The U.S. Real Estate Industry Needs EB-5

In an article for Forbes, JTC’s Jill Jones explains why reauthorization of the Regional Center Program should matter to real estate professionals.

For more than 30 years, the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program has facilitated immigration, created jobs in American communities, and provided billions of dollars of investment capital to the U.S. real estate industry. Most of this investment has come through the Regional Center Program, a temporary initiative that requires periodic reauthorization by Congress, most recently through the passage of the EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022 (RIA).

The current authorization of the Regional Center Program is set to expire on September 30th, 2027. If the program is not renewed by Congress before that time, immigrant investors will no longer be able to participate (as was the case during the program’s lapse prior to the RIA), and the economic and job creation benefits of these EB-5 investments will be lost.

While immigrant investors and EB-5 professionals are acutely aware of the need for reauthorization, whether it comes in the form of a permanent version of the program or another temporary renewal, many Americans whose communities benefit from EB-5 capital may be unaware that this crucial source of investment is in danger.

That’s why JTC’s Jill Jones, in a piece for Forbes, seeks to educate readers about the need for the Regional Center Program to continue. Titled Five Reasons The Real Estate Industry Should Care About EB-5 Reauthorization, the article covers some of the benefits of EB-5 capital for real estate developers and the communities where jobs and investment are directed because of EB-5. As we continue to work toward reauthorization, outreach and education will be critical components of that effort to help lawmakers, professionals, and citizens understand the good EB-5 has done and can continue to do.