Opportunity Zones

OPPORTUNITY ZONES

UNDERSTANDING OPPORTUNITY ZONES

TPMA has been actively involved with Opportunity Zone initiatives since the inception of the legislation.

Our approach includes:

  • In-depth research and analysis
  • Community leadership development
  • Identification of Initial Investments
  • Long-term deal flow pipeline
  • Aligned OZ funding with community objectives

Opportunity Zones (OZs) provide a new economic development tool to promote investment in distressed census tracts through legislation enacted by the Federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Opportunity Zones were nominated by each state’s governor, incentivizing investments to address local needs in areas such as business growth, real estate development, and area improvements. There are approximately 8,700 Opportunity Zones throughout the country, and while each Opportunity Zone offers investors the same federal capital gains tax advantages, all Zones are not created equal.

It is estimated that there are over $6.1 trillion of eligible capital gains available to fund projects in Opportunity Zones. All Opportunity Zones will compete for this pool of investment, but some Zones will stand out due to apparent pro-investment market conditions. However, most Zones, given their designation as “distressed,” will have to position strategically themselves to attract investment.

With a wealth of knowledge, TPMA has used its expertise to develop five steps to aid communities in accessing activating, and expanding resources to help maximize zone opportunities.

Five Steps that Can Help Communities

TPMA’s OZ work to date has focused on assisting communities in completing the following five steps:

1.   Assess and profile local OZs

2.   Assist local leadership to understand how to create synergies between this tool and local programs

3.   Establish a plan for transformative development 

4.   Develop a strategy that aligns with private investment objectives and expectations

5.   Market and solicit local and national investors that align with the community’s strategic objectives

“The typical profile of an OZ real estate investor is someone who is interested in tax savings, wealth-building, and preservation with a medium- to a long-term hold period.”

Meg Epstein, Forbes Councils

EMERGING LESSONS ABOUT OZs

Community development professionals are well aware that Opportunity Zones could be the most powerful economic revitalization tool to come along in a generation. What isn’t so well understood is how to attract OZ investors to census tracts that, for the most part, have experienced long-term disinvestment. 

Thomas P. Miller & Associates has spent the past 24 months talking to local government and community officials across the country about how they plan to take advantage of the OZ incentive. The most common answer is, “We don’t understand what the first step is.” Often the community is waiting for a set of instructions or guidelines to follow that will help them to link to OZ funds. Many local leaders do not clearly understand that private investors are the gateway funding source. 

During our time working with communities, we have identified key takeaways that may help leaders better organize around their zones.  

 

These Leasons Include:
  • Many zones were hurriedly picked. This is not the fault of the states or communities. The time allotted to select zones resulted in a rushed selection process. As a result, many zones have had little preparation to ready them for investment. 
  • States are still learning how they can assist local leaders to prepare their zones for investment. States are attempting to work with OZ leaders on several fronts, but more focus on effective state-led partnerships are needed.
  • Local leadership must prepare their OZs to be “investment ready.” OZ activities may range from basic planning, to project packaging, to creating public-private partnerships. Only a handful of zones are ready to satisfy the expectations of the investment community. 
  • Not all zones are created equal. “Glamour zones,” typically in growing metropolitan areas are gaining most of the investor attention. Distressed zones in other urban and rural areas are struggling to be noticed. 
  • Many communities need to seek the additional capacity to tee up their zones for investment. Organizing struggling real estate and deal packaging requires experience and time. 
  • Too many communities are focusing on traditional expansion and attraction investments rather than broader transformational strategies involving inclusion, quality of place, and improved household opportunitiesAll of these outcomes are possible with proper preparation. 
  • There is confusion regarding how long the OZ incentive is in place. While the deferral on current capital gain liability is time-sensitive through December 2026, the future gain tax exemption runs until January 1, 2048 
  • Most communities are not familiar with investor terminology. It is important that OZs use terms that investors understand and respond to. The idea is to sell the investment opportunity a zone offers, not the community.  
  • Rural communities and smaller towns, in most cases, are the least prepared to take advantage of the OZ program. If they are to realize success, outside technical assistance must be offered to local leaders to plan, package, and implement. 
  • Like most sophisticated new tools, a user guide is necessary. Thomas P. Miller & Associates can assist with establishing a framework that provides a clear set of steps for local leaders to follow as they work to take advantage of the OZ program. 

THE SEIZE OPPORTUNITY INITIATIVE

TPMA and its partners have developed a comprehensive strategy to transform distressed OZs. Our customized program will build healthy-viable communities, promote talent development amongst zone residents, attract sustainable investment and generate positive social impacts.

 

OUR MODEL

Thomas P. Miller recommends that opportunity zones form “cohorts” (20-50 OZs). Bundling resources, capacity, and projects will attract a steady flow of investment, leading to local wealth building, job and wage growth, and sustainable social impact.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

The end result of Opportunity Zone investment should not be a successful financial transaction – this is a means to an end. The end result should be a healthier, vibrant, more resilient community. Land-use planners, social enterprise experts, and successful community practitioners will work with local leaders to better connect community investments to quantifiable resident and business well-being outcomes.

TALENT DEVELOPMENT

The TPMA Team will focus on talent attraction, retention, and development within the opportunity zones. Working with your talent ecosystem’s stakeholders, we plan on leveraging existing resources to enhance equitable economic outcomes. Partnering with local experts, government, and other key stakeholders, we will assist in scaling and reinforcing a robust talent pipeline. The goal will be to create and sustain a pipeline of talent that meets the demand of industry and attracts new economic opportunities based on the developed talent resource.

INVESTMENT

The investment must generate real opportunities for zone residents and businesses. The work produced in the Community and Talent modules will support a multi-faceted investment program for each OZ. This module will focus on business expansion and formation, commercial and housing development, infrastructure, and programmatic investments.
Each OZ will establish 5-10 year development goals, financing, and public-private partnership strategies. These opportunities will be conveyed to potential investors through a deliberate and compelling marketing strategy designed to attract a diverse capital stack to the community with an emphasis on OZ investment.

The TPMA Team has been actively involved with Opportunity Zone initiatives since the inception of the legislation in December 2017. Our Team has worked nationally, preparing prospectuses that are designed to generate investment deal flow and transformative development with measurable social impact. TPMA’s 30+years in the workforce and economic development business, working in 41 states have prepared it to partner with national experts, public and private sectors, and communities to leverage this significant new economic development tool

The TPMA Team has been actively involved with Opportunity Zone initiatives since the inception of the legislation in December 2017. Our Team has worked nationally, preparing prospectuses that are designed to generate investment deal flow and transformative development with measurable social impact. TPMA’s 30+years in the workforce and economic development business, working in 41 states have prepared it to partner with national experts, public and private sectors, and communities to leverage this significant new economic development tool.

“Some (Opportunity Zones) need technical support to assemble a complex financial package; many need capital for predevelopment costs; some simply need help connecting to investors. Rural areas and communities of color are often hard-pressed to find these relationships close at hand.” 

Seattle Times “Creating Opportunities — and tax breaks — in the right Communities”  November 10, 2019

Interested in Learning More About How We Can Maximize Your Opportunity Zone, Let’s Talk!

“The Opportunity Zones Incentive requires the right kind of management, community engagement, partnership-building, and oversight to establish projects in OZs that are a boon to residents and local business people as well as investors.” Navigating the Opportunity Zones, Community Partners A LISC Playbook

To Learn More

Jack Woods

317-441-2100

jwoods@tpma-inc.com

 

Mike Higbee

317-752-9336

mhigbee@tpma-inc.com