How EB-5 Helps Transform Communities

Roger Berstein

MIAMI—Can EB-5 regional centers actually help transform communities? Roger A. Bernstein , who co-owns an EB-5 regional center in Miami called American Life Investments LLC , is convinced they can. GlobeSt.com caught up with Miami attorney Roger A. Bernstein , who co-owns an EB-5 regional center in Miami called American Life Investments LLC , to discuss the trend. You can still read part one of this interview: Taking the Mystery Out of EB-5 Regional Centers . Globest.com: What role do EB-5 regional centers play transforming neighborhoods? Bernstein: As a lawyer for regional centers in South Florida, I have seen the growing impact regional center-sponsored developments have on certain neighborhoods. Successful examples are Design 41, a mixed-use project designed by renowned architect Enrique Norten in the Miami’s Design District, and Las Olas Ocean Resort, a planned 136-room hotel in Fort Lauderdale. In both instances, the presence of these projects helped serve as a catalyst for positive growth in the communities where they are planned and will create in excess  of 1,000 jobs. This is a win-win-win for the developers who receive financing, the communities who receive economic benefits and for the foreign investors who will realize their goal of having their families immigrate to America. GlobeSt.com: What’s the role of your regional center, American Life Investments LLC, with CCCC Miami Tower? Bernstein: As the sponsor of the project, our role is to ensure compliance with all applicable federal regulations and program rules. American Life Investments will also oversee all administrative matters involving the maintenance and compliance of the Regional Center, under USCIS guidelines. We will assist investing members by providing information with respect to the processing of the I-526 Petitions and the issuance of the I-829 Petition Approvals that will eventually be required for Investing Members to obtain permanent residency status. In particular, the regional center will carefully monitor and provide critical information with respect to the requisite job creation numbers to assure that the process will be successfully completed. American Life Investments will also guide issuers in marketing and fundraising initiatives while monitoring their performance on the raise in accordance with ethical standards. Lastly, through its management team, the Investing Members will be apprised on development of the actual project for which their funds are being utilized.