Carson, Braun Tout Opportunity Zones At Indianapolis Site

U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson says opportunity zones are helping revitalize communities in the Hoosier State and across the country.

Carson and Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.) toured a major opportunity zone project in Indianapolis Thursday.

Opportunity zones are low-income areas where investments and developments are eligible for federal tax breaks. There are 156 in Indiana, including one in Indianapolis that’s home to an abandoned factory campus. Carson says it will become two charter schools and a pair of housing complexes.

READ MORE: Governor Nominates More Than 150 Areas As ‘Opportunity Zones’

“We’re seeing the rebirth of our national spirit, our pride, positivity and our potential,” Carson says.

Braun says the Indianapolis site proves what opportunity zones can generate.

“You’ve got a great state like Indiana that will take this federal investment and hopefully it’ll cascade across the neighborhoods here,” Braun says.

Carson says the designation for the Indianapolis site helped generate millions of dollars in federal help.

Contact Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5