The Association to Invest in the USA (IIUSA), the national not-for-profit industry trade association for the EB-5 Regional Center Program (the “program”), today announced that the organization has reached an important milestone, with membership topping 200 Regional Centers for the first time. IIUSA now represents 202 Regional Centers serving 46 states along with more than 210 associate members that include attorneys, broker-dealers, consultants, developers, economists, financial advisors and migration intermediaries.
An EB-5 Regional Center is an organization that maximizes the EB-5 immigrant investor program’s job creation benefits. By facilitating the investment of significant amounts of capital in large-scale projects, often in coordination with regional economic development agencies, regional centers use the EB-5 funds to leverage additional capital.
Regional centers can be publicly owned, (e.g. by a city, state, or regional economic development agency), privately owned, or public-private partnerships. While there is significant variation in how Regional Centers operate, in general, Regional Centers:
- Identify investment opportunities that will create jobs in local communities, often in partnership with economic development agencies;
- assist in marketing those investment opportunities to investors from around the world; and,
- ensure that the investment offering complies with federal and state securities laws and SEC regulations as well as specific EB-5 requirements.
An IIUSA-commissioned economic study released in February 2014 found that U.S. EB-5 immigrant investor visa program contributed $3.39 billion to U.S. GDP and supported over 42,000 U.S. jobs during fiscal year 2012. This is more than a two-fold increase from the average annual impact result reported in 2011. A copy of the report, the most comprehensive EB-5 study in the marketplace, can be purchased exclusively from the IIUSA marketplace for $99 (members earn 50 percent off, see discount code here).
IIUSA’s members account for more than 95 percent of capital flowing through the EB-5 program. Capital investments made by IIUSA members have supported successful economic development projects, including:
- Redevelopment of a closed Air Force base in Southern California into a vital commercial area including a distribution center and regional airport.
- Development of assisted and retirement living communities in Washington State, creating 800 jobs and serving approximately 130 seniors.
- The transformation of the closed Navy yard in Philadelphia into a dynamic, multi-use development now home to 130 companies and 10,000 employees.
- Restoration of the historic “Alaska Club” building in Seattle, creating a modern hotel that employs almost 100 people and serves over 100,000 hotel guests annually.
- Expansion of a one season ski-resort in Vermont into a thriving four season vacation destination.
- Rehabilitation of a 100 year old building into a hotel that created of 161 jobs while kick-starting the revitalization of an historic Dallas neighborhood.
IIUSA’s Regional Center Members are listed on the Interactive Regional Center Map, which lists each Regional Center’s location, approval date, states served, approved geography and industries, website and more. This map is further searchable by which members have I-526 (Immigrant Petition) and I-829 (Removal of Conditions) approvals.
About IIUSA
Founded in 2005, the Association to Invest In the USA (IIUSA®) is the national membership-based 501(c)(6) not-for-profit industry trade association for the EB-5 Regional Center Program (the “Program”). IIUSA’s primary mission is to make the Program a permanent and successful part of 21st century U.S. economic development policy. For more information, visit iiusa.org. To join IIUSA, fill out a membership application.
