The federal economic development program has brought over $100 billion in private investment to revitalize struggling communities.

In an opinion piece for Governing, Steven G. Glickman and Jonathan Tower argue for the expansion of the federal Opportunity Zone program created by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Opportunity Zones, the authors explain, “were originally designed as an experiment to incentivize new streams of private capital investment in distressed areas, pushing overly bureaucratic decision-making from the federal government down to more nimble states, cities and individual investors in exchange for long-term investments that generate new economic activity and housing.”
Since then, Opportunity Zones were created in over 8,700 communities across the U.S., attracting more than $100 billion in private investment by 2022, all geared toward revitalizing underserved communities. The authors note that “To get it right, you have to have the right mix of community leaders, investors, entrepreneurs and developers with a shared long-term vision of the future.”
The authors support extending and expanding the program to make more communities eligible, asserting that the program could grow to become the first billion-dollar economic development initiative. “If we are really serious about the success of Opportunity Zones, Congress should include them as a permanent part of the tax code, providing the private sector with the clarity and confidence needed to achieve the true scale of impact that’s possible.”
FULL STORY: Opportunity Zones Are a Big Success. Let’s Make Them a Lot Bigger.

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

LA Falling Behind on Housing Goals
Last year, the city permitted just 30 percent of the number of housing units needed to meet a growing need.

Connecting Communities to Nature Close to Home
Los Angeles County’s Nature in Your Neighborhood program brings free, family-friendly wellness and nature activities to local parks, making it easier for residents to enjoy and connect with the outdoors.

Palmdale’s Beloved Water Park Gets $2 Million Upgrade
To mark its 20th anniversary, DryTown Water Park has undergone major renovations, ensuring that families across the Antelope Valley continue to enjoy safe, affordable, and much-needed water-based recreation in the high desert.
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