A Primer on Opportunity Zones Investing

The opportunity zone program was enacted as part of the 2017 Tax Reform with the goal of directing long-term capital investments into underserved rural and urban communities. This program is viewed by many as the most ambitious federal tax incentive program for taxable investors to invest in real estate in decades. With an estimated $6.1 trillion of unrealized capital gains, the program uses a free-market approach to create economic resurgence and job creation in the low income and blighted communities.

Qualified opportunity zones are “economically distressed communities where new investments may be eligible for preferential tax treatment.” To qualify as an opportunity zone, a locality had to be nominated for the designation by its state governor and certified by Treasury.  Treasury certified 8,764 census tracks in the 50 states, District of Columbia, and five possessions, including the entire island of Puerto Rico. 

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In Remembrance of Laurie Maggiano

This January marked the first anniversary of the death of Laurie Maggiano, who served as Servicing and Secondary MarketsProgram Manager at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Laurie was an influential leader in the mortgage industry, a role model to her peers, and a beloved friend to many professionals in the housing ecosystem. In honor of her life and memory, NAWRB is sharing heartwarming stories from those who had the pleasure of working with and befriending her.

NAWRB had the honor of featuring Laurie as our sheCENTER(FOLD)in Vol. 4, Issue 4 of our magazine. In her interview, she shared her favorite professional accomplishments, her journey to the top in a male-dominated industry, her love for theater, and words of wisdom for future generations of women professionals.
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Happy Fourth of July!

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Today marks 243 years of independence for the United States! The Fourth of July is a day in which the nation celebrates the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence signed on July 1776. In commemoration of Independence Day, the U.S. Census Bureau has released interesting facts about the Founding Fathers, the nation’s changing population and the various ways Americans celebrate this national holiday.

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sheCENTER(FOLD) Joanne Lipman

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Author of Best-Selling Book That’s What She Said and Former Top of USA TODAY, The Wall Street Journal and Conde Nast

Joanne Lipman

Joanne Lipman, author of the Best-Seller “That’s What She Said,” former Editor in Chief at USA TODAY, and top editor at The Wall Street Journal and Conde Nast, has impacted the corporate world by joining women and men together in addressing the issues women face in the workplace. In an interview with NAWRB, she shares her most memorable experiences working at some of the nation’s most prominent publications, the way social media has changed the media landscape and her top five solutions organizations can use to achieve gender equality.

NAWRB: What are some of your most memorable and least favorite moments working as Editor in Chief at USA TODAY and The Wall Street Journal?
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DOL Announces $48.1 Million Grants for Homeless Veterans’ Workforce Reintegration

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According to a recent HUD report, veterans comprise a little under nine percent of all homeless adults in the U.S., and 37,878 of veterans were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2018. Of these, 62 percent were staying in sheltered locations while 38 percent were staying in locations unsuitable for human habitation. 

To help homeless veterans reintegrate into the workforce in order to afford a stable home, U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexander Acosta announced that the Department of Labor is awarding 149 Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP) grants worth a total of $48.1 million. These funds will be used towards workforce reintegration services for more than 18,000 homeless veterans. 

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