Governor Bill Lee hosted HUD Secretary Scott Turner in Nashville to discuss “the future of Opportunity Zones in Tennessee,” the governor said, crediting the incentive with helping “unlock investment, create jobs & expand opportunity” across the state and pledging to keep working alongside HUD. The meeting lands mid-decision for Tennessee: 507 of the state’s census tracts clear the statutory income and poverty thresholds, and under the 25% federal cap the governor may nominate roughly 127 of them before the September 28 deadline, with designations effective January 1, 2027. Turner chaired the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during the first Trump administration, making him the administration’s most closely identified official with the program — and his presence as a governor finalizes a slate is a signal of how much federal attention the second designation round is drawing. Tennessee Economic and Community Development is running the state’s process; local nominations have already surfaced in Hamilton County, where Chattanooga officials pushed three Rossville Boulevard tracts with a local incentive package attached.
Original reporting by Sarah Whitfield for Opportunity Zone Invest, an independent OZ 2.0 research site. Facts are drawn from the primary sources cited above per our editorial standards. Nothing here is tax, legal, or investment advice.
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