Attorney Anthony Galluccio Warns of Hidden Costs from Skipping Community Engagement in Development Projects

Anthony Galluccio, a land use and permitting attorney, is issuing a public alert about a common and avoidable risk he observes across communities and careers: advancing projects without first understanding and engaging with the community process. Galluccio, drawing from decades in public service, law, youth coaching, and charity leadership, notes that the same mistake repeats itself when people rush and internally decide their project is ‘good for the community’ without external input.

‘How would you like it if a team of suits came and told you how you should feel about a project in your neighborhood? The first public meeting should be after months of listening and getting to know your neighbors,’ Galluccio said in a recent interview. He emphasizes that starting with mistrust can be irrecoverable, and that treating people as one would want to be treated if the project were in their own neighborhood is crucial. He warns against focusing solely on vocal opponents, noting that ‘loud critical voices are just part of the process’ and should not be dismissed as impossible to satisfy.

Galluccio points out that poor preparation leads to widespread issues, including delays, stress, and broken trust. Studies indicate nearly 60% of project delays stem from poor planning or unclear processes, and more than half of people report avoidable stress linked to last-minute decisions. Communities lacking public engagement in planning experience higher conflict and longer approval timelines. ‘Speed feels productive,’ Galluccio said, ‘but getting real buy-in is what actually moves things forward.’

A common trap, according to Galluccio, is ‘drinking your own kool aid’—allowing a project to evolve internally without public interaction or groundwork. He stresses that real feedback is essential before a project is introduced, as recovering community good faith can take months or years. ‘Permitting isn’t fast work,’ he said. ‘It’s trust-based work.’ He adds that skipping steps often creates more work later, and that community process saves time in the long run: ‘You either invest it upfront or pay for it later.’

Galluccio provides a self-check for those at risk, asking questions such as whether they skipped community process before introducing a project, rely on urgency instead of preparation, or see compromise as failure. Answering ‘yes’ to three or more indicates the risk likely applies. For those feeling rushed, he advises refining success as obtaining feasible entitlements on a reasonable timeline, not an internal one. For resistance from others, he encourages processes that create specific requests and embrace change so the project becomes ‘theirs’ not ‘yours.’

He concludes with a call to comfort the community proactively, stating, ‘Community anxiety is the enemy.’ Trust, he says, is built by showing up consistently and responding to concerns. ‘You have to get beat up, endure and prove to the community you are worthy of partnership,’ Galluccio said. His work, which includes historic rezonings and community benefits agreements in areas like Kendall Square—described as the life science epicenter of the world—centers on consensus building, consistency, and community trust. For more information on his firm, visit https://www.galluccioandwatson.com.

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