News and Updates

A Developer’s Perspective: Paying for Infrastructure in the New Normal

Mar-1-10

Please join us for an informative discussion on one of the most important real estate issues facing our state over the next decade. You will learn: • Impact of City North decision on future development projects • How can Arizona municipalities and developers more effectively use community facility districts and improvement districts to fund infrastructure projects? • Current state of the bond market and underwriting criteria for bond issuance Speakers and Panel Members: Steve Bett...

Press Release: DPFG to Present at the North State Building Industry’s, Infrastructure Reimbursements Workshop on February 25th.

Jan-29-10

Press Release: DPFG to Present at the North State Building Industry’s, Infrastructure Reimbursements Workshop on February 25th. DPFG today announced that Chris Austin, Managing Principal, will be a panelist at the North State Building Industry Association’s Infrastructure Reimbursements: It$ Payback Time, Getting What is Your$, Educational Workshop on Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 8:30am. For more information and to register for the event please click here. ...

Press Release: DPFG is proud to sponsor the ULI Arizona Real Estate Trends Conference

Dec-3-09

2010 Arizona Real Estate Trends Conference Thursday, January 21st, 2010 • 7:00 am – 6:30 pm Arizona Biltmore 2400 E. Missouri Ave. | Phoenix, AZ 85016 Conference Theme: The ULI Arizona Real Estate Trends Conference will feature more than 30 of the industry’s top leaders addressing the most compelling issues affecting real estate development in Arizona. In just one day, learn about major trends, hot projects, key players, and critical issues shaping development over the next year. Network w...

Press Release: Maik Aagaard, Managing Principal – DPFG Florida to speak at the ULI of Tampa Bay 2009 Trends Day Conference

Dec-2-09

ULI Tampa Bay 2009 Trends Day Conference Friday, December 4, 2009 8:00am to 3:30pm Renaissance Vinoy, St. Petersburg, FL Conference Theme – New Directions for a Changing Landscape Change is in the air… and on the ground. The reverberations from the financial crisis continue to meld the business landscape, and we’ll need to plot a new course to be successful. Learn what’s working – and what 2010 holds – at this not-to-be-missed conference. Maik Aagaard will be a featured panelist at the...

Press Release: DPFG announces the addition of Rick Rosenberg to our Austin, TX office.

Dec-1-09

Development Planning & Financing Group, Inc. ("DPFG") is proud to announce that effective December 1, 2009; Rick Rosenberg has been promoted to Co-Managing Principal and will be relocating from the firm's Phoenix office to its Austin, Texas office. In addition to continuing with his current role as Principal in charge of the firm's Capital Market Advisory Services throughout the country, his new role will emphasize expanding DPFG's footprint throughout Texas. Working together with Jon Snyder, ...

Lacey Miller Joins DPFG, Inc.

Nov-23-09

Development Planning & Financing Group, Inc., ("DPFG") is pleased to welcome Lacey Miller as a Manager in our Phoenix, Arizona office. Lacey will focus on DPFG's market advisory services to compliment the firm's asset management, strategic planning, feasibility analysis, project evaluation, project management, due diligence and financial management services. In this capacity, Lacey will provide clients with an array of market advisory services related to consumers, absorption, pricing and l...

Geoff Appleyard Joins DPFG, Inc.

Nov-3-09

Development Planning & Financing Group Inc. (“DPFG”) is proud to announce the addition of Geoffrey Appleyard as a Principal. Where he will focus on the firm’s Strategic Planning and Development Services Group. Geoff has over 24 years of experience in real estate development and has extensive expertise in CFO responsibilities that include: acquisitions analysis, major asset disposition, financial management and reporting, corporate, project, and public finance, HR issues and organizational p...

Brett Lundequam Joins DPFG, Inc.

Oct-22-09

Development Planning & Financing Group, Inc., ("DPFG") is proud to welcome and announce the addition of Brett Lundequam as a Principal in our Orlando, Florida office. In this capacity, Brett will be involved in asset management, strategic planning, feasibility analysis, project evaluation, project management, due diligence and financial management for residential and mixed-use developments. Prior to joining the firm Brett spent over 15 years with Centex Homes, most recently as the Florida ...

Interest from land investors gains traction

Jul-21-09

“Now that we know the world is not coming to an end, let’s do some business.” That’s what a New York private equity executive said to Land Advisors Organization CEO Greg Vogel in April, and now Vogel’s hearing similar chatter around town. Vogel said such comments are indicative of a re-emerging investment market. Investors are returning to Phoenix and snatching up undeveloped land at prices not seen for at least a decade. At current prices, raw land can bring three to seven times the initial ...

DPFG, Inc. Corporate Newsletter June 2009 Edition

Jun-8-09

DPFG, Inc. Corporate Newsletter San Juan Capistrano, CA, June 9, 2009 - DPFG, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of the 3rd Edition of The DPFG Report ("Report"). The Report is a semi-annual corporate newsletter created to help keep you up to date on the seasonal and educational topics that matter most to the real estate industry. We encourage you to pass on this newsletter to your co-workers and any other colleagues that could benefit from reading the Report. We also hope that you...

Event Information: DPFG and K&L Gates invite you to a webinar: An Introduction to Public Financing Vehicles in North Carolina: S

Apr-13-09

In today's difficult financing environment and economic climate it is important to consider and utilize all of the tools at your disposal to drive favorable economic results. Recently approved legislation allows for the formation of SADs and TIFs to finance the construction and/or acquisition of public improvements, such as water, sewer, street, and drainage improvements. SADs and TIFs can benefit developers by: • Reducing equity and conventional debt levels on projects to ultimately lower ca...

DPFG Webinar - Emerging from the rubble - What the New Real Estate Capital Markets will look like

Mar-19-09

The current uncertainty and distress in the real estate markets demonstrates once more the power of the economic cycle. Despite all thoughts to the contrary, the real estate markets will recover in the same way as some thought the boom of the early 21st century would never end. The question that must be considered industry-wide is what will the next version of our future look like. Every recovery brings with it changes in structure, new participants, new ideas and changing user demand due to ...

Reimbursement Tracking System (RTS) featured in Builder Magazine

Mar-18-09

San Juan Capistrano, CA – March 16, 2009 DPFG, Inc. a national real estate consulting firm, is pleased to announce our Reimbursement Tracking System (RTS) is featured in the March 2009 “Tech Tools” section of Builder Magazine. http://www.builderonline.com/technology/on-track.aspx DPFG is a national real estate consulting firm that is committed to providing the real estate development community custom professional services. The firm prides itself on being able to obtain the relevant fact...

The Home Builder Dilemma - Getting Serious about survival

Mar-17-09

Please join Eric Brown, Principal at DPFG at 2:00 PM PST Tuesday March 17th, for an informative and enlightening 45 minute presentation about the current crisis facing homebuilders, ideas for making it through the downturn and what the landscape may look like when it is over. Event Details: Title: The Home Builder Dilemma - Getting Serious about Survival Date: March 17th, 2009 Time: 2:00 PM (PST) Duration: 1 hour Reserve a seat now at https://dpfgevents.webex.com/...

DPFG, Inc. Recognized by the Orange County Business Journal 2008 Book of Lists

Jul-21-08

DPFG, Inc. a national real estate consulting firm, is pleased to announce its debut placement in the Orange County Business Journal’s Book of Lists for 2008. “It is a tremendous honor and privilege to receive this recognition from the Orange County Business Journal. I am especially pleased to share this recognition with the entire staff at DPFG, Inc.” said John Foreman, President & CEO of DPFG Inc. The Book of Lists, published annually by the Orange County Business Journal, provides readers w...

CA Governor Signs Map-Extension Bill, Making it Now the Law

Jul-15-08

Governor Schwarzenegger today signed SB 1185 (Lowenthal), the CBIA-sponsored legislation that extends expiring subdivision maps for one year. Because of the special urgency provisions in the bill, it became law the moment the Governor signed it – just after 5:00 p.m. today. That means all maps set to expire at midnight tonight, July 15, or later get an automatic one-year extension. In addition, SB 1185 gives local governments the discretion to extend the maps another full year. Knowing the impor...

Orange County gives developers a break on building fees

May-16-08

Acting at the request of the politically powerful real estate development industry, Orange County has agreed to postpone collecting fees for the housing construction projects, without any analysis or discussion about the effect it will have on the county’s finances County officials and building industry representatives characterized the measure as an effort to help builders hit by the credit crunch and the real estate downturn to get projects off the ground. One supervisor, however, quest...

City aims to balance development fee equation

Apr-18-08

After streamlining the cumbersome development application process, the city of Sacramento now wants to untangle an unwieldy web of fees that make it almost impossible to enjoy a profit from building homes, offices and shopping centers. Impact fees are a key part of the numerous charges levied on development for everything from roads and sewers to schools and parks. The infrastructure burden on developers, including fees, has ballooned to $70,000 to $100,000 for the average-size house in Sacrame...

DPFG, Inc. Recognized by the Phoenix Business Journal 2008 Book of Lists

Apr-15-08

DPFG, Inc. a national real estate consulting firm, is pleased to announce its debut placement in the Phoenix Business Journal’s Book of Lists for 2008. "It is a great honor to be recognized by the Phoenix Business Journal and our firm will continue to work towards providing our clients with the brightest ideas and the most in-depth analysis so that they can navigate the development and construction process in a timely and cost efficient manner," said Carter Froelich, Managing Principal – Arizona...

Industry Leaders Forecast Skittish Real Estate Market, Tough Financing

Jan-22-08

Crystal balls usually are in high demand at year’s end because of a desire to know what the future will hold. This year leaves the business community -- and the real estate industry in particular -- with even more questions about what’s in store for 2008 and beyond. As 2007 winds down, the economy is being hammered by a housing meltdown, soaring foreclosure rates, tightening credit, the looming employer sanctions law, stiffer pollution penalties, and an uptick in state and Valley unemp...

Real Estate Market Poised for Slowdown in Activity

Jan-21-08

For companies involved in almost any segment of the Valley ‘ s real estate market, the years 2002 to 2006 were akin to a long and lavish party, a nonstop celebration of building, spending, expanding and, at times, exaggerating. But early in 2007, some players -- particularly companies involved in residential real estate -- started sobering up to the fact that home developers had overbuilt, prices had become artificially inflated and the national subprime mortgage fiasco would affect alm...

Changes to the Mello-Roos Community Facilities Act

Dec-11-07

California Assembly Bill 373 (Wolk) amends numerous provisions of the Mello-Roos Community Facilities Act of 1982. AB373 was signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on October 13, 2007 and will take effect January 1, 2008. Click here for more info about the changes to the CFD Act. ...

Cutting costs Orlando’s busiest builders find ways to keep selling in a down housing market

Dec-10-07

Orlando’s top production home builders are facing a significant drop in home sales this year. As a result, they’re eliminating some bells and whistles so they can offer lower prices. The problems originated with the white-hot housing boom of 2004 and 2005, which saw investors snap up homes intending to flip them for a tidy profit. That left an artificial shortage of housing, which rapidly drove up prices to record levels. Now, with a lot of starry-eyed investors facing forecl...

City Holds the Line on CFD

Sep-13-07

City Holds the Line on CFD The Riverbank City Council chose to adhere to existing state law as it relates to school facility financing during a recent city council meeting. The proposed CFD, originally designed to be a joint powers agreement, (JPA) would have resulted in a $274.00 annual tax for the Riverbank Unified School District, a $250.00 annual tax for the Stanislaus County Consolidated Fire District, and $329.00 for city infrastructure and police services. The chambers were standing room...

DPFG Opens New Office in Texas

May-1-07

DPFG Inc. a leader in providing specialized real estate consulting services for home builders and land developers announces today the opening of a new office location in Austin, Texas to allow for the continued expansion into the southwest region of the U.S. In the past several decades, southern and western states have experienced dramatic population and economic growth; California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas and Florida have long been the benefactors of this expansion and migratory movement, and...

Redevelopment Arena Offers Increasing Array of Opportunities for Market-Wise Developers

Jul-27-06

As time moves on, the supply of raw or undeveloped land for new construction in many metropolitan areas throughout the United States has dwindled significantly, and these market areas offer an expansive opportunity for redevelopment activity, which may prove to be as financially rewarding for developers as their traditional construction activities face substantial challenges. As these metropolitan areas enter the so-called “renaissance period,” whereby these older areas are being rejuvenated th...

Community Facilities District Financing Available In Arizona Counties

Jul-12-06

On April 17, 2006 the Governor signed into law House Bill 2236 which allows the use of Community Facilities District (“CFD”) financing within the unincorporated areas of Arizona. Prior to this time, the use of CFD was restricted to incorporated cities and towns. The ability to utilize CFDs within the counties is expected to: (i) allow counties to master plan larger areas of land than that was otherwise possible; (ii) provide regional infrastructure which was previously not financiall...

Development Project Profitability Diagnostic Review

Jul-1-06

Over the past 10 years the home building industry has been enjoying record sales and profits however, the increasing costs of land, development impact fees and material prices coupled with slower home sales and stabilizing home prices will soon begin to erode the builder’s profit margins. The erosion of profit margins may be slowed if the builders begin performing diagnostic reviews of their development projects to ensure that they have done all they can to reduce infrastructure costs and to det...

Florida Impact Fee Act Sent to Governor

Jun-15-06

GOOD NEWS ALERT! ATTENTION ALL DEVELOPERS/BUILDERS! Florida Impact Fee Act Sent to Governor 6/7/2006! The Florida Impact Fee Act, as part of Senate Bill 1194 (the “Act”), was sent to the Governor’s office on June 7, 2006. The Governor has approved the Act and it is effective now. The legislation imposes new hurdles and certifications for local governments that want to impose or change development impact fees (“DIF”). DIF may be imposed by local government to pay for the cost ...

Financing and Construction of Regional Improvements

May-2-06

As development activity pushes outward to the rural communities of Arizona, the construction of regional public improvements often becomes a requirement prior to the issuance of building permits. This massive undertaking is costly, risky and difficult to coordinate. As such, developers and landowners who are leading the charge to build such facilities need to be assured that they have established mechanisms to: Allocate costs to all development participants and other benefiting landowne...

Arizona County CFDs: HB 2236 is now law!

Apr-21-06

Arizona House Bill 2236 ("HB 2236"), allowing the use of community facilities districts (“CFD”) within Arizona counties has been signed into law by Governor Napolitano and becomes effective 91 days after the end of the current legislative session. Provided the current session runs an expected two or three additional weeks, CFD financing for county projects will be available as early as the second week of August 2006. To date, DPFG has been involved in over 80% of the CFDs formed in the State ...

Orange County, FL to Increase Flexibility of CDD Establishment

Jan-17-06

On Jan. 10, Orange County Commissioners voted unanimously to transmit a Comprehensive Plan Amendment (“Amendment”) that will make establishing Community Development Districts (“CDD(s)”) within the County easier. According to Orange County Planning staff, the current regulation prevents a CDD from funding any infrastructure other than schools, regional parks, or other infrastructure not typically funded by a developer. Therefore, Orange County CDDs currently cannot fund onsite wate...

DPFG's involvement leads to reduction of impact fees in the City of Live Oak

Sep-30-05

From The Building Industry Association of Superior California (BIA) "For the past two months, the BIA and local landowners have been working with the City of Live Oak as they worked to update their AB 1600 impact fees. Initially the city proposed to increase the fee from $6,500 to $29,000. The BIA was successful in immediately pulling the item from the council’s agenda to allow the development community to review the increase. BIA staff pulled together a meeting of loc...

Encouraging Redevelopment

Mar-23-05

By Carter T. Froelich As the growth of the metropolitan Phoenix area jumps the White Tank Mountains to the west; approaches Lake Pleasant to the north, expands onto the tribal lands to the east and melts into Pinal County to the south; the development community has begun looking inward for other development opportunities which will allow potential buyers to live and work in the same proximity. Over the years one has seen a number of small scale redevelopment projects in the downto...

City of Woodland Increases Developer Fees

Mar-20-05

As you may already be aware, the City of Woodland has recently adopted an emergency ordinance authorizing the temporary increase of the Major Projects Financing Plan ("MPFP") fee from $7,862 per single family unit to $20,645 per single family unit. The City is currently revising its nexus study to authorize the permanent increase of this fee. DPFG, a firm experienced in representing the development community, is currently reviewing on behalf of a developer, the City's fee nexus study to ens...

TUMF Increase Adoption

Feb-7-05

As you may already be aware, the County of Riverside Transportation Uniform Mitigation Fee (TUMF) will be increasing from $6,650 per single- family residential unit to $7,248 per single-family residential unit, an effective increase of $598 per unit! Please refer to the link below to view a memorandum distributed by the County of Riverside for more information. Keep in mind the fees may be paid before the effective increase date which may be obtained from the applicable City or County municipa...

Understanding Arizona House Bill 2371

Jan-26-05

Legislation has been introduced in the Arizona State House of Representatives which presents major problems for developers and homebuilders currently utilizing or planning to establish special taxing districts, including CFD's, to finance public infrastructure. The provisions of House Bill 2371 include the following: All special taxing districts shall submit the question of district termination to a vote every 10 years. The financial obligation of a special taxing district shall in no ca...

A Realtor's Overview of Community Facilities Districts

Nov-3-04

On September 30, 1988, the Arizona Community Facilities District Act (the "Act") became effective. The Act, which was passed by the state legislature, was created to allow Arizona municipalities to create special taxing districts for the purpose of financing the installation, operation and/or maintenance of public improvements. The Act, which was styled after similar legislation in California and Florida, addressed a critical issue for developers and home builders; that being the financing of in...

The Troubled Waters of Public Opposition To Development Projects

Nov-3-04

While there are a multitude of factors that can derail a real estate development project any anytime, the most capricious element in the process is that of public sentiment. When dealing with the public on the issue of development, a proactive effort to minimize opposition to the project can be much more valuable than trying to generate active community support for the project. Minimizing opposition stems form the understanding that misinformation is the most common element leading to confront...

Comparison of Improvement Districts and Community Facilities Districts

Nov-2-04

Many times throughout the year we are asked by developers and homebuilders to explain the difference between a County and/or Municipal Improvement District (collectively "ID") with that of a Community Facilities District ("CFD"). As such, we have prepared the following abbreviated analysis which attempts to identify some major differences between the two types of financing vehicles. Description Improvement District Community Facilities District Formation of the Dist...

Master Planned Community And Land Development Financing Strategies

Nov-1-04

Over the past decade the burdens placed upon the development community by municipalities to provide costly amounts of public infrastructure as a condition of development have been rising and these demands are expected to escalate in the future. The pressure applied upon developers not only drives up construction costs, but it also increases the financial exposure of the developers. As a result, developers are urged to prepare a comprehensive public infrastructure financing strategy related to ...

Ten Reasons for Using DPFG on CFD Financings

Sep-15-04

Experience.The consultants at DPFG have combined CFD experience of over 110 work years, 300 CFD formations, and over 2 billion in CFD bond issuance in the CFD financing area. Current problems can often be solved by drawing on prior experiences and the more experience you have, the better problem solver you become. Consistency in Representation.Over the years, we have consistently represented the land developer, builder, and the building industry in general as their CFD financing consultant. ...

Public Financing Opportunities

Sep-10-04

The Development Planning & Financing Group LLC (“DPFG”) may provide professional services to developers and home builders with development projects located within the following states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas and Utah. The descriptions of public financing vehicles shown below is not intended to be all inclusive however, we have attempted to enumerated the most prevalent public financing vehicles which are available to developers ...

Arizona Community Facilities District Act Overview

Sep-6-04

BACKGROUNDIn 1988 the Arizona legislature enacted the Arizona Community Facilities District Act (“Act”). The purpose of the Act was to generate new opportunities for the financing of infrastructure improvements for municipalities and developers alike. The Act styled after similar legislation in California and Florida, addressed a critical issue for developers: the financing of increasingly costly infrastructure requirements without unduly burdening the developer. The law authorized bon...

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News and Updates