Economic Development, Real Estate & Affordable Housing

Since redevelopment agencies dissolved in 2012, public agencies have sought alternative ways to facilitate and fund economic development, affordable housing development and other community improvements.

Best Best & Krieger LLP’s Economic Development, Real Estate & Affordable Housing team helps cities, counties, economic development agencies, housing authorities, redevelopment agency and housing successor agencies, as well as private commercial and residential developers throughout the lifecycle of their development/redevelopment projects.

Unrivaled Experience
We represent hundreds of public agencies and serve as general or special counsel to more redevelopment successor agencies and economic development-related agencies than any other law firm in California. We actively guided clients through the Department of Finance lead dissolution process and, now, we are moving clients forward with their post-redevelopment dissolution property dispositions and economic development efforts. Our lawyers are adept at helping public and private clients navigate the post-redevelopment regime, and qualifying for and utilizing community enhancement programs and other new economic development tools to fund projects and accomplish their development goals.
 
Working collaboratively with our Public-Private Partnership, Eminent Domain, Real Estate, Environmental Law, Tax, Labor & Employment and litigation lawyers, we advise on:

• Siting and predevelopment planning
• Land use, zoning, permitting and entitlements
• Creative financing strategies
• Acquisition, construction, leasing, development and disposition of real estate and other assets
• Procurement, competitive bidding and prevailing wage requirements
• Personnel issues
• Tax incentives, credits, assessments and liabilities 
• Environmental due diligence, compliance, California Environmental Quality Act, National Environmental Policy Act and remediation
• Litigation/alternative dispute resolution
• Commercial, residential and mixed-use projects
• Public-private partnership, owner participation, management and other agreements necessary for development

Real Estate
Experienced in all aspects of real estate asset acquisition and dispositions, we have structured all types of deals across asset classes, including purchase and sale agreements, lease-leaseback arrangements, commercial and residential leases, ground leases and other conveyances. We also structure and assist with project finance and entitlements.
 
Affordable Housing
BB&K attorneys represent numerous housing authorities and housing successor agencies throughout California, and negotiate and draft affordable housing agreements, loan agreements and associated regulatory and resale restriction agreements, and rental and for-sale affordable housing project-related contracts. Additionally, we advise on:

• Compliance with federal housing, housing successor agency, and Housing Authority Law requirements
• Density bonus issues
• Inclusionary housing
• Funding programs including low-income tax-credit financing, and state and federal grant and loan programs, including Community Development Block Grants, HOME Investment Partnerships Program, the Building Equity and Growth in Neighborhoods Program, California Housing Finance Agency programs and CalHome

Our Washington, D.C. attorneys actively engage in legislative and regulatory processes, advocating for clients regarding laws affecting federal housing laws and funding.
 
Financing
Working closely with members of our Public Finance team, we assist in structuring the financial aspects of economic and housing deals, including bond and tax-credit financing. Additionally, we help clients create financing districts, including infrastructure and community services facility districts, special tax vehicles, assessment districts, and school facility improvement districts.