While the investment and financial implications for the Opportunity Zone program are broadly discussed, communities and planners are often unsure of how they can take advantage of the program to influence development. Christian Michel will fill that void by addressing planning considerations and the role of municipalities and their ability to attract and direct potential investments. The presentation will explore how communities can plan for growth in Opportunity Zones such as by utilizing market-based land use controls to incentivise affordable housing and other community needs. In addition, we will address steps communities can undertake to become attractive for Opportunity Zone investors, including performing due diligence on potential strategic development sites and marketing sites to developers. We will also discuss the architect's role and the types of projects likely to result from the program, such as adaptive reuse or mixed-use development.
Presented by Christian Michel from AKRF