Chapter 41 - The Impossible NumberThe rehabilitation estimate arrived on a rainy Thursday.
Eleven million four hundred thousand dollars.
Kalista read the figure twice.
The proposed community land trust would need enough funding to acquire the relevant property interests, repair the buildings, and establish adequate maintenance reserves.
Its preliminary financing plan left a shortfall of approximately four million dollars.
Marcus sat across from her.
"We can approach additional mission-driven lenders."
"Would they accept the risk?"
"Some might. But they will want reliable income projections, independent appraisals, and evidence that the project can remain affordable."
Kalista opened her personal investment statements.
She could contribute more.
Much more.
But doing so without a sustainable financing structure would merely postpone the problem.
Elias arrived twenty minutes later.
She showed him the figures.
He studied them silently.
Then he said, "We need to redesign the rehabilitation phases."
"How?"
"We prioritize essential safety work, preserve the structurally sound sections, and pursue separate grants for energy improvements."
Kalista leaned forward.
"How much could that save?"
"I won't guess. Give my engineers a week."
She smiled.
"You're the first man I've met who refuses to give me a number until he's sure."
"You're welcome."
But beneath the humor, both understood the danger.
A community land trust could not survive on goodwill alone.
That evening, Kalista reviewed every document again.
Then she noticed something.
The redevelopment proposal included a parcel of vacant municipal land adjacent to Harbor Row.
Celeste's company had planned to use it for commercial parking and retail access.
The community land trust didn't need to acquire that parcel.
It needed only a limited access arrangement for emergency services and maintenance.
Kalista called Elias.
"I think we've been comparing our plan with the wrong development."
"What do you mean?"
"Celeste wants to build a new commercial district. We want to preserve homes. Our costs shouldn't include land and infrastructure we don't need."
Elias fell silent.
Then he said, "Send me the site plan."
For the first time in days, Kalista smiled.
May you like
The answer wasn't more money.
It was asking the right question.
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