Hollywood: Swingin’! New Cali EB-5 Regional Center APPROVED

Just received the attorney’s copy of the USCIS letter of approval for Hollywood International Regional Center, LLC, and high-fives are flying!  Richard Heyman’s brainchild, HIRC, like most of the best EB-5 Regional Centers, stems from the dual sources of relentless entrepreneurship and deep affection for a particular geographic region.  In Richard’s case, that “geographic region” begins in the legendary streets of Hollywood, California, practically right around the corner from the new LatourLaw West Coast office (of which I’ll be telling you soon.) Covering the five counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura, HIRC will focus on the hospitality industry, particularly hotels and restaurants situated with the economically-challenged-yet-still-beloved sectors of t…

New Shark in the House…

Okay, in the past week days I've had two existing EB-5 RC clients come to me after hearing flat out lies from securities attorneys attempting to make a fast buck…and today I had a THIRD (prospective) client ask me the same question.It would appear the latest incarnation of the Man in the Gray Suit (i.e., shark) on the EB-5 scene is The Securities Lawyer, Part II.  Now some are pushing a “Reg D filing” fear…when, by DEFINITION, an offering made under the Reg D exemption to 17 CFR § 230.501 is an “EXEMPTION TO REGISTRATION”.  Don't believe me?  Here's what the SEC has to say: http://www.sec.gov/answers/regd.htmThe only thing an EB-5 funded project has to file is the horrific Form D…but only AFTER investments start coming in.  Form D, a pain i…

New EB-5 Regional Center vs. Strategic Alliances for FVC

With USCIS’ announcement on August 2 that "within 30 days" some form of “premium processing” will be announced for EB-5 Regional Center applications, our sector is abuzz with speculation.  Those 30 days toll this week, and we are hopeful that Mr. Mayorkas will deliver as promised.  That news – plus USCIS’ affirmation that a EB-5 Regional Center may be indeed owned by non-U.S. persons — has generated a burst of inquiries and requests for EB-5 Regional Center formations.  Simultaneously eliminating any speculative market for the resale of existing, approved EB-5 Regional Centers AND acceding to the President’s initiative to stimulate foreign capital investment in the U.S. by creating a more “investor-friendly” climate, the rush of activity – most o…

USCIS/DHS Gets Serious About EB-5

To the ABSOLUTE DELIGHT of the EB-5 Community, on August 2, 2011 Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas just unveiled a series of policy, operational, and outreach efforts “to fuel the nation's economy and stimulate investment by attracting foreign entrepreneurial talent of exceptional ability or who otherwise can create jobs, form startup companies, and invest capital in areas of high unemployment.” To paraphrase, they’re clued in on the fact that slo-mo timelines mean foreign venture capital (FVC) takes a loooooooong time to get to job-starved U.S. communities. I’m linking the Press Release HERE but here are the main points: • For the first time, they gave legit airtime to Startup Am…