How Early Engagement Accelerates Real Estate Projects

Sep 16

The success of real estate development projects, whether they involve tax abatements, grants, or workforce strategy, often hinge on early and strategic buy-in. But too often, developers and businesses wait until the final hour to bring in a consultant, missing the window where that groundwork can be laid. The truth is: incentives are not just about paperwork and policy, they’re about relationships, timing, and trust.

Take the case of US Federal Properties (USFP). This real estate firm was vying to win a major bid to develop a new location for a 83,000 sqft government lab and research facility in Normandy, Missouri. They engaged Steadfast City to secure real estate tax abatement that would make the development more financially viable for their tenants. Because our credits & incentives team was brought in early, they were able to quickly connect with key stakeholders to secure the local support required to propel the project and enabled the swift and effective procurement of critical incentives that lowered project costs and eased the tax burden and ultimately helped our client secure the winning bid.

US Federal Properties

Jason Hobick, USFP’s Vice President of Development, remarked on the personal nature of Steadfast City’s work, not just with their team but with the school district and fire department – both of which were major stakeholders in the negotiation of the final incentive package. “Steadfast City jumped in like they were a part of the team. They knew the process, who to talk to, and how to get it done. The ability to streamline the process and get local buy-in early added a lot of value and made the project a success.”

USFP has developed more than $800 million worth of properties leased to the federal government, so they knew what was at stake. Their experience underscores a critical point: incentives work best when communities are on board from the start. Incentives projects are as much about community alignment as they are about financial engineering. If you wait until your proposal is finalized to seek local support, you’re already behind. Early engagement ensures your project isn’t just seen as feasible, but as valuable to the community it will serve.