We work as EB5 project feasibility consultants to regional centers for specialty projects including logistics, life sciences, and commercial properties. Our feasibility experience is extensive, in addition to various niche projects, our work spans commercial real estate, hotels and destination resorts, and location-based entertainment.
We expect changes coming to the EB5 program, this being a presidential election year with the possibility of changes in congressional and state political leadership. However, in one form or another, the program is likely to continue.
The U.S. EB-5 visa, the employment-based fifth preference category, is also known as the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Program. The program was established by the Immigration Act of 1990. The EB-5 program provides a method for eligible Immigrant Investors to become lawful permanent residents (“green card”) holders having met certain investment requirements. The requirements include investing at least $900,000 to finance a business in the U.S., a business that will employ at least 10 American workers.
The EB-5 program is a separate program to federally-designated opportunity zones. The Federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) created qualified “opportunity zones” in December 2017 to encourage tax-favored investment in distressed communities throughout the U.S.
Our firm has a decades-long experience in roles similar to our work as EB5 project feasibility consultants. This has included federal and state-enabled incentive programs for community economic investment and economic development.
Successful EB5 projects require additional program transparency to assure a satisfactory result for all concerned.
We have been involved in all manner of similar investment incentive programs, prior to our work as EB5 project feasibility consultants When the program was in vogue our co-founder provided project feasibility studies to numerous investment banking teams in support of California SB-99 mortgage revenue bond financing for affordable housing. He prepared similar analytics back in the day when real estate syndication through limited partnerships was popular with investors. And while California redevelopment law was in effect, our co-founder was an advisor and consultant to almost a dozen local California community redevelopment agencies.