Opportunity Zones - Considered an opportunistic/value add strategy?

OpZone investments essentially require major capex/construction dollars to qualify for the tax benefits, that automatically takes it to opportunistic on the risk curve (along with all development deals for the most part, as you rarely have much of a rent roll to underwrite). 

How do you make money in this? Tax credits mostly?

Redever makes a great point, these strategies take a lot of capital and consideration for the risk. Finding the right deal to receive the tax benefits along with a high return make this a challenging and fun role. 

Honestly, the whole thing was a scam for politicians to hand out money to given supporters.  The decision making behind what areas were designated OZ and which weren't would make a Tammany politician blush.

In any case, people are now pricing in the benefits of the OZ into their sales pricing, so you don't actually gain a ton of benefit.  I'm really only familiar with the tri-state market, but to my knowledge the entire program has been a pretty big dud.  Unless, I guess, you're a wealthy person trying to shield income, in which case perhaps it's been a success, but as far as an engine for jobs growth and helping to alleviate poverty-stricken areas, it's done almost nothing.