Public-Private Revenue Strategy
Public Asset Advisors partners with municipalities, public agencies, and institutions to unlock the revenue potential of publicly owned land, facilities, and infrastructure — without compromising public mission.
Let's TalkWhat We Do
Public agencies are under pressure to do more with less. At the same time, the public assets you steward — land, buildings, air rights, parking, utilities — often represent untapped fiscal opportunity. We help you see what's possible, structure deals that work, and move projects from concept to close.
Assessing the income potential of public assets and identifying the right deal structures.
Scoping, structuring, and negotiating public-private transactions that protect the public interest.
Supporting agencies through complex, multi-phase development and financing processes.
Ensuring deal terms reflect community priorities, not just balance sheet outcomes.
Done well, a P3 unlocks private capital, accelerates project delivery, and creates lasting community value without putting public balance sheets at risk. Done poorly, it locks agencies into bad deals for decades, erodes public trust, and leaves community benefit on the table.
Assessing whether a P3 is the right tool, and what you need in place before going to market.
Designing competitive processes that attract qualified partners while protecting public interests.
Negotiating ground leases, revenue shares, and community benefit agreements that reflect agency priorities.
Understanding what the numbers say and the value of a private partner's ask.
Building the public trust that complex deals require to survive the political process.
Keeping complex, multi-party negotiations on track from LOI through closing.
Mixed-use development on surplus public land. Long-term ground leases that generate durable, recurring revenue. Civic facilities with private ground-floor activation. Parking monetization. Utility and infrastructure concessions. Air rights and vertical development above public infrastructure.
If your project sits at the intersection of public mission and private capital, this is where we live.
For Private Partners
Competing for publicly owned land or a public-private partnership isn't like a typical transaction. Cities aren't just evaluating price — they're evaluating you as a long-term partner. We help private partners understand what public agencies need from a deal, and how to structure offers that are both financially sound and genuinely competitive.
Translating your project vision and financial structure into terms that resonate with agency staff, elected officials, and community stakeholders.
Identifying public space, local hiring, and other benefit terms that are meaningful without undermining project feasibility.
Understanding the approval dynamics, board sensitivities, and staff priorities that determine whether a deal moves forward.
The best developer-city relationships don't end at closing. We help you show up as a partner from day one.
Public agencies have long memories. A private partner who understands the mission — and structures their offer to reflect it — doesn't just win one deal. They become the call the agency makes next time.
Why PAA
Public Asset Advisors was founded by Sarah Fishleder, an urban planner and real estate professional with more than 20 years of experience in public-private development, municipal finance, and capital program management. Sarah brings the technical rigor of a city planner alongside the policy fluency of a career spent collaborating with public agencies and mission-driven organizations.
We work exclusively with public-sector and institutional clients — which means our incentives are always aligned with yours.
About Sarah
Sarah Fishleder is the founder and principal of Public Asset Advisors. Her career spans capital program delivery, real estate development, and public finance across the Bay Area and beyond. She has deep experience navigating the political, financial, and community dynamics that define public-sector development — and a genuine commitment to outcomes that serve the public good.
She is a graduate of Wellesley College and holds a Master of City and Regional Planning from the University of Pennsylvania's Stuart Weitzman School of Design and a Certificate in Real Estate Design + Development from the Wharton School.
Insights
Public Asset Advisors publishes regular analysis on the policy and market dynamics shaping public-sector real estate — informed by practice, not just observation.
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Whether you're facing a capital challenge without a clear path forward or exploring what your public assets could be doing for your balance sheet, Public Asset Advisors can help.
Based in Berkeley, CA.