Highlights:
Reducing State Budgets by Optimizing State Real Estate Holdings.
Client Goals:
In 2015, Hayat Brown team members were retained by the Kansas state legislature to identify cost savings within its budget to mitigate growing budget deficits. Part of the focus of the exercise was to examine the state’s real estate and lease portfolio to identify and correct inefficiencies.
Hayat Brown Role:
Portfolio Analysis
Our team examined both portfolios to identify excess land and burdensome leases that could be eliminated to achieve additional revenue and cost savings. We prioritized real estate holdings by market, size and criticality to each state agency’s mission. We then down selected a list of potential candidates for disposition that would generate the most revenue from a list of 1,100 properties. Hayat Brown team members proposed a program management office to handle the property disposition, as well as a change to the current law prescribing that proceeds from property dispositions be directed to the state’s pension fund.
Lease Analysis
For the state’s portfolio of more than 300 leases, our team identified consolidation opportunities and developed a list of upcoming lease turns that were ripe for negotiation given changes in the local real estate market. Our team also recommended that leasing operations be consolidated within KDOA to promote more effective and unbiased management.
Public-Private Partnership Recommendations
Finally, for several sites, we recommended capitalized ground lease structures to promote revenue generation and economic development opportunities. An added benefit of these public–private partnership (P3) structures would be enhanced property tax revenue for the life of the projects.
Project Outcomes:
KDOA is proceeding with the dispositions and has recommended to the state legislature that leasing operations be consolidated within its office.
