Smart Growth Summit: Opportunity Zones 2.0

Bringing Leaders Together to Shape What’s Next

Join the Triangle East Chamber of Commerce for the next installment of our Smart Growth Summit series, where regional leaders come together to explore the issues shaping the future of our communities and economy.

This session will spotlight Opportunity Zones 2.0—the next evolution of a powerful economic development tool designed to drive investment, support business growth, and revitalize underserved communities. As new legislation and regulations take shape, understanding what’s ahead is essential for local leaders, developers, investors, and businesses seeking to stay competitive.

With the July 1 deadline for new Opportunity Zone designations quickly approaching, decisions made now will directly shape where capital flows, and which communities benefit, for the next decade.

Whether you are in economic development, real estate, government, or business leadership, this session will provide timely insights and actionable guidance to help you navigate what comes next.

Be part of the conversation shaping the future of the Triangle East region.

Featured Speaker

Jill Homan
Deputy Director, Trade & Economy Policy, and Campaign Director
American First Policy Institute (AFPI)

Jill Homan is a nationally recognized expert on Opportunity Zones and economic development, currently serving as Deputy Director, Economy & Trade, Campaign Director, and Senior Advisor to the President & CEO at AFPI. With more than 20 years of experience in private equity, she has focused on driving investment into low-income communities and shaping effective Opportunity Zone policy at the federal level.

A Clayton, North Carolina resident, Jill is deeply committed to community development, including workforce housing initiatives. She began her career on Capitol Hill and has held senior leadership roles at the national level. Jill holds dual graduate degrees from Duke University in business and public policy and serves on the Economic Investment Committee for the State of North Carolina, as well as the Triangle East Chamber Board and its Economic Development Committee.