A year after it was rescued from elimination, the federal New Market Tax Credit program is again facing extinction. Congress must act before the end of the year to save the popular tool for subsidizing investment in underserved communities.
"The premise behind New Market Tax Credits, or NMTCs, is simple: While there is certainly both need and opportunity in underserved communities, there isn’t much capital or private sector money," explains Bill Bradley. "So developers, business leaders and entrepreneurs in these areas — dubbed 'New Markets' — received federal subsidies to encourage more investment."
"In June, senators Jay Rockefeller (D-West Virginia) and Roy Blunt (R-Missouri) introduced legislation to have the program extended permanently. At the moment, however, there’s no sign that it will continue come the new year. Which seems crazy, given both the demand and the program’s success."
FULL STORY: New Market Tax Credits Set to Expire

The Slow Death of Ride Sharing
From the beginning, TNCs like Lyft and Uber touted shared rides as their key product. Now, Lyft is ending the practice.

Amtrak Calls for Expansion, Citing Close to 100 Requests for New Lines
The agency told a House committee it has received more than 90 applications for new intercity rail lines from cities around the country.

Cool Walkability Planning
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Federal Infrastructure Dollars Funding Road Expansions
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Downtown Omaha Planning for its Post-One-Way-Streets Era
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Planning for Proximity, for the Climate’s Sake
A new global platform will help the world identify and encourage opportunities for more proximity in the built environment—development patterns that can help reduce sources of greenhouse gas emissions and other forms of pollution if built well.
Bossier City - Parish MPC
Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department
City of Bangor
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Montrose County
Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department
City of Lomita
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.