Opportunity Zones (OZs) are a government strategy introduced in 2017 to attract increased investment in low-investment census tracts. But are low- to middle-income neighborhoods being elevated and integrated, or are OZs contributing to the darker side of gentrification: rising taxes and neighborhood displacement? Are Opportunity Zones achieving their purpose? New research suggests that they are not.

Opportunity Zones (OZ) were implemented by the federal government and some state and local governments in 2017 to attract new investments to distressed communities in urban and rural areas in the United States. The program offers tax incentives to private businesses for investing in OZ designated neighborhoods.

To address increasing housing affordability issues in the District of Columbia, the local government has implemented several housing programs including the Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP), the Employer Assisted Housing Program (EAHP), and the Inclusionary Zoning/Affordable Dwelling Units (IZ/ADU) program. These programs provide support ranging from rent regulations, to down payment and closing cost subsidies for potential homeowners, to inclusionary zoning requirements.