Partner Andrea Gomes knows how to build consensus and navigate the often-cumbersome area of land use law. Land use cases can be complex and lengthy, and Andrea uses her skills as a counselor and problem solver to help her clients file successful applications and negotiate potential disputes. Here, Andrea shares what is involved in land use, current challenges in the real estate world, and how she uses her unique professional experience to give back to her community.
What kind of work do you do?
I work in the Real Estate Group, focusing primarily on land use, which includes everything from site planning and permitting, to litigation, if necessary. We have a particular niche in developing affordable housing in Connecticut, working often with a Connecticut statute, C.G.S. § 8-30g, which serves as a good tool for developers in this area.
Working closely with my partner, Tim Hollister, we take developments from initial site design and strategy all the way up to the Supreme Court if needed. Within that process, we spend a great deal of time securing local land use approvals. In so doing, we operate a bit like project managers, gathering the expertise of various consultants needed for the application, and working with those consultants as a team throughout the hearing process.
How do you work collaboratively within the firm to serve your clients?
Our clients range from real estate developers and business owners to non-profits and individuals, all of whom have varied legal needs and goals. Our broad firm-wide experience allows us to connect our clients with expert legal advice no matter what their question. For example, if a client is looking to restructure a variety of real estate entities to adequately protect their business, I would connect them with Jen Doran, a partner in our Corporate and Business Group. When there are tax questions, we have a great group that can handle those matters as well. If a client needs to pursue litigation outside of the land use or property-related litigation that we frequently handle as part of our practice, we can seamlessly integrate Hinckley Allen’s team of litigation attorneys into the matter and maintain continuity of service.
How do you walk clients through the land use process?
I like to tell clients that it is about the right site, the right team, and the right time. It’s important that clients do their due diligence – often with our input – as to whether a site will work for a particular development. Part of that conversation, of course, involves consulting with a team of experts each of whom knows their respective fields inside and out. We advise clients to gather the best engineers, architects, and traffic engineers, among others, to support their proposals, and to trust that team throughout the process. As the legal team, Tim and I guide the group along throughout the approvals process, ensuring that all involved are complying with applicable laws. We work collaboratively with our clients and our consultant teams to position the development proposal for approval, and then to analyze what potential next steps should be taken after the application process concludes.
What are some of the challenges that your clients are facing these days?
Currently, the real estate industry is very busy. We have seen consultants turn work away because they do not have the time and manpower to take on new matters. At best, our clients are able to retain consultants, but can sometimes face weeks if not months of delay in developing the materials needed for a development application. A lot of clients don’t want to take that time, but really have no choice, which can be very challenging, particularly when there are related financing or purchase/sale agreements in the background.
We also face challenges regarding how different municipalities approach development, and whether a particular development proposal garners significant neighborhood opposition. Either way, the land use process can be long and expensive as you navigate those hurdles.
Tell us about your community involvement.
I am a full member of the West Hartford Town Plan and Zoning Commission / Inlands Wetland Watercourses Agency. Sitting in a commissioner’s position, as opposed to an applicant’s as I do on a day-to-day basis, has been tremendously helpful to my practice by allowing me to see “the other side” of a land use application, so to speak.
I also do pro bono legal work whenever possible. The matters that I have assisted on range from veterans’ benefits cases to eviction proceedings, and everything in between.
Tell us about your involvement in industry associations.
CREW CT is our local chapter of CREW Network, an international organization that is dedicated to advancing the success of women in commercial real estate. We are a smaller chapter, and perhaps because of that we really get to know our members. We offer networking opportunities where you can form long-standing relationships with key people in the industry. I was fortunate to be President of CREW CT for 2022, having previously served as the Secretary and a Co-Chair of the Programs Committee. In furthering our mission, we host a variety of events, ranging from networking mixers with other industry groups, to substantive panels on of-the-moment real estate topics and professional development issues. For example, we partnered earlier this year with the Connecticut Economic Development Association (CEDAS) to host a backstage pass tour of the new Hartford Healthcare Amphitheater in Bridgeport, CT. We also hosted a three-part Professional Development series focused on effective communication skills. I was honored to be part of the good work that was completed this year, and look forward to contributing to the group in the year to come.
