President Donald Trump's mass firings of federal workers during the government shutdown could hamper the implementation of two tax incentives made permanent in the OBBB meant to boost investment in low-income communities. More than 1,400 Treasury Department employees were terminated, including approximately 95 staff members from the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund. The fund's staff works on two tax provisions: administering the New Markets Tax Credits and helping the IRS establish the Opportunity Zones program.

CDFA is excited to offer our Intro and Advanced Tax Increment Finance Courses in the same week. This opportunity is perfect for professionals who want an in-depth look at TIF deal-making and best practices into focus and support the entire TIF community. Join us November 18-19 & November 20—register today!

The Plasma Energy Fund, a groundbreaking Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOZ) Fund, has officially launched with the mission to transform America's energy landscape through investment in next-generation, waste-to-hydrogen infrastructure. Leveraging patented microwave plasma gasification technology, the Fund offers accredited investors a rare opportunity to generate powerful tax-advantaged returns while solving one of the world's most urgent sustainability challenges.

Earlier this month, the Treasury Department terminated the entire staff of its Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund, effectively shutting down the agency. The move threatens capital flow to underserved communities and raises uncertainty about federal support for CDFIs, which provide over $300 billion annually in responsible lending. Local leaders must now build state-level systems to sustain community finance.

The Trump administration's decision to eliminate the entire staff of the CDFI Fund is drawing sharp criticism as a major blow to investment in underserved communities. The Fund has supported over $298 billion in loans and investments across over 1.3 million businesses and nearly 560,000 affordable housing units since 2009. Without staff to administer programs, certify institutions, and disburse funds, many local lenders—especially in underrepresented communities—face immediate disruption.

As a nationwide housing shortage keeps affordable options scarce, an old idea is getting a new look. Housing advocates and several cities and counties are championing what has recently started to be called "social housing:" residences built and managed by the government, or public housing.

As states face growing disaster costs, declining revenue, and an uncertain federal funding landscape, the need to build more disaster-resilient budgets is greater than ever. At the same time, as federal policymakers weigh proposals to reduce disaster assistance to states, they will need to account for the availability of state resources relative to the federal aid they have historically received and recognize that even modest changes in state budgets can have significant effects on other key initiatives.

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During this installment of the CDFA // BNY Development Finance Webcast Series, panelists explain the potential reasons bond deals fail and share advice on how to avoid or mitigate these risks.

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