Michael Snidal

Opportunity Zones: A Baseline Evaluation in West Baltimore

Lecture by Michael Snidal, Doctoral candidate in Urban Planning, Columbia University

Opportunity Zones (“OZ”), established by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, represents the federal government’s largest commitment to place-based investment in decades. What is the early evidence of its effects? This talk presented the findings from 76 interviews with community and government officials, program managers, developers, businesses, and fund managers about OZ economic development outcomes in West Baltimore. Snidal concluded with a set of short-term policy recommendations and discusses the broader federal policy framework that is necessary to attract durable and equitable investment into highly distressed neighborhoods.

Michael Snidal is a doctoral candidate in urban planning at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. Snidal is also the Principal of Snidal Real Estate, a Baltimore-based construction and property management firm. He was formerly the director of neighborhood development for West Baltimore at the Baltimore Development Corporation. His work and opinions have been featured in academic and popular news sources such as the Baltimore Sun, the Washington Post, and the Financial Times.