query optimization question

The query below is slow because both the lots table and the deficiency_table
table have thousands of records.  Can anyone tell me how to do the second
subselect (lot_count) by some method of a join instead of a sub - subselect
OR any other method I can use to optimize this query to make it faster?

The objective of the query is:  Tell me for each project, the total number
of deficiencies in the project, and the total number of lots with 1 or more
deficiencies in the project.

SELECT  project_id, marketing_name,    (SELECT count(lots.lot_id) AS lot_count     FROM deficiency_table AS dt, lots
WHERE dt.lot_id = lots.lot_id        AND lots.division_id = proj.division_id        AND lots.project_id =
proj.project_id   ) AS def_count,    (SELECT count(lots.lot_id) AS lot_counter     FROM lots     WHERE
lots.division_id= proj.division_id         AND lots.project_id = proj.project_id        AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM
deficiency_tableAS dt WHERE dt.lot_id =
 
lots.lot_id)    ) AS lot_count
FROM    projects AS proj
WHERE   proj.division_id = '#variables.local_division_id#'AND NOT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM menu_group_projects WHERE
menu_code= 'WA'
 
AND division_id = proj.division_id AND project_id = proj.project_id AND
status = 'I')
ORDER BY proj.project_id

Thanks in advance

Terry Fielder
Network Engineer
Great Gulf Homes / Ashton Woods Homes
terry@greatgulfhomes.com