Fort Ord Reuse Authority

What Fort Ord Reuse Authority does

The Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA) was a California state-mandated special district established in 1994 through legislation sponsored by Senator Henry Mello to oversee the planning, financing, and implementation of reuse activities on the former Fort Ord Army base — a 45-square-mile / 28,000-acre installation on the Monterey Bay coastline that closed in 1991. FORA exercised exclusive statutory authority under California Government Code §§67650-67700 to make Base Reuse Plan consistency determinations and coordinate cross-jurisdictional reuse across Monterey County, eight municipalities, special districts, and educational recipients. Its core programs comprised the Base Reuse Plan (the foundational land-use document), the Environmental Services Cooperative Agreement (ESCA) cleanup program executed under a $98 million federal grant on roughly 3,340 acres, habitat conservation covering the Fort Ord National Monument (14,658 acres) and Fort Ord Dunes State Park (973 acres), a $30 million building removal program that demolished former military structures, veterans cemetery land transfer support, and oversight of major development projects including Sea Haven, The Dunes, Seaside Resort, and East Garrison.

FORA did not operate as a commercial enterprise. Its operating funding came from developer fees collected through Community Facilities Districts, land sale proceeds shared 50-50 with member jurisdictions under state law, property tax revenues authorized by California Health and Safety Code, franchise fees, rents, member dues, reimbursements, and federal/state/local grants. Total public infrastructure financing managed across the program life was approximately $300 million. The agency coordinated with 67 entities at all government levels and was governed by a 13-member voting Board of Directors plus 12 ex-officio members. FORA completed its legislatively defined mission and dissolved on June 30, 2020; its website is now retained as a static archive only.

Underlying technology consisted of digital document archives (Annual Reports, Resolutions, Board materials, maps, planning records) and a public-facing communications stack (website, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube). FORA had no proprietary software products, no API surface, no mobile applications, and no AI/ML components. Its go-to-market was community-led public engagement — Board meetings with public comment, media releases, stakeholder working groups, and planning consistency reviews — rather than commercial sales motion.

Name

Fort Ord Reuse Authority

Legal name

Fort Ord Reuse Authority

Website

https://www.fora.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Fort Ord Reuse Authority was a California state-mandated special district (1994-2020) that planned, financed, and coordinated reuse of the 28,000-acre former Fort Ord Army base across Monterey County, eight municipalities, special districts, and the U.S. Army before dissolving on June 30, 2020.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Sector Redevelopment and Base Reuse Planning

NAICS

Administration of Urban Planning and Community and Rural Development (92512), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Public Administration (92), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Public Lands Administration (State/National Forests) (BPAIAMAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Permitting & Impact Assessment (EIA/NEPA) (BPAIAMAK), Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

Keywords

• Military base reuse
• Redevelopment planning
• Public authority governance
• Environmental remediation
• Economic development

Headquarters

HQ city

Marina

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Developer Fees: Fees paid by developers to mitigate the impacts of their developments, collected by a Community Facilities District (CFD). These fees were used to fund infrastructure and base-wide costs.
2. Land Sale Proceeds: Land sale proceeds shared 50-50 with FORA jurisdictions by state law. FORA used its land sale shares to finance building removal. To date FORA spent $30 million of these proceeds for building removal projects in Marina, Seaside, and Monterey County.
3. Property Tax Revenues: Property tax revenues collected on the former Fort Ord authorized under California Health and Safety Code.
4. Other Revenue Sources: Various franchise fees, rent collections, member dues, and reimbursements.
5. Federal and State Grants: Federal, state, and local government grants. FORA negotiated a $98 million grant for the Army to carry out cleanup program through the Environmental Services Cooperative Agreement (ESCA). Additional funds came from grants totaling approximately $50 million.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

FORA was a public government agency that specialized in reuse planning and economic development for the former Fort Ord Army base in Monterey Bay, California. The agency coordinated multi-jurisdictional reuse of approximately 28,000 acres of former military land, financed and constructed major infrastructure components, oversaw environmental remediation, managed habitat conservation, and removed physical barriers to reuse across 13 voting member jurisdictions.

Product overview

The Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA) was a single unified government agency established in 1994 to oversee the economic recovery and reuse planning of the former Fort Ord military base (45 square miles/28,000 acres) in Monterey Bay, California. The organization operated several interconnected programs including the Base Reuse Plan (the foundational planning document), Economic Development initiatives, the Environmental Services Cooperative Agreement (ESCA) for cleanup of approximately 3,340 acres, Habitat Conservation protecting the Fort Ord National Monument and Dunes State Park, Building Removal for demolition of former military structures, Veterans Cemetery Support, and oversight of major development projects (Sea Haven, The Dunes, Seaside Resort, East Garrison). FORA dissolved on June 30, 2020, after completing its 26-year mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Base Reuse Plan (BRP) The foundational planning document that broadly defines the type of uses for the former Fort Ord area, designating general areas for different land uses including education, residential, commercial, industrial, recreation, open space, and habitat conservation. Used by jurisdictions, developers, and stakeholders as the master framework for base reuse.
• Economic Development Program A program focused on sustainable economic recovery and development of the former Fort Ord area, with efforts to attract investors and developers to the region. Targets jurisdictions, developers, and economic development stakeholders in the Monterey Bay region.
• Environmental Services Cooperative Agreement (ESCA) A $98 million grant program under which FORA took over Army cleanup responsibilities and completed cleanup on approximately 3,340 acres of former Fort Ord lands. Completed on time and on budget. Used by the U.S. Army and EPA as a model for federal facility cleanup and reuse.
• Habitat Conservation Program Conservation efforts protecting endangered species of plants and wildlife on the former Fort Ord, including management of the Fort Ord National Monument (14,658 acres) and Fort Ord Dunes State Park (973 acres). Supports federal, state, and local habitat protection goals.
• Building Removal Program Program for removal of former military structures including old barracks and storage buildings, with FORA having spent $30 million on building removal projects in Marina, Seaside, and Monterey County. Enabled reuse of former Fort Ord lands by jurisdictions and developers.
• Veterans Cemetery Support Support for the California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery (CCCVC) located on approximately 78 former Fort Ord acres, including land transfer coordination and construction support. Phase II planned for 11,500 gravesites over 20-year buildout.
• Development Projects Oversight Oversight of major development projects including Sea Haven (1,050 homes in Marina), The Dunes on Monterey Bay (1,237 housing units plus 398,000 sq ft commercial), Seaside Resort (hotel/golf/residential), and East Garrison Village (1,470-unit planned community). Serves master developers working on former Fort Ord land.
• Regional Urban Design Guidelines Design guidelines for development within the former Fort Ord area, providing standards for consistent urban design across multiple jurisdictions. Used by developers and jurisdictions to ensure design consistency.

Quantifiable outcome

• 69% of 27,827 acres dedicated to recreational/open space, including Fort Ord Dunes State Park (973 acres) and Fort Ord National Monument (14,658 acres)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• U.S. ArmycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000FORA worked with the U.S. Army on Economic Development Conveyance (EDC) for sale of portions of former Fort Ord. In 2000, FORA and the Army executed an MOA for the Army-FORA EDC Agreement. The Army transferred approximately 3,340 acres to FORA to complete cleanup on behalf of the Army, with FORA completing the cleanup through a $98 million grant.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1990EPA was involved in the Federal Facility Agreement for cleanup of Fort Ord under CERCLA (Superfund). EPA recognized FORA with the National Federal Facility Excellence in Site Reuse Award in April 2020 for cooperation leading to restoration and reuse of the federal facility Superfund site.
• Marina Coast Water DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCWD partnered with FORA on water and wastewater facilities agreements. MCWD holds responsibility for operation and maintenance of former Fort Ord water and wastewater collection systems. Water/Wastewater Oversight Committee provided advisory oversight to FORA Board regarding MCWD's operations.
• California Department of Veterans Affairs (CDVA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDVA cooperated with Seaside, Monterey County, FORA, and others to design, develop, and construct the California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery. CDVA submitted formal application for VA State Cemetery Grant Funding in August 2013 and cemetery construction began in fall 2015.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights1 record

Direct peers

• Inland Valley Development Agency: Joint powers authority in Riverside County, California, overseeing the reuse of the former Norton Air Force Base. Directly comparable as a California base-reuse redevelopment authority performing entitlement, infrastructure financing, and environmental remediation across multiple jurisdictions.
• McClellan Business Park: Conversion of former McClellan Air Force Base in Sacramento County, California, into a business park. Comparable in that it handled BRAC-style military base reuse with environmental cleanup (including Superfund sites), multi-jurisdictional coordination, and infrastructure financing.
• March Joint Powers Authority: Joint powers authority managing the reuse of March Air Force Base in Riverside County, California. Directly comparable as a California BRAC-era reuse authority handling land conveyance, infrastructure, and multi-jurisdictional planning similar to FORA's mandate.
• Naval Air Station Alameda Reuse: Conversion of the former Naval Air Station Alameda in California into a mixed-use development including jobs, housing, and open space. Comparable BRAC-driven California coastal base conversion with similar entitlement, environmental, and infrastructure scope.
• Moffett Field Reuse / Google entity: Reuse authority for the former Naval Air Station Moffett Field in Mountain View, California, with mixed public/private redevelopment. Comparable California military base conversion authority managing entitlement, environmental cleanup, and mixed-use redevelopment.

Regional players

• Fort Worth Local Redevelopment Authority (NAS Fort Worth JRB): Local reuse authority for Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth. Comparable as a BRAC-era local redevelopment authority performing reuse planning and economic recovery, but operating in Texas rather than California.

Broad incumbents

• California State Parks (Fort Ord Dunes): California state agency managing the 973-acre Fort Ord Dunes State Park — a direct land-recipient from FORA's reuse program. Comparable as a state-level public entity managing former Fort Ord lands, but broader in scope than FORA's mandate.
• Bureau of Land Management (Fort Ord National Monument): Federal agency administering the 14,658-acre Fort Ord National Monument, which was established during FORA's tenure. Comparable as a public-sector steward of former Fort Ord lands and habitat, but at federal scale rather than the regional authority scale FORA operated.
• California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet): California state agency that built the California Central Coast Veterans Cemetery on former Fort Ord land in partnership with FORA. Comparable as a public-sector partner operating within the Fort Ord reuse footprint, though broader in scope and still active today.

Others

• Association of Defense Communities: National membership organization supporting communities impacted by BRAC and base realignments. Comparable ecosystem peer to FORA in that it convenes the network of base-reuse authorities and advocates for federal policies that enabled FORA's funding streams.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FortOrdReuse
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FortOrdReuse?feature=mhee
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Fort-Ord-Reuse-Authority-aka-FORA/178785605530745
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fort-ord-reuse-authority
• Instagraminstagram.com/fortordreuse

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Fort Ord Reuse Authority