On this episode of The Land Development Podcast, Ryan Glick welcomes Nick Larson, partner at Bear Peak Law and principal at Bear Peak Development, to talk about one of the most underutilized tools in the development world: Urban Renewal Authorities (URAs). Nick brings a unique background as both a former Army JAG officer and a practicing real estate attorney, offering a rare dual perspective on deal-making and development.
Nick walks us through what URAs are, how they function, and why developers, especially those working on small or medium-sized projects, should pay attention to these programs. He explains how URAs use tax increment financing (TIF) to reimburse developers for costly infrastructure improvements like roads and utilities, turning otherwise unworkable deals into financially viable ones.
Drawing from his own experience in Colorado, Nick shares a detailed case study of how he approached the Town of Frederick with a proposal to revive a dormant industrial project. He covers the full process from blight studies to reimbursement agreements, while also breaking down what municipalities are really looking for in a partner, and why trust and follow-through matter more than many developers realize.
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Ryan sits down with Peter Murphy Lewis to talk about how storytelling can help developers and builders attract better talent and build stronger teams. They break down simple, practical ways to use video and real stories to stand out in today’s labor market.
Keith Miller joins the show to talk about his focus on building attainably priced homes at scale in Montana, why he’s using factory-built housing, and what it really takes to bring new supply to fast-growing markets.
Ryan and Charles break down falling homebuyer demand, a heated TikTok debate on millennial housing choices, a proposed property tax hike in New York City, and what a shrinking U.S. population could mean for developers.