Development Advisory & Entitlement Guide — LA Westside

Identify development sites with favorable zoning, transit access, and market demand. Evaluate highest-and-best-use based on entitlement potential — not just current improvements.

Acquisition strategies include direct purchase, 1031 exchange, option agreements, and ground lease structures. Pat has used all four across his development career.

Navigate city planning departments, design review boards, environmental review (CEQA), and community engagement. The entitlement timeline in Los Angeles can range from 6 months to 3+ years depending on project scale and political climate.

Understand density bonuses, TOC (Transit Oriented Communities) incentives, and ED-1 applications. These programs can dramatically increase unit counts and reduce parking requirements.

Select your general contractor through competitive bidding. Obtain at least three bids and verify track record on comparable projects. Manage the draw schedule, inspect progress, and maintain contingency reserves.

Coordinate with your architect, structural engineer, MEP consultants, and landscape architect. Development is a team sport — the advisor's job is to keep everyone aligned on budget, timeline, and quality.

Begin marketing 6-12 months before completion. Pre-leasing reduces risk and can improve financing terms. For retail development, national credit tenants provide the strongest pre-leasing foundation.

Target stabilized occupancy of 90%+ with 6-12 months of seasoning before pursuing permanent financing or disposition.