Opportunity Zones Podcast

Many Opportunity Zone developments are stalling out... thin spreads, costly capital, and oversized equity requirements mean the math just doesn’t work like it used to. Enter preferred equity. Jordan Brustein & Andrew Rudy of Ackman-Ziff join the show to discuss how Opportunity Zone preferred equity is being used to rescue stalled ground-up development deals, de-lever overextended capital stacks, and unlock projects in today’s challenging market. Show notes & summary: https://opportunityzones.com/2025/10/ackman-ziff-362/

On this month’s live episode of OZ Office Hours, OpportunityZones.com founder Jimmy Atkinson discusses IRS Notice 2025-50, defining which Opportunity Zones qualify as rural. Effective July 4, 2025, rural OZs qualify for a reduced substantial improvement threshold. Plus, Jimmy answers live questions from the audience. Join Jimmy the first Monday of every month at 3:00 PM Eastern Time, to get your Opportunity Zones questions answered live. Show notes & summary: https://opportunityzones.com/2025/10/ozoh-361/

With many major asset classes at or near all-time highs, is a perfect storm brewing for Opportunity Zone investing? Plus, a recap of recent Opportunity Zone events, and a preview of upcoming events. Show notes & summary: https://opportunityzones.com/2025/09/oznh-sep-2025/

Opportunity Zones 2.0 has made the program permanent... and restored 100% bonus depreciation. Securities attorney Coni Rathbone of VF Law joins the show to explain how these changes impact Qualified Opportunity Funds, real estate developers, and operating businesses like manufacturing facilities. Plus, discussion of OZ permanence, structuring considerations, rural incentives, and why bonus depreciation makes OZ 2.0 even more attractive for High Net Worth investors. Show notes & summary: https://opportunityzones.com/2025/09/coni-rathbone-360/

Tax attorney John Hyre joins Jimmy Atkinson to discuss advanced tax mitigation strategies for high-net-worth investors. From Puerto Rico residency to self-directed IRAs, Trump Accounts, Roth conversions, and ROBS, John shares practical insights on how investors can minimize their tax burden while avoiding costly mistakes. In this episode, you’ll hear why John believes Roth conversions — when done correctly — are one of the most powerful planning tools available, and why he urges extreme caution with Rollover Business Startups (ROBS). He also explains the opportunity presented by the newly created Trump Accounts, the benefits of living and working in Puerto Rico, and the common compliance traps that can trip up investors. Show notes & summary: https://opportunityzones.com/2025/09/john-hyre-359/

Washington DC's Bridge District is quickly emerging as one of the nation's most ambitious Opportunity Zone projects, transforming vacant land into a thriving new neighborhood. With thousands of multifamily units, new retail, and vital community amenities, the Bridge District is showing how OZ capital can deliver long-term, transformative impact in one of the most underserved parts of the nation’s capital. Jeff Tompkins of Altes Capital and Sohael Chowfla of Redbrick LMD join the show to discuss the outlook for Opportunity Zones 2.0, the unique supply-and-demand dynamics of Washington DC’s multifamily housing market, and how Redbrick is using OZ equity to deliver the Bridge District as a model for sustainable, community-driven development. Show notes & summary: https://opportunityzones.com/2025/09/altes-redbrick-358/

Join Opportunity Zone Office Hours and get your own OZ questions answered live. Today's topics include: OZ Insiders updates (our upcoming dinner in Fort Worth and Masterclass on minimizing your 2026 OZ tax bill); a new 2027 OZ 2.0 eligibility map from Novogradac; the 10 counties with the most OZ-eligible tracts; plus your OZ questions answered live. Show notes & summary: https://opportunityzones.com/2025/09/ozoh-357/

How is OZ 2.0 changing capital flows into Opportunity Zone funds? Peter Ciganik of GTIS Partners joins the show to discuss how permanence is boosting investor confidence, why institutions are returning, and GTIS’s strategy across multifamily and industrial projects. Show notes & summary: https://opportunityzones.com/2025/08/peter-ciganik-356/

New Opportunity Zones will go into effect on January 1, 2027. But there will be a two-year overlap with existing OZ 1.0 zones. What options do OZ investors have beginning in 2027? Show notes & summary: ⁠https://opportunityzones.com/2025/08/oznh-aug-2025/

Join Opportunity Zone Office Hours and get your own OZ questions answered live. Today's topics include: + OZ Insiders updates (our dinner in Manhattan Beach and Masterclass on OZ 2.0). + Key dates for OZ 2.0. + Your questions answered live. Show notes & summary:

When an investor defers a capital gain by rolling it into a Qualified Opportunity Fund (QOF), that deferred gain is ultimately recognized for tax purposes on December 31, 2026, unless triggered earlier by an inclusion event. Real estate attorney Brad Molotsky of Duane Morris joins the show to discuss how the fair market value of an Opportunity Zone investment on that deferral date affects the taxable gain, and what steps investors and fund managers should take to prepare. Show notes & summary: https://opportunityzones.com/2025/07/brad-molotsky-354/

Get the full breakdown of the biggest update to Opportunity Zones since 2017. OpportunityZones.com founder Jimmy Atkinson covers everything investors, developers, and communities need to know about the new OZ 2.0 rules signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025. Watch the video version of this episode and download our OZ 2.0 resources: https://opportunityzones.com/crashcourse/

How does a prime neighborhood drive an Opportunity Zone project’s success? Alicia Miller of Black Salmon joins the show to discuss her firm’s “location-first” strategy. Alicia shares details on Black Salmon’s new multifamily development in downtown St. Petersburg and a flagship retail project in Miami’s Design District, and explains how a single-asset holdco structure keeps investors on track for the 10-year tax-free exit. Show notes & summary: https://opportunityzones.com/2025/07/alicia-miller-352/

As President Trump signs the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” Opportunity Zones are made permanent. In this live episode, Jimmy Atkinson and Andy Hagans recap Congressional passage of H.R. 1 and the signing ceremony at the White House. Plus, a breakdown of exactly how OZ 2.0 reshapes the incentive for investors, developers, and communities.

The U.S. Senate passed H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill, which will make Opportunity Zones permanent. The bill now heads back to the House for final passage before going to President Trump for enactment.

The U.S. Senate has released draft legislation that could make Opportunity Zones a permanent part of the tax code. In this special OZ NewsHour edition of the podcast, Jimmy Atkinson and Andy Hagans break down what’s in the Senate’s proposal, how it compares to the House version, and what it could mean for investors, fund managers, and the future of OZ policy. Show notes and summary: https://opportunityzones.com/2025/06/oznh-jun-2025/

Capitol Hill is moving toward a permanent Opportunity Zones program, but the fine print matters. In this OZ Pitch Day panel, Jimmy Atkinson is joined by Blake Christian and Jim Lang to unpack the Senate’s draft OZ 2.0 bill. They explore the proposal’s major reforms, potential pitfalls, and what developers and investors need to know right now. Show notes & episode summary: https://opportunityzones.com/2025/06/ozpd-panel-349/

Can Opportunity Zone capital bring a long-abandoned property back to life? Joel Mazza and Bob Erlanger of Erma Capital tell the incredible story of The GRAD Apartments in Mount Vernon, Ohio—a 1939 high school building that sat vacant for over 25 years, before being transformed into new apartments with Opportunity Zone capital. Show notes & transcript: https://opportunityzones.com/2025/06/joel-mazza-bob-erlanger-348/

While the original policy intent behind Opportunity Zones was to catalyze more entrepreneurship and small business investment in disadvantaged communities all across the nation, most OZ capital has flowed into real estate. Jonathan Goldstein of Advantage Capital joins the show to discuss how a few targeted legislative fixes could finally make the OZ incentive work for operating businesses, especially in rural and underserved communities. Show notes & summary: https://opportunityzones.com/2025/05/jonathan-goldstein-347/

The Opportunity Zones program is on the verge of major reform. In this live panel recording from Capital Square's Opportunity Zones & Multifamily Investing Summit, Jimmy Atkinson is joined by Shay Hawkins (Sen. Tim Scott's tax counsel), Emily Lavery (Fulcrum Public Affairs), Catherine Lyons (EIG), Louis Rogers (Capital Square), and Jay Parsons (rental housing economist) to unpack the future of OZs. Recorded in Richmond, VA on June 4, 2025. Show notes & episode summary: https://opportunityzones.com/2025/06/capital-square-event-346/