July 10, 2025, Washington, DC — “With the signing into law of H.R. 1—the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’—with Opportunity Zones 2.0 fully intact, we’re celebrating a generational win for underserved communities, responsible developers, and long-term investors. These bipartisan improvements underscore a recommitment to place-based investment and firmly establish Opportunity Zones as a permanent pillar in America’s economic development toolkit.
The updated provisions—such as a five‑year rolling deferral and simplified basis step-ups—will unlock fresh momentum for catalytic projects across urban, rural, and tribal America. They’re smart, responsive, and investor-friendly—and they resolve the ‘dead zones’ that stalled deployment under OZ 1.0.
Even more exciting: investors in rural OZ tracts now receive a 30 % basis step‑up after five years, alongside a reduced 50 % substantial‑improvement threshold—clear proof that equity and economic growth can advance in lockstep.
With the Big Beautiful Bill signed by the President on July 4, 2025, our focus turns to amplification. It’s time to tell this story—highlight real people, real places, and model what inclusive growth looks like.
OFA is launching a refreshed communications strategy today. Through digital storytelling, investor briefings, community spotlights, and bipartisan policy roundtables, we aim to scale this movement and heighten its visibility.
Opportunity Zones are no longer a pilot. They are a promise—and now, they’re permanent.”