Earlier this year, an overhaul to the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS) opened to the doors to new sources of startup capital. Several changes are still under evaluation yet Section II, which dictates the guidelines for advertising, now allows firms to use ads to garner support from accredited investors. As a result, several commercial projects have successfully raised the funds needed to get off of the ground—some raising as much as $30 million. Leading senior housing developer, Mainstreet, successfully used crowdsourcing to jump start its Bloomington, Indiana senior rehabilitation facility. In addition to its traditional marketing strategy, Mainstreet took advantage of the new guidelines by creating television and internet ads to garner support. The firm also partnered with CrowdStreet to get the word out about the project. CrowdStreet is a virtual marketplace where accredited investors can shop for opportunities; users find detailed information on upcoming projects and can participate with an e-signature and a predetermined minimum contribution. Within four weeks, the duo had raised $1.6 million. “By providing access to a larger pool of accredited investors and streamlining the fundraising effort, CrowdStreet helped Mainstreet raise a large amount of capital in a very short period of time without diverting focus from their business,” said CrowdStreet Co-founder Darren Powderly. “The CrowdStreet marketplace is designed to simplify transactions between U.S. accredited investors and real estate operators like Mainstreet. This Bloomington campaign produced a tremendous result and we look forward to generating more interest and capital for Mainstreet in future projects.” To some extent, CrowdStreet was an easy sell. Mainstreet’s proposal seems promising enough; the demand for senior care and housing facilities continues to rise. While there are several novice developers trying to clamber onto the senior bandwagon, established names like Mainstreet offer investors the security...