§15702 Distressed counties and areas

Summary

Each Commission must, within 90 days after this law and then every year, sort counties in its region into four groups. Distressed counties are the most badly and long-term hurt, with high poverty, unemployment, or people leaving. Transitional counties are struggling or recently hit by high poverty, unemployment, or outmigration. Attainment counties are those not in the first two groups. Isolated areas of distress are poor pockets inside attainment counties with high poverty, unemployment, or outmigration. At least 50 percent of the money given to a Commission under this subtitle must go to programs for distressed counties and isolated areas of distress. Projects in attainment counties generally cannot get funds, except for administrative grants to local development districts under section 15505, or if the Commission waives the rule for a multicounty project that includes an attainment county or for other projects that would clearly help areas outside the attainment county. That waiver rule does not apply to counties named in paragraphs (2) or (3) of section 15735 or to the Southern New England Regional Commission. Designations of isolated areas must be supported by the most recent Federal data, or by the State’s latest data if Federal data are not available.