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Your Partner in Strategic Development

For over 35 years, we’ve been shaping strategies that drive economic growth, create vibrant spaces, and leave a lasting impact.

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Our mission

We leverage our experience in urban real estate, community planning, and deal making with the talents of our clients and collaborators to create vibrant places.

Our Team

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Chris Zahas, AICP
Managing Principal
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Ted Kamp
Senior Associate
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David Fiske
Associate
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Jennifer Shuch
Senior Analyst
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Andrew Oliver
Senior Analyst
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Daria Pugacheva
Senior Analyst
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Adam Lipsey
Analyst
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Jane St. Michael
Office Manager

People, Partnerships, and Ideas That Bring Projects to Life

We specialize in urban real estate, economic development, and public-private partnerships to create places where communities and businesses thrive. From revitalizing downtowns to shaping housing strategies and guiding large-scale developments, we focus on strategies that make a lasting impact.

We combine data-driven insights, thoughtful strategy, and candid advice to ensure every project isn’t just planned—it’s positioned for success. We believe thriving places come from collaboration, creativity, and a shared vision—values that guide every partnership we build.

With staff in Portland, Los Angeles, and Boston, we bring national expertise and local insight to every project.

  • Portland
  • Los Angeles
  • Boston
Leland team photo in Portland, OR

Strategic Advisors

At Leland, we collaborate with industry experts to deepen our knowledge and deliver customized strategies tailored to our clients’ unique needs. We frequently work with the following people and firms to expand our capabilities in select service areas.

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David Leland
Of Counsel
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Wally Hobson
Residential & Resort Development
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Embarcadero Hospitality Group
Hospitality
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GEL Oregon
Public Finance
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Cushman & Wakefield
Real Estate Services
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Forum Placemaking
Public-Private Partnerships
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Apex Real Estate Partners
Real Estate Services

Our Values

Our values represent what’s important to us, how we approach our work, and how we’re different from other firms. We are development strategists who create places with purpose, helping our clients achieve their visions for the future. We approach every project with a focus on:

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Candor

We don’t hold back. We will always be honest in the work we do and candid in how we communicate our findings and recommendations to our partners and clients. We strive to create an environment in which we can engage in direct and honest two-way communication with our partners and clients.

Partnerships

We believe that projects are more fun and more successful when they result from collaborations that bring together the talents, knowledge, and creative ideas from ourselves, our clients, and our teaming partners.

Curiosity

School’s never out. We love an intellectual challenge, and we seek out projects and relationships where we can learn and grow with our clients. We dig deep to understand what makes a place tick and how new ideas will shape the future.

Passion

We value a work environment, projects, and opportunities that allow us to pursue what we care about and like to do. Our excitement about what we do is palpable.

Quality of Place

Quality of place matters. Vibrant places not only improve the landscape but they drive economic and financial success. We value projects and partnerships where we can shape outcomes to transform spaces, places, and communities.

Resilience

Our work improves the built environment at all scales (regional, urban, district, suburban), both in our community and in our workplace. Resilient environments adapt to change, and intentional change is what it’s all about. That commitment starts here at Leland in how we get around, the space we occupy, and the materials we use.

Outcomes

It is far too easy to solve the wrong problem. We thrive on defining the right problem, highlighting opportunity, working with our partners to develop the strategy for change. It’s all about outcomes – keeping the big picture in mind, and setting our clients and our communities up for success.

Our Story

Leland Consulting Group was founded in 1989 by David Leland, who set out to build a company focused on relationships. Armed with big ideas and an even bigger heart, Dave launched Leland as an urban revitalization and development consulting firm—placing people at the center of it all.

Over the years, Leland has grown to include economic development and real estate asset strategies, navigating economic downturns and celebrating the milestones of the talented employees whose passion drives our work. In 2013, Chris Zahas became the majority owner and president, continuing the values and principles he learned from Dave.

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Dave Leland,

Founder of Leland

“We are in the business of elevating people, their needs, wants, willingness to spend, and other considerations. We can talk about the personal needs of people and their neighbors with regard to financial stability, public safety, concerns about the future, the quality and stability of their immediate neighborhood, and other matters close to home. Those core values, attitudes and beliefs should directly inform the nature of the places that we help to produce and therein directly feed into measures of prosperity.”

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Let's Build Something Great Together

Your next step begins with a conversation. We’ll get to know your goals, understand your vision, and see if we’re the right fit to bring your project to life.

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