Meet the Team

Pastakia + Associates has over two decades of combined experience in property development. Our fields of expertise range from architecture to financing. Should a project require expertise that falls outside our teams capabilities we reach out to our extensive network of professionals to build the most effective team possible.


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Tejal Pastakia

Managing Principal
In 2010, Tejal founded the firm to develop urban infill mixed-use buildings in the Puget Sound region. Her firm’s philosophy was to learn “best practices” through the development of various mixed-use projects as well as public projects. Over the last 18 years, Tejal has developed and built over 5,000 units and over 200,000 sf of office and retail in the region. Working in collaboration with various organizations, local as well as institutional, general contractors and design professionals, Pastakia + Associates today partners with key investors to build their own real estate assets. Most of Pastakia’ s portfolio consists of long term hold assets. With a foundation in architecture and urban design Tejal’ s approach to the built environment is to focus on real estate assets that enhance the community, respond appropriately to the natural environment and build communities for generations to enjoy.

Project types include urban mixed-use, mixed-income, historic renovation and adaptive reuse, work force housing, and collegiate services. Tejal brings in-depth knowledge of innovative development tools, sustainable development techniques, public/private partnerships, financing mechanisms that include 220/ 221 d (4) HUD financing as well as other sources of private equity and debt.

Tejal currently serves on the Board of Directors for Bellwether Housing, an affordable housing organization whose mission is to provide workforce housing in the Puget Sound region.

Tejal has a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Oklahoma and a master’s degree in Architecture, an Urban Design Certificate as well as the Real Estate Certificate from the University of Washington.


Leslie Haza

Partner
Leslie Haza has over 15 years of experience in real estate projects across a broad range of disciplines including development and asset management for residential, office, and hospitality developments. She partnered with Tejal in order to focus on her core interest of enhancing the community and provide true placemaking experiences in the larger Puget Sound area.

She has managed the financing of over 2,000 units in Seattle and Los Angeles, while VP of Finance and Administrative Officer at Mack Urban. Through coordination with the various processes in the Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle markets, she evaluated the investment and financing of projects on an individual and portfolio level. Prior to joining Mack Urban, Leslie worked as a consultant across multiple development and management platforms, with a focus on residential and office. She has provided underwriting, market research, and due diligence for several hospitality developments worldwide. Her projects involve underwriting of development projects, bid submission for subcontractors, market research and development for hospitality, and acquisition analysis including an acquisition of a 17-building national office portfolio. Prior to that, Leslie was a senior financial analyst in Urban Housing Group’s southern California office, focusing on acquisitions for residential development.