Barbara Sokoloff Associates

What Barbara Sokoloff Associates does

Barbara Sokoloff Associates, now operating as Sokoloff Farias Associates (SFA), is a Providence, Rhode Island-based development and community planning consulting firm founded in 1986 by Barbara Sokoloff, formerly Director of the City of Warwick Planning Department. The firm provides consulting services across the full development lifecycle — financial feasibility, market research, deal structuring, project management, housing planning, community and master planning, strategic planning, and grant procurement — to non-profit and for-profit developers, charter schools, cities and towns, and state agencies. SFA's core expertise sits in federal and state financing programs (Low Income Housing Tax Credits, New Markets Tax Credits, Historic Tax Credits, HUD Section 811/202, CDBG, HOME) and Rhode Island-specific funding mechanisms (Rhode Island Housing, RIDOT, Statewide Planning).

The firm generates revenue exclusively through professional services fees on a project-by-project basis, with no proprietary technology products, software, or platform disclosed. According to cumulative scale disclosures, SFA has raised over $600 million in client financing, produced more than 2,000 affordable housing units (including over 45 LIHTC developments), and served as project manager on 40+ developments, with high-profile engagements such as the WaterFire Arts Center ($14M), YWCA Worcester ($24M), AS220 Dreyfus, and Georgiaville Village Green. The firm is a four-person partner-led team (Barbara Sokoloff, Derek Farias, Seth D. Sokoloff, and Alyssa Wheeler), and relies on a sales-led GTM model driven by reputation, RFP responses, government contracting, and professional referrals across CT, NY, MA, and RI.

In 2026, the firm transitioned from sole-founder ownership to a three-partner joint ownership (Barbara, Derek, and Seth) and rebranded as Sokoloff Farias Associates. There is no disclosed AI/ML capability, software product, or technology stack; the firm executes a non-residential New England development consulting practice with branded regulatory, talent, and reputational moats.

Name

Barbara Sokoloff Associates

Legal name

Sokoloff Farias Associates

Website

https://sokoplan.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sokoloff Farias Associates (formerly Barbara Sokoloff Associates) is a Providence, Rhode Island-based development and community planning consulting firm serving non-profits, charter schools, municipalities, and state agencies with affordable housing, tax credit, and project management expertise across the New England region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Development and Community Planning Consulting

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Real Estate Development & Feasibility Advisory (Highest-and-Best-Use, Entitlements Support) (BPAJANAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Due Diligence Advisory (Commercial/Financial/Operational) (BPAHADAE)

Keywords

• Affordable housing consulting
• Community development consulting
• Project management services
• Grant procurement services
• Housing tax credit consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Providence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Development and Community Planning Consulting: SFA provides consulting services for all phases of development including financial feasibility, market research, deal structuring during pre-development through project completion. Revenue is generated through consulting fees for development consulting, project management, housing planning, community development, master planning, strategic planning, and grant procurement services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Sokoloff Farias Associates (formerly Barbara Sokoloff Associates) is a development, finance, and community planning consulting firm providing services across all phases of real estate development, from pre-development through project completion. The firm delivers development consulting, project management, financial feasibility analysis, deal structuring, housing planning, master/strategic planning, and grant procurement, with deep expertise in Low Income Housing Tax Credits, New Markets Tax Credits, Historic Tax Credits, HUD financing, and state/federal programs for affordable housing, mixed-use, commercial, and community facility projects.

Product overview

Sokoloff Farias Associates (formerly Barbara Sokoloff Associates) is a multi-faceted development, finance, and community planning consulting firm. Rather than a software product company, it provides professional consulting services across the development lifecycle. The firm's service offerings include housing development consulting (with expertise in Low Income Housing Tax Credits, New Markets Tax Credits, Historic Tax Credits, HUD financing, and private financing), project management for over 40 developments, mixed-use and non-residential development consulting, charter school development consulting, housing planning services, community development and master planning, strategic planning, and grant procurement. The firm has raised over $600 million in financing for over 2,000 units of affordable housing. This is a consulting services firm, not a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Development Consulting Services Full-lifecycle development consulting for non-profit and for-profit developers, charter schools, cities and towns, and state agencies. Services span financial feasibility, market research, deal structuring, proforma preparation, and funding applications across Low Income Housing Tax Credits, New Markets Tax Credits, Historic Tax Credits, state and federal programs, HUD financing, and private financing.
• Project Management Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Raised over $600 million in financing for housing developments
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Rhode Island HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState housing finance agency partner for affordable housing development programs and financing in Rhode Island
• HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency providing housing and urban development programs including Section 811, Section 202, and Community Development Block Grants utilized by SFA clients
• Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation (MHIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Development Finance Institution that allocated New Markets Tax Credits for projects including YWCA Central Massachusetts and Boys & Girls Club of Lynn
• Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState transportation agency partnered on travel corridors reports, bicycle network planning, and transit-oriented development
• Rhode Island Statewide Planning ProgrammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState planning agency partnered on housing plans, strategic planning, and statewide planning initiatives
• Federal Home Loan BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal Home Loan Bank AHP (Affordable Housing Program) funding utilized for multiple projects including AS220 Dreyfus and Mercantile Block

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Keyser Marston Associates: Real estate development advisory firm providing feasibility analysis, financial structuring, and affordable housing market studies for public and private clients — closely comparable in core service mix and clientele.
• SB Friedman Development Advisors: Real estate advisory firm providing feasibility, market analysis, and development consulting for residential, mixed-use, and affordable projects — directly comparable on service offering and project type.
• Recap Real Estate Advisors: Specialized LIHTC, NMTC, and affordable housing tax credit consulting firm — closely comparable niche focus on federal housing credit program advisory for developers.

Broad incumbents

• HR&A Advisors: National real estate and economic development advisory firm advising on complex mixed-use, affordable housing, and public-private partnership projects — similar consulting model but at much larger scale and broader scope.
• Enterprise Community Partners: Major national nonprofit affordable housing developer and intermediary that also provides development advisory and consulting — comparable mission and program expertise but materially larger and vertically integrated.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): Large community development financial institution funding and advising affordable housing and community development projects nationwide — operates in the same space with overlapping client base but at much greater scale.

Emerging players

• RKG Associates: Planning and economic development consulting firm providing real estate market analysis, feasibility, and community planning services — similar small-firm advisory profile serving municipalities and developers.
• Cascadia Partners: Real estate development advisory firm focused on affordable housing and mixed-use feasibility, underwriting, and deal structuring — comparable boutique consulting profile with shared LIHTC/NMTC expertise.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/barbara-sokoloff-associates

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Barbara Sokoloff Associates