SUCCESSES
Our specialty is designing effective strategies that achieve long-term
success for our clients.
Click on the examples below to learn more.
Commercial Development
 | Issue: The City of Walnut Creek's approval of a new Neiman Marcus
store in the Broadway Plaza Shopping Center sparked opposition
from a competing shopping center developer.
Solution: Zell & Associates helped develop a comprehensive and sophisticated approval strategy that led to placing a local initiative supporting the Neiman Marcus project. Success: The initiative, Measure I, earned the approval of 71% of local voters, allowing construction to begin on the Neiman Marcus store — providing new revenues for Walnut Creek and new shopping choices for local and regional residents. |
Energy
 | Issue: Local community and political support was needed for a 600-megawatt
state-of-the-art natural gas power plant valued at about $1 billion,
in the East Contra Costa County City of Oakley.
Solution: Zell & Associates developed and managed a public affairs campaign — including public opinion polling, media relations, community advocacy and coalition building — that demonstrates unified support for the project to the California Energy Commission and the City of Oakley. Success: Plant operation is anticipated to begin in 2014. This will be the fifth power plant that Zell & Associates will have helped bring on line, helping to address the State’s energy needs. |
Healthcare
 |
Issue: Despite the desperate medical need for upgrades to a local hospital’s
outdated Emergency Room, the project faced fierce neighborhood opposition.
Solution: Zell & Associates created a public affairs strategy — using earned media, community advocacy and outreach — to craft a plan that achieved the hospital’s goals, while accommodating neighborhood concerns, and which received discretionary approvals from the City of Berkeley. Success: The Berkeley Zoning Adjustment Board approved the much-needed ER upgrade, and future appeals were avoided through lasting community relationships. The new ER is now serving patients. |
Industry
 |
Issue: A special interest local ordinance was introduced that placed restrictions
on industrial operations increasing risks to workers and the community.
Under intense political pressure, a replacement ordinance was needed
that addressed safety concerns and allowed industry to operate appropriately.
Solution: Zell & Associates developed and implemented a complex political strategy — utilizing our expertise in negotiations, campaigns, media relations, advocacy, public opinion surveys and community relations — to promote the fair-minded replacement ordinance. Success: The County Board of Supervisors adopted the Contra Costa County Industrial Safety Ordinance, the strongest local industrial safety ordinance in the country, which set new standards for local regulation beneficial to workers, the community, and the petroleum industry. |
Non-Profit Organization
 | Issue: A well-respected non-profit community service organization serving
low-income and disabled populations in West Contra Costa County needed
funding to continue their good work in job training and supportive
employment.
Solution: Zell & Associates provided pro-bono consultation and direct advocacy to ensure that the organization received adequate budget allocations from various local funding agencies. Success: Adequate funding was secured to ensure the continuation of these valuable programs. |
Transit-Oriented Development
 | Issue: BRE, in partnership with BART is developing a 600-unit mixed-use transit
oriented apartment project in the City of Walnut Creek to meet local
housing limits and improve quality of life, as well as encourage the
use of public transit to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution.
Solution: Zell & Associates is implementing a public affairs strategy — using earned media, community advocacy and outreach, and advocacy with the City of Walnut Creek — to craft a plan that achieves the City, the community and the client’s goals. Success: The Walnut Creek Transit Oriented Development project is going through the Walnut Creek approval process and should be approved in late 2011 or early 2012. |
Telecommunications
Transportation
 | Issue: The Contra Costa Transportation Authority needed to extend its existing
half-cent sales tax to help address severe traffic congestion in the
county. The measure required two-thirds voter approval. Substantial
consensus from labor, environmental and business groups, transit and
highway advocates, social justice groups and others were needed for
the measure to be successful.
Solution: Zell & Associates developed a complex and sensitive strategy, utilizing its extensive political relationships to assist CCTA in developing substantial consensus on an expenditure plan of projects and programs that had the greatest chance of gaining voter approval. Success: Measure J was passed by county voters, raising $1.6 billion to fund transportation projects over the next 25 years. |