The Coalition to Save and Create Jobs (CSCJ) and Invest in the USA (IIUSA) announced the introduction of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2021 by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT). The bipartisan bill supports the long-term reauthorization and reform of the EB-5 Regional Center Program. Sign on to the Coalition to Save & Create Jobs to support the future of EB-5 before the program's June 30, 2021 sunset date.

Authorizing Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is one critical action identified by the Washington Economic Development Association (WEDA) for state lawmakers to take in the 2021 legislative session to help communities recover from the pandemic. The Senate Business, Financial Services & Trade Committee has passed the TIF for Jobs bill (ESHB 1189) and further information can be found on WEDA's website.

Rather than using legislation simply to provide more funding through existing channels, President Biden could use his upcoming "Build Back Better" infrastructure plan as an opportunity to dramatically transform how infrastructure is funded and delivered in the U.S., O'Melveny & Myers attorneys say.

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) can be used for new construction, existing building renovations, or refinancing - and each market segment has its own view of why PACE is valuable. During this next workshop in the CDFA-Bricker PACE Webinar Series, speakers from Bricker & Eckler LLP, PACENation, PACE Loan Group, Warren County Port Authority, and Plug Smart will provide insights and details into each market segment.

A $314 million ag-tech center — that will grow indoors, copack, distribute and sometimes process fresh greens, tomatoes, blueberries, and other produce — is coming to South Carolina. With artificial intelligence and blockchain technology provided by Core Scientific, this center is a joint venture project among Mastronardi Produce, Clear Water Farms, LiDestri Food and Drink, and the GEM Opportunity Zone Fund.

EIG writes as a broad coalition of stakeholders to make recommendations to the Biden administration to improve and strengthen the Opportunity Zones incentive, which provides tax benefits for qualifying investments in low-income communities. With such improvements, the OZ incentive will be well-positioned to play a key role in a "build back better" agenda that supports historically underserved communities.

Wisconsin Democrat Ron Kind and Iowa Republican Randy Feenstra introduced the bipartisan Enhancing Credit Opportunities in Rural America Act. The legislation would remove taxation on income from farm real estate loans made by community banks. The act would benefit farmers, families, and rural communities by allowing more institutions to offer affordable credit to rural and agricultural borrowers.

USDA announced a $598 million rural electric loan package to build or improve electric infrastructure in 11 states. This funding will benefit 460,000 rural residents and businesses in Arizona, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia. Several of the loans will help expand smart grid technologies, which can be a catalyst for broadband and other telecommunications services.

FCLF is seeking an experienced Community Development Loan Officer to promote FCLF in the Central Florida area. Successful candidates will identify potential projects and will obtain, underwrite, and analyze loan applications for commercial loans to benefit primarily not-for-profit enterprises, which would be funded by loans facilitated through FCLF.

Invest Atlanta, the Economic Development Authority for the City of Atlanta, seeks a driven, passionate, and resourceful team player to partner with our existing Small Business Development team and lead Invest Atlanta's Entrepreneurship and Innovation initiatives. This professional will have two to five years of experience working with or in a tech entrepreneur ecosystem with specific experience supporting equity and economic mobility for female and minority entrepreneurs and startups.

The Executive Director will lead a professional staff and maintain strong working relationships with public and private organizations and businesses while developing partnerships with other education, workforce, philanthropic, nonprofit, and economic development agencies to support the City's strategic priorities and the mission of WorkSource Atlanta.

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This report outlines the key findings of the Point-In-Time (PIT) count and Housing Inventory Count (HIC) conducted in January 2020, as well as estimates of chronically homeless persons, homeless veterans, and homeless children and youth. The report found that 580,466 people experienced homelessness in the United States on a single night in 2020, an increase of 12,751 people, or 2.2 percent, from 2019.

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