to SoCo’s future consolidation of on-site MEP labor into the carpentry sub-trades.• Ensured that SoCo products installed at Project One passed Code upon first inspection. Leading up to this, I established a unique partnership with the Oakland Building Department that provided simulated inspections of system mock-ups at our R&D warehouse, including under-floor electrical and plumbing systems.• Secured SoCo’s first customer, Grubb Properties, in early 2021. If we had closed on our Series B, we would have applied our system to an 80-unit, 85,000-GSF apartment building in LA.
  • University Of California, Berkeley
    Adjunct Faculty Member
    University Of California, Berkeley Jan 2017 - Dec 2019
    Berkeley, Ca
    Designed and taught a graduate course on the evolution of US land use law, with a focus on how technological change shaped law, and how law, in turn, shaped urban markets, incentive structures, and economic outcomes, including social mobility and inequality.
  • Build, Inc.
    Principal, Director Of Development
    Build, Inc. Jul 2012 - Dec 2017
    San Francisco, Ca
    Managed a team of seven project managers overseeing the development of over $1B in future project value. My team was responsible for establishing budgets and schedules and overseeing design, entitlements, and construction pricing. Below is a list of some of key projects:• 1532 Harrison: 136-unit, mixed-use apartment in the West SOMA.• 650 Indiana: 116-unit, mixed-use apartment in the Dogpatch.• 830 Eddy: 126-unit apartment near the Van Ness Avenue transit corridor.• India Basin: 39-acre public-private partnership with capacity of almost 2,000 units, over 20 acres of public parks and a two million gross square foot mixed-use urban village.• One Oak: 300-unit, a 400’-tall condo tower at Van Ness & Market Streets.
  • Place Lab (Formerly Build Public)
    Board Chair & Founder
    Place Lab (Formerly Build Public) Jul 2012 - Dec 2017
    San Francisco
    Grew PlaceLab from a volunteer-based organization into a professionally staffed 501(c)(3) corporation, then guided its merger into the San Francisco Parks Alliance in 2018. My team’s accomplishments include:• Formation of the state's first Green Benefits District (GBD), a neighborhood-based public space finance and governance entity. I secured passage of enabling legislation, led the GBD election campaign, and guided the GBD's early budget and hiring decisions.• Designed, financed, and built two street-to-public plaza conversions through a combination of assessment revenue, in-kind development fee waivers and private philanthropy.• Financed and launched alleyway activation programs, bringing increased foot traffic, performances, and micro-enterprise to neglected streets.
  • Mayor'S Office, San Francisco
    Development Advisor
    Mayor'S Office, San Francisco Feb 2009 - Jul 2012
    San Francisco, California
    Advised the Newsom and Lee administrations on citywide development policy with an emphasis on multifamily housing production. Negotiated major public-private deals on behalf of the Mayor’s Office, including:• Parkmerced Masterplan & Development Agreement, a 30-year, $7B agreement to add 5,600 housing units, 200,000-sf commercial and light rail extension. Approved in 2011 and under construction.• Moscone Center Master Plan: 20-year, $500M-plus public-private partnership to finance and expand convention facilities. Started in 2011 and completed in 2019.• Rincon Hill IFD: $42M 20-year tax increment finance district funding public realm and park improvements. Approved in 2010.• Enacted legislative reform to streamline development impact fee collection and permitting process and adopt a new transportation methodology replacing “Level of Service” with an “Auto Trips Generated” metric and fee.Director of Develo
  • City Carshare
    Board Chair And Founding Board Member
    City Carshare Jan 2002 - Jan 2012
    San Francisco, California, United States
    Hired new CEO and led Board efforts to re-shape CCS from a grant-based, Board-driven non-profit into a professional, customer-focused, revenue-generating business model. Supported CEO with reorganization and implementation of OKRs that shifted CCS from grant dependence to positive NOI in less than 3 years.
  • Martin Building Company
    Director Of Development
    Martin Building Company Jul 2005 - Jan 2009
    San Francisco, California, United States
    Developed over 300 units in four multifamily projects, including several restorations/conversions of National Register-listed historic warehouses. My projects included Mint Plaza, the City’s first-ever privately funded street-to-plaza conversion, combining storm-water management with an innovative tax-exempt bond finance plan.
  • Central Market Community Benefit District
    Board Chair & Co-Founder
    Central Market Community Benefit District 2006 - 2008
    San Francisco, Ca
    Co-chaired campaign to form a new property assessment district to fund improved public realm safety and maintenance. Secured a 68% “yes” vote from property owners and unanimous approval at City Hall. Launched a new hybrid social service/public outreach program that reduced quality-of-life problems in a humane way.
  • Farella Braun + Martel Llp
    Attorney
    Farella Braun + Martel Llp Nov 2001 - Jun 2005
    San Francisco, California, United States
    Provided land use and real estate counsel to a diverse mix of private developer clients on complex, mixed-use urban development projects throughout the Bay Area. Helped draft pro-housing legislation for San Francisco.Specialized in land use, CEQA, real estate transactions, historic preservation and local government law. Key projects included the redevelopment and expansion of several historic commercial buildings in the downtown into retail, residential and hotel uses.
  • Urban Ecology
    Board President & Member
    Urban Ecology 1999 - 2003
    Oakland, Ca
    Guided Board during strategic shift from Smart Growth land use policy advocacy role to mission-based, fee-for-service urban planning consulting service model. Expanded Board membership and grew annual operating budget during tenure.
  • U.S. Peace Corps
    Natural Resources Management Program Volunteer
    U.S. Peace Corps Oct 1993 - Jan 1996
    Niger
    Launched three women-owned micro-credit cooperatives providing business loans to over 100 women. Started an eco-literacy program for rural schools and published an environmental education journal, reaching over 1,000 students. Organized at least 50 farmer trainings leading to the successful out-planting of 5,000 native trees.

Michael Yarne Skills

Sustainability Community Outreach Nonprofits Land Use Planning Urban Planning Policy Strategy Real Estate Economic Development Community Development Land Use Strategic Planning Public Policy Policy Analysis Non Profits Government Public Speaking Public/private Partnerships Real Estate Development Negotiation Entitlements Entrepreneurship Environmental Policy Land Use Law Management Community Engagement Nonprofit Organizations

Michael Yarne Education Details

Frequently Asked Questions about Michael Yarne

What company does Michael Yarne work for?

Michael Yarne works for Black Oak Group

What is Michael Yarne's role at the current company?

Michael Yarne's current role is Housing innovator, entrepreneur & builder of purpose-driven teams..

What is Michael Yarne's email address?

Michael Yarne's email address is mi****@****ail.com

What is Michael Yarne's direct phone number?

Michael Yarne's direct phone number is +141537*****

What schools did Michael Yarne attend?

Michael Yarne attended University Of California, Berkeley - School Of Law, University Of California, Berkeley, Williams College, Williams College, Williams College.

What are some of Michael Yarne's interests?

Michael Yarne has interest in Art Making, Trail Running, Road Biking, Electronics, Rock Climbing, Yoga, Gardening, Burning Man And Meditation, Dancing, Wilderness Backpacking.

What skills is Michael Yarne known for?

Michael Yarne has skills like Sustainability, Community Outreach, Nonprofits, Land Use Planning, Urban Planning, Policy, Strategy, Real Estate, Economic Development, Community Development, Land Use, Strategic Planning.

Free Chrome Extension

Find emails, phones & company data instantly

Find verified emails from LinkedIn profiles
Get direct phone numbers & mobile contacts
Access company data & employee information
Works directly on LinkedIn - no copy/paste needed
Get Chrome Extension - Free

Aero Online

Your AI prospecting assistant

Download 750 million emails and 100 million phone numbers

Access emails and phone numbers of over 750 million business users. Instantly download verified profiles using 20+ filters, including location, job title, company, function, and industry.