Philanthropic capital will be crucial to achieving large-scale success in Opportunity Zones nationwide. So why has the philanthropic community’s response been tepid thus far? John Lettieri is co-founder, president, and CEO of the Economic Innovation Group (EIG), a Washington DC-based policy group that helped create the Opportunity Zone tax policy. Click the play button below … Read more
How can Opportunity Zones ignite a place-based economic development revolution in one of the nation’s poorest states? Alex Flachsbart is president and CEO of Opportunity Alabama, the nation’s first nonprofit organization to create a marketplace for Opportunity Zone investment in a particular state. Click the play button below to listen to my conversation with Alex. … Read more
It’s been nearly six months since the IRS issued its second tranche of regulatory guidance on Qualified Opportunity Funds. How are business Opportunity Zone funds proceeding? Brian Phillips is managing partner of The Pearl Fund, the first Opportunity Zone fund to focus exclusively on business, using a venture capital model. Click the play button below … Read more
Erie, Pennsylvania is home to the nation’s poorest ZIP code, and the nation’s first organization dedicated to promoting a municipality’s Opportunity Zones. Erie Downtown Development Corporation is led by CEO John Persinger and VP for finance and development Matt Wachter. Click the play button below to listen to my conversation with John and Matt. Episode … Read more
You’ve got Opportunity Zone questions. We’ve got Opportunity Zone answers. This is the inaugural edition of Opportunity Zones Podcast Listener Questions. Today’s listener questions deal with options for existing Opportunity Zone property owners, incentives for Opportunity Zone businesses, and more. If you’d like to submit your own question or comment, leave a voicemail on the … Read more
What are some best practices for packaging an Opportunity Zone real estate deal and raising capital from investors? What are some examples of good deals and bad deals? Gabriel Fernandez is a real estate investment manager in Brooklyn, NY. Click the play button below to listen to my conversation with Gabriel. Episode Highlights Reaction to … Read more
Is there a big problem with the Opportunity Zones program? Thomas Morgan is a real estate developer, broker, and investor who specializes in impact investing and 1031 exchange strategies. On today’s episode, we discuss the recent New York Times article and the challenges of raising Opportunity Zone capital for projects in blighted locations. Click the … Read more
Is the development of owner occupied housing on a massive scale achievable in blighted Opportunity Zone neighborhoods? First, you have to shock the system. Daniel Edwards and Ebony Edwards believe they are about to do just that. They are the founders of Kansas City-based Opportunity Zone development firm NeighborBuilt. Click the play button below to … Read more
How can real estate and a unique entertainment product combine into a Qualified Opportunity Zone Business to deliver long-lasting social impact and job creation? Todd Perlmutter is CEO of Hotbed Entertainment Group. He previously spent 19 years at Blue Man Group as senior music director. Seth Dunlap is HEG’s real estate and portfolio manager. Click … Read more
How can agribusiness capitalize on the Opportunity Zones program? Chris Rawley is founder and CEO of Fort Worth, TX-based Harvest Returns, an investment firm that facilitates capital raises for small- to medium-sized farmers. They launched the Sustainable Agriculture Opportunity Zone Fund earlier this summer. Click the play button below to listen to my conversation with … Read more