Marijuana, Misinformation and Misguidance “If you build it, they will come!” By THEY, I mean NIMBYs (Not in My Back Yard) and CAVE People (Citizens
It’s the “new normal” and it comes with both opportunities and challenges. Virtual public meetings are substantially different in tone and process sometimes making experienced
Land use and development is political and quantifiable. With over 15 years of survey data we know that a politician’s stance on development and growth are a
When Consensus Strategies’ SVP Owen Eagan isn’t managing your projects, he is an Executive-in-Residence at Emerson College, the nation’s only four-year institution dedicated exclusively to
The Covid-19 crisis is likely to be the greatest disaster of our lifetime with implications that will extend for years to come. The changes to society, business, politics and public perceptions will be extensive with both new challenges and opportunities for developers and all companies operating in the public sphere.
U.S. zoning expert Patrick Fox joins show host/broker Michael Bull to discuss how COVID has changed the rezoning and entitlement process. Discussions include new strategies
New “Digital Advocates” will change local planning and decision making.
This societal crisis, unlike any we have seen in our lifetimes, has presented a myriad of challenges. Arguably one of the hardest challenges to grapple with has been social distancing and orders prohibiting large gatherings. But we’re adapting. Online
We are living in a weird time: The current crisis and “social distancing” orders have put jobs, activities and lives on hold. Whether working from
I am often asked “what are the toughest projects on which you work?” The stories of epic multiyear, knockdown, drag-out battles are best told over
Don’t be naive about who your opponents are and what they really want. Seemingly irrational opponents may have a very rational motivation to shut you
1. They have got to win this approval. The business men and women who appear before your commissions and boards seeking approvals are under tremendous
1. Opponents defy demographics. They now come from every ethnicity, age, party, ideology, region, religion, and gender. While in many situations the more affluent —
1. Stop all development anywhere near me. 79% of Americans want no new development projects in their communities. Now that does not mean they are
Successful movie studios are harnessing digital media and grassroots techniques to build audiences and promote films. Consensus SVP Owen Eagan is a leading expert on
When your projects benefits become its negatives. Self-storage is experiencing explosive growth. Annual industry revenue in the US is now $38 billion and it remains
Hiding is not a strategy. The opponents are coming whether they are anxious abutters, political opportunists, competitor funded rabble-rousers or local activists. Keeping quiet doesn’t
History is constantly repeating with developers making these same old mistakes. Learn from experience and have a strategy to avoid these common problems. 1. “Don’t
Whether protesting a president, a policy, a pipeline or a development project, it is highly unlikely that protesters have been paid. It is much more
These Characters show up at every public hearing. You know they’re coming but are you ready for them? By Patrick Fox EMAIL Opponents dominate public
By Patrick Fox EMAIL It’s secretly acting to protect your market share and profits from an encroaching competitor by generating and organizing community opposition. It
Dealing with the Idiotic, Irrational and Incomprehensible By Patrick Fox EMAIL Anyone advocating for a controversial initiative today
By Patrick Fox EMAIL Credibility is crucial for commercial developers but not so much for their opponents. The greatest advantage held by opponents today
Tips for Managing the Unmanageable By Patrick Fox EMAIL Every commercial real estate development team is made up of experts from a variety of disciplines.
Broken Planning: How Opponents Hijacked the Planning Process By Patrick Fox EMAIL Former U.S. Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill famously said that “All
By Patrick Fox EMAIL Any company making decisions about a commercial real estate deal does a lot of due diligence. They study demographics, market share,
Zola faces the mob, by Henry de Groux, 1898 Having a good project is not enough. Remember that it is all about the politics. By
Whether you call them NIMBYs, BANANAs, CAVE* people or misinformed nutcases, they are organizing to stop your project and, often, they are winning. By Patrick
By Patrick Fox EMAIL Some people are just plain angry. Fear of change as well as rumors, misunderstandings and outright lies can leave developers confronted by
