Not long ago, project viability often hinged on the promise of federal grants, tax credits, or state incentives backed by low-cost federal loans. But today, we’re seeing a new reality: those dollars may not show up—or at least, not in time.

With a shifting policy landscape, Chris Livingstone reminds us that in this new paradigm projects will be most successful if they can pencil without federal support.

So what do you do when the project is still worth doing, but the numbers just don’t work?

We need to get crystal clear on what we are delivering, the need for the project, and the opportunities not just to cut costs, but to create new value streams. This month’s newsletter explores four strategies for rethinking project delivery—approaches that unlock and align resources in ways that help projects pencil, and ultimately, help them come to life.

Hope this gets you thinking,

Founder and CEO, Building Better Cities

Turning Compliance into Currency:
How DC Made Stormwater Work for Development

In 2013, Washington, DC launched a first-of-its-kind Stormwater Retention Credit Trading Program—a bold move that reimagined regulation as a market opportunity. Instead of forcing every site to build green infrastructure—often impossible on tight urban lots—DC created flexibility. Developers can now buy credits from offsite projects that manage stormwater more effectively, accelerating both river restoration and urban infill.

It’s a win-win: cleaner waterways and a pathway for high-impact projects to move forward. Regulatory burden becomes economic incentive—unlocking value in places that used to get stuck. Learn more on our Infrastructure Week blog.

Shared Systems, Shared Value:
How District Utilities Generate Additional Value

What if entire neighborhoods shared infrastructure—cutting costs, boosting performance, and unlocking real climate resilience?
That’s the promise of district utility systems: shared networks that serve multiple buildings with centralized, cost-effective solutions.

By recovering waste heat, recycling greywater, or deploying solar-plus-storage microgrids, these systems lower lifecycle costs, reduce emissions, and make bold infrastructure doable.

Look for ways to tap into—or create—district systems that attract investment and stretch public dollars. Daniel Hansen of Next Infrastructure dives into all these intricacies on this podcast episode.

From Alignment to Buy-In:
How Institutional Anchors Can Unlock Projects

Some of the most powerful urban partners aren’t developers or agencies—they’re universities, hospitals, and other mission-driven institutions. As Alex Feldman from U3 Advisors shared on the podcast, these anchors are deeply invested in the health of their communities—not just for impact, but for talent retention and long-term growth.

When cities align project goals with institutional missions, something powerful happens: stakeholders don’t just support the project—they co-develop it. Whether it’s contributing land, funding, or political capital, these partners bring resources and legitimacy that help projects pencil and endure.

This is more than collaboration—it’s a shared stake in place-based transformation. And when the right partners are at the table from the start, their buy-in becomes both figurative and literal.

• New report shows high cost development in CA comes from turning building permits into obstacle courses [RAND]

• NYC’s congestion pricing reduces vehicle trips, increases transit use [NYTimes]

• Trump’s funding cuts cited in Maryland’s lower credit rating [Bloomberg]

• Now, families can team up to buy homes in Boston [Smart Cities Dive]

• Montreal approves redevelopment of mall into dense, mixed use neighborhood [CBC News]

Let’s connect! I would love to hear from you and learn more about your work. Don’t hesitate to reach out for a conversation. In the meantime, please forward this email and subscribe your friends.