The New Markets Tax Credit Program was established to spur investments in operating businesses and real estate projects located in low-income communities. The program attracts investment capital by permitting individual and corporate investors to receive a tax credit against their Federal income tax return in exchange for making equity investments in specialized financial institutions.

Real estate tax credits are tools the federal government and state governments use to encourage investment in the development of real estate that is necessary and beneficial to a community, but not financially feasible without additional incentives.

The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) is the most successful affordable rental housing production program in U.S. history. It is the federal government’s primary program for encouraging banks and other corporations to invest private equity in the development of affordable, multi-family rental housing for low-income households.