Columbus, OH - The Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA) and The Opportunity Exchange (TOE) are pleased to announce the launch of a new partnership increasing opportunities for members to integrate modern technical tools into their local community and economic development strategies.

Columbus, OH – The Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA) has received a second round of funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF). This funding will continue to advance opportunities and leverage existing capital financing streams that scale local and regional food systems and increase access to better food while creating new living wage jobs in communities across the country.

Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) said at the United States Conference of Mayors that he is considering a bill that would allow local and state governments to revisit a small percentage of the census tracts that were, or were not, designated opportunity zones in 2018. Scott said he is in discussions with Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), his fellow co-sponsor on the original legislation, and Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), on a new bill.

For local communities interested in knowing where the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is at with their current investment priorities, this month's speech at the 88th Winter Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors delivered by Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Development and Chief Operating Officer Dennis Alvord pointed the way.

The House Ways and Means Committee has released its much-anticipated infrastructure proposal. It includes $760 billion over five years for transportation, broadband, water, wastewater, and brownfields redevelopment. It also would expand many existing clean energy financing programs as well as tax credits like the NMTC, LIHTC, and HTC.

Thanks to a public-private partnership (P3) between the Public Finance Authority (PFA) and Proton International (PI), cancer patients in Delray Beach, FL, and Birmingham, AL will have access to all the benefits of proton therapy treatment. PFA and PI work with hospitals and physician groups to develop one- and two-room proton treatment centers, to help address cost and financing constraints.

The House Democratic Leadership released a supplemental appropriations bill increasing aid to Puerto Rico. The bill, referred to as the Puerto Rico Earthquake Supplemental, contains over $4.6 billion in education, transportation, and infrastructure (CDBG) aid. It also includes an allocation of New Markets Tax Credits for Puerto Rico.

Freddie Mac has topped the $1 billion mark in low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) equity investments after re-entering the market in 2018. The latest investments were made in underserved communities in 22 states, Puerto Rico, and Guam and provide more than 8,500 homes for households that struggle to find safe and affordable rental housing, announced the company.

Over the last month, banks and community development professionals have grappled with the potential fallout brought by dramatic changes to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) proposed in a draft rule released by the OCC and the FDIC. To date, the remaining bank regulator, the Federal Reserve, has not joined the rulemaking process but the rule, if adopted, would impact 85% of banks subject to the CRA.

Issuers are pushing back against analysts and regulators seeking more frequent financial disclosures and say they want to know what specifically investors and analysts are looking for in their finances. At a GFOA debt committee meeting, issuers aired concerns about being asked to provide financial documents on a more frequent basis. Some said groups like the NFMA are asking for too much.

Task forces on Libor are being formed by two public finance professional organizations as anticipation grows over the technical challenges involving its phaseout. The Government Finance Officers Association and National Association of Bond Lawyers both are in the process of forming committees to examine the unresolved issues facing the municipal bond market.

During this webinar, supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, we will hear from speakers working in Detroit, Michigan to correct social inequity through the support and financing of food-related businesses and projects.

This webinar will explore some of the tools that can be utilized to support a myriad of housing challenges and opportunities as well as how development finance agencies can become key partners in housing development in their community.

Join CDFA and experts from across the country as we discuss creative solutions for responding to ReConnect's funding notice, and learn from the successes of the program thus far.

The Commercial Real Estate Investment Manager is responsible for highly technical negotiating, structuring and closing of complex commercial and other special community development driven investment projects, generally featuring between $1 million and $10 million in program capital at risk. This position will manage the Community Revitalization Program (CRP) project portfolio from concept to close while seeking to stimulate economic development; ensure the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and State of Michigan investments are protected and structure deals so that the state realizes the best possible rate of return.

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"Moving America and the Environment Forward" is a House Ways and Means Committee statement of principles on how the committee wants to approach an infrastructure bill. It includes $760 billion of proposals.

The Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit examined how Kansas and other states used private activity bonds in calendar years 2016 through 2018. In this audit, they used data from CDFA and other states to determine how states used private activity bonds from 2016 to 2018.

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