CDFA is excited to announce a new partnership with the Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation to bring together a special convening of local communities for a conference focused on Opportunity Zones. Please join us for Opportunity Zones: Maximizing Impact in Your Community on September 5-6, 2018 in Washington, DC!

The TIF would be funded through the sale of private bonds that are repaid to investors through diverted property tax revenue over a period of decades. The revenue is gleaned from the increased value of the site based on the project.

LED began discussions with Shintech about a potential expansion in the fourth quarter of 2016. To secure the project, the State of Louisiana offered a competitive incentive package including the comprehensive solutions of LED FastStart®, a $1.5 million Modernization Tax Credit, and the Louisiana's Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs.

USDA is making the investments through the Community Facilities Direct Loan Program. The funding helps rural areas purchase, construct or improve essential facilities. The projects will improve the quality of life for more than 220,000 rural residents.

In an effort to increase economic development and job creation in rural areas, the SBA has announced the creation of the 504 Loan Program Rural Initiative. This pilot program allows Colorado Lending Source to provide SBA 504 financing to businesses in rural counties in Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah.

The $515,000 investment to clean up Kitson Mill is the latest round of money being poured into the site. Funding sources include $200,000 from an EPA grant, a $275,000 allocation from the state Department of Health and Environmental Control's revolving loan fund and $40,000 from local CDBG dollars.

Seattle wants to capitalize on its status as one of the nation's top travel destinations with a $1.7 billion plan to double the size of its downtown convention center. Construction will start soon on the project which will be funded primarily through $1.15 billion in bond financing.

Fundrise LLC plans to open investment in the Fundrise Opportunity Fund soon, aiming to raise $500 million by the end of 2019. Clients can invest as little as $10,000, and the money will be used for projects throughout the U.S. that fall in qualified Opportunity Zones.

A Santa Clara Valley water district's planned new dam is among eight projects that have been awarded a combined $2.7 billion in California water bond money. The California Water Commission has approved funding for dam and reservoir projects in Contra Costa, Colusa, Fresno, Sacramento, Kern, San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties.

Rep. Bill Shuster's infrastructure discussion draft has drawn applause from some transportation groups but is not expected to gain support from Republican leaders and lawmakers in Congress. Shuster (R-PA) had hoped to see an infrastructure bill passed this year before he retires from Congress in January.

A post-graduate research position is available in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Community Revitalization (OCR) within the Office of Policy (OP), located in Washington, DC. OCR works cooperatively with communities to create locally led, community-driven development strategies that protect the environment, expand economic opportunity, and revitalize neighborhoods.

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