NEIGHBORHOOD FORWARD
Services
Advocacy
Neighborhood Forward works with both public and private development companies as well as retailers, charter and private schools, and non-profit organizations to bring development projects through the required community outreach process successfully. Our team’s expertise lies specifically with the City of Los Angeles, the City of Beverly Hills and other local municipal governments within Southern California.
Public Affairs
The approvals process for entitlement projects can seem convoluted and endless. Neighborhood Forward has the relationships you need to understand not only what is required but also what steps you can take to make the process faster and easier. We work with elected staff and city staff to make sure that your project is given the attention it needs.
Community Engagement
Understanding how to speak to your neighbors is an important step to achieving their support for your project. We have the relationships in local communities that matter, but we also know how to turn development speak into neighbor speak. We will guide your team in how to build real relationships with the communities where you are working so that when you return for the next deal, they welcome the chance to work with you again.
Messaging
Before you approach a government official or community member, having a strategy is a must. You need to make sure your story is one that moves people and the images you are using are not made for architectural awards but for community folks. Neighborhood Forward will work with you to strategize the next steps as well as to prepare the story that gets you there. We will work hand in hand with your architect to make sure that the images you are showing are forwarding that message and feel.
Land Use
Neighborhood Forward is not your generic lobbying firm. We specifically work for developers, schools, and retailers who are working their way through a city’s entitlement process. Whether that is at the beginning of the application process, in advance of having a fully baked plan, or just trying to push that final vote before an elected body, we understand land use more than most advocacy firms and ready to help push you over the finish line.
Working With the Best
9600 Wilshire
Overland Avenue
La Cienega
Santa Monica/
Barrington
DTLA Arts District
Santa Monica/
Los Angeles
West Los Angeles
Brentwood School
Expo/Sepulveda
Pico & Bundy
Palms
About Us
Neighborhood Forward, Inc. was founded in 2019, but has been a long time in the making. Led by experienced outreach and lobbying professional, Kristen Lonner, the firm is the outcome of her many years working in this field both inside Los Angeles City Hall as well as in multiple top tier lobbying and entitlement firms. Neighborhood Forward, Inc. represents real estate developers of all kinds who are seeking project approval from municipal governments across Southern California and even occasionally beyond.
The ethos of Neighborhood Forward is to work within a community to help neighbors understand that there are benefits to real estate developments in their community. We have in depth knowledge of local communities and their active members and will work to build real relationships between clients and neighbors resulting in successful entitlement packages coming out of local governments. Neighborhood Forward was created to make the entire process equitable and seamless.
Our firm has represented many sizes of projects including high rises west of the 405 to mixed use projects in Hollywood to retail developments in Beverly Hills. Kristen and her team look forward to a challenge and are willing to roll up their sleeves and do the hard work with neighbors and elected officials. They are respected across municipal departments and elected officials as a firm that will get the work done to quiet the fears associated with development.