Opportunity Zones: Turning Neglected Neighborhoods Into Attractive Investments

U.S. President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands with Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) (L) during a signing event of an executive order to establish the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council look on Dec. 12, 2018 at the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, D.C. Alex Wong/Getty Images

WASHINGTON—With incentives provided by the Tax Cut and Jobs Act, investors are eager to deploy money into opportunity zones, which are designed to bring investment and jobs to economically distressed areas.

The opportunity zones project has the potential to become the nation’s largest economic-development program. By offering substantial tax breaks, this new program encourages private funds to invest in poor communities.