Shiraz Tangri is a partner in Alston & Bird’s Environmental & Land Development Group and assists clients with the development of real estate, energy and infrastructure projects. His practice involves all aspects of land use entitlements, compliance, litigation and lobbying, including the California Environmental Quality Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. Shiraz specializes in mixed-use and urban in-fill projects in Los Angeles and other Southern California cities, including housing, shopping centers and transit-oriented development. He routinely handles issues as diverse as green building, adaptive re-use, air quality and permitting, renewable energy, sustainable development and transportation planning. His residential projects have ranged from single-family homes to large, master-planned communities, and across a broad spectrum of income levels from luxury homes to affordable and work-force multi-family housing. Shiraz’s expertise also includes complex multi-party and multi-site litigation involving water rights, contaminated properties, toxic torts, insurance coverage and products liability issues. Shiraz was recognized in the Daily Journal’s 2012 list of Top 20 Lawyers Under 40 in California, and its 2012 list of 30 Top Real Estate Lawyers in California. In April 2011, the Daily Journal named Shiraz as one of California’s Top 25 Land-Use Leaders. In April 2010, he was one of only 10 environmental lawyers nation-wide named as a “Rising Star” by Law360.
- Land use and litigation counsel for the developer of a $4 billion, urban, mixed-use redevelopment project in downtown Los Angeles. Successfully negotiated the settlement agreement to quickly resolve litigation and allow project to meet milestone deadlines.
- Land use and litigation counsel for a joint powers authority responsible for developing transportation infrastructure for the Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex, including a $700M bridge replacement and an expressway project. Successfully defended the approvals of the expressway project at trials in state and federal court, and before the California Court of Appeal in 2011.
- Land use litigation counsel for an energy client; successfully defended the approval of a $400M marine oil super-tanker terminal in the Port of Los Angeles, handling all litigation activities and successfully winning the case at trial in January 2010.
- Land use counsel for a new museum and cultural center in downtown Los Angeles. Successfully represented the museum in working with Los Angeles County regarding compliance with numerous statutory obligations, including CEQA, NEPA, the National Historic Preservation Act, and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. Negotiated with community groups to complete project development on-schedule and avoid threatened litigation.
- Real estate and land use counsel for an international renewable energy developer. Represented the client in a proposed $43M acquisition of 12,500 acres in Southern California for the development of potential wind and solar power projects. Negotiated multiple aspects of the real estate transaction and coordinated land use and environmental due diligence review.
- Land use and litigation counsel for an urban shopping center in Los Angeles. Negotiated the settlement agreement to resolve litigation and community opposition, and obtained approvals of revised project after creating a community benefits program.
- Land use and environmental counsel to a regulated electric utility in advising project development teams on issues related to obtaining approvals from the California Public Utilities Commission and other agencies for new electrical distribution facilities.
- Land use counsel for an affordable housing developer of LEED workforce multi-family housing development and joint use facility. Obtained entitlements on an expedited basis and negotiated an agreement to avoid litigation and resolve community opposition.
- Environmental and land use counsel for the developer of over 30 master-planned communities and commercial sites in Riverside County and Antelope Valley. Led the project teams and coordinated environmental and land use due diligence, acquisition and remediation activities.
- Litigation and regulatory counsel for oil companies in defending toxic tort, property damage and products liability cases arising out of environmentally impacted sites in New York and California.
- Litigation counsel for an auto maker and railroad company in environmental cost recovery and insurance coverage cases relating to manufacturing facilities and waste disposal sites around the country.
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Shiraz Tangri, a partner in the firm’s Environmental & Land Use Group who represents Los Angeles Streetcar, Inc., was interviewed for his expertise and determination in implementing a streetcar project downtown to make it a more pedestrian-friendly environment and to revitalize the city’s core.
February 22, 2013
In the Press
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Alston & Bird’s recent string of successes in beating California Environmental Quality Act challenges to residential developments, water projects and transportation upgrades were featured in the Los Angeles Daily Journal.
August 21, 2012
In the Press
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The Daily Journal touted many of Tangri’s accomplishments and projects, including handling construction and regulatory issues related to a nonprofit foundation’s development of Los Angeles’ LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, the $50 million cultural center celebrating Mexican-American contributions to Los Angeles, and the restoration of a historic downtown Los Angeles streetcar line—a project that’s completion became uncertain due to the recent abolishment of California municipal redevelopment agencies.
August 17, 2012
In the Press
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Shiraz Tangri was quoted in a Los Angeles Times article discussing the revival of streetcars in Los Angeles and the City Council's decision to allow voters to approve $125 million effort to bring a modern streetcar system to downtown Los Angeles.
August 1, 2012
In the Press
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May 16, 2012
In the Press
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April 26, 2012
In the Press
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April 11, 2012
In the Press
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January 27, 2012
In the Press
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January 18, 2012
In the Press
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December 30, 2011
In the Press
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December 2, 2011
Diversity
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April 28, 2011
In the Press
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Spring 2012
Publications
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23 January 2012
Publications
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On December 29, 2011, the California Supreme Court upheld the Legislature's dissolution of all redevelopment agencies across the state, but rejected a companion bill that provided an option for cities and counties to save their redevelopment agencies by making payments for schools and other local services. (California Redevelopment Association v. Matosantos (Cal. Sup. Ct. Case No. S194861, filed Dec. 29, 2011)). The two bills at issue were enacted in June 2011 in response to California's budget crisis and were intended to increase funding for public schools and public safety by re-allocating redevelopment agency funding.
January 2012
Publications
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December 21, 2011
Publications
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"Resolving a Legislative Challenge in the Golden State," American Infrastructure, Fall 2011.
Fall 2011
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“The New Frontier of NIMBYism,” Law360, April 2011.
April 2011
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November 15, 2010
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"Prop 23 Won’t Derail Climate Change," The Recorder, October 13, 2010.
October 13, 2010
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"Due Diligence and Cost Recovery," Urban Land, January 2007.
January 2007
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"New Due Diligence," California Real Estate Journal, August 2004.
August 2004
Past Events
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November 29, 2012
Seminar
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October 15, 2012
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October 5, 2012
Seminar
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August 28, 2012
Seminar
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August 15, 2012
Event
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June 24, 2011
Seminar
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September 22, 2009
Seminar
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September 15, 2009
Seminar
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June 25-27, 2009
Seminar