§11501 — Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare | U.S. Code

Summary

HUD can name up to 100 nominated areas as enterprise zones to get special help. Before naming any, HUD must consult with the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, and the Treasury, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration, and with the Secretary of the Interior for areas on Indian reservations. At least one-third of the zones must be small or rural: either within local jurisdictions under 50,000 people, outside metropolitan statistical areas, or otherwise judged rural by the Secretary after consulting Commerce. HUD must write rules no later than 4 months following February 5, 1988, on how to nominate areas, zone size and population limits, and how nominations will be scored. HUD may only make zone designations during the 24-month period beginning on the 1st day of the 1st month following the month in which the date of the enactment of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 occurs. Zones must be inside one local government, have continuous boundaries, meet minimum population rules (4,000 if any part is in an MSA of 50,000+; otherwise 1,000), or lie entirely on an Indian reservation. States and local governments must certify the area has deep poverty and joblessness and meet specific tests (unemployment at least 1.5 times the national rate, census-tract poverty at least 20 percent, and either at least 70 percent of households under 80 percent of local median income or a 20 percent population drop from 1970 to 1980). The state and local governments must sign a written plan that uses at least four types of actions (for example, tax cuts, better public services, less paperwork, job training and business help, minority contractor preferences, or giving surplus land to neighborhood groups). A zone stays in effect until the earlier of December 31 of the 24th calendar year after its designation, a termination date the state/local set, or revocation by HUD if the governments do not follow their commitments after a hearing. Defined terms: local government = county/city/town or similar unit (and combinations, plus D.C.); Secretary = Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; State = includes Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and other U.S. possessions.

Title 42, §11501

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)For purposes of this section, the term “enterprise zone” means any area that—

(A)is nominated by one or more local governments and the State or States in which it is located for designation as an enterprise zone (in this section referred to as a “nominated area”); and

(B)the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development designates as an enterprise zone, after consultation with—

(i)the Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, Labor, and the Treasury, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration; and

(ii)in the case of an area on an Indian reservation, the Secretary of the Interior.

(2)(A)The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may designate not more than 100 nominated areas as enterprise zones.

(B)Of the areas designated under subparagraph (A), not less than ⅓ shall be areas that—

(i)are within a local government jurisdiction or jurisdictions with a population of less than 50,000 (as determined under the most recent census data available);

(ii)are outside of a metropolitan statistical area (as designated by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget); or

(iii)that are determined by the Secretary, after consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, to be rural areas.

(3)(A)Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall designate (i) the nominated areas with the highest average ranking with respect to the criteria set forth in subparagraphs (C) and (D) of subsection (c)(3), and the 1 criterion set forth in subparagraph (E)(i) or (E)(ii) of subsection (c)(3) that gives an area a higher ranking; and (ii) for areas described in paragraph (2)(B), the nominated areas with the highest ranking with respect to the 1 criterion set forth in subparagraph (C), (D), (E)(i), or (E)(ii) of subsection (c)(3) that gives an area a higher ranking. For purposes of the preceding sentence, an area shall be ranked within each such criterion on the basis of the amount by which the area exceeds such criterion, with the area that exceeds such criterion by the greatest amount given the highest ranking.

(B)An area shall not be designated under subparagraph (A) if the Secretary determines that the course of action with respect to such area is inadequate.

(C)Subparagraph (A) shall be applied separately with respect to areas described in paragraph (2)(B) and to other areas.

(4)(A)Before designating any area as an enterprise zone, the Secretary shall prescribe by regulation not later than 4 months following February 5, 1988, after consultation with the officials described in paragraph (1)(B)—

(i)the procedures for nominating an area under paragraph (1)(A);

(ii)the parameters relating to the size and population characteristics of an enterprise zone; and

(iii)the manner in which nominated areas will be evaluated based on the criteria specified in subsection (d).

(B)The Secretary shall designate nominated areas as enterprise zones only during the 24-month period beginning on the 1st day of the 1st month following the month in which the date of the enactment of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 occurs.

(C)The Secretary shall not make any designation under paragraph (1) unless—

(i)the local governments and the State in which the nominated area is located have the authority—

(I)to nominate such area for designation as an enterprise zone;

(II)to make the State and local commitments under subsection (d); and

(III)to provide assurances satisfactory to the Secretary that such commitments will be fulfilled;

(ii)a nomination therefor is submitted in such a manner and in such form, and contains such information, as the Secretary shall by regulation prescribe;

(iii)the Secretary determines that any information furnished is reasonably accurate; and

(iv)the State and local governments certify that no portion of the area nominated is already included in an enterprise zone or in an area otherwise nominated to be an enterprise zone.

(5)In the case of a nominated area on an Indian reservation, the reservation governing body (as determined by the Secretary of the Interior) shall be deemed to be both the State and local governments with respect to such area.

(b)(1)Any designation of an area as an enterprise zone shall remain in effect during the period beginning on the date of the designation and ending on the earliest of—

(A)December 31 of the 24th calendar year following the calendar year in which such date occurs;

(B)the termination date designated by the State and local governments as provided for in their nomination pursuant to subsection (a)(4)(C)(ii); or

(C)the date the Secretary revokes such designation under paragraph (2).

(2)The Secretary, after consultation with the officials described in subsection (a)(1)(B) and a hearing on the record involving officials of the State or local government involved, may revoke the designation of an area if the Secretary determines that the local government or the State in which it is located is not complying substantially with the State and local commitments pursuant to subsection (d).

(c)(1)The Secretary may make a designation of any nominated area under subsection (a)(1) only if it meets the requirements of paragraphs (2) and (3).

(2)A nominated area meets the requirements of this paragraph if—

(A)the area is within the jurisdiction of the local government;

(B)the boundary of the area is continuous; and

(C)the area—

(i)has a population, as determined by the most recent census data available, of not less than—

(I)4,000 if any portion of such area (other than a rural area described in subsection (a)(2)(B)(i)) is located within a metropolitan statistical area (as designated by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget) with a population of 50,000 or more; or

(II)1,000 in any other case; or

(ii)is entirely within an Indian reservation (as determined by the Secretary of the Interior).

(3)For purposes of paragraph (1), a nominated area meets the requirements of this paragraph if the State and local governments in which it is located certify and the Secretary, after such review of supporting data as he deems appropriate, accepts such certification, that—

(A)the area is one of pervasive poverty, unemployment, and general distress;

(B)the area is located wholly within the jurisdiction of a local government that is eligible for Federal assistance under section 5318 of this title, as in effect on October 28, 1992;

(C)the unemployment rate, as determined by the appropriate available data, was not less than 1.5 times the national unemployment rate for that period;

(D)the poverty rate (as determined by the most recent census data available) for each populous census tract (or where not tracted, the equivalent county division as defined by the Bureau of the Census for the purpose of defining poverty areas) within the area was not less than 20 percent for the period to which such data relate; and

(E)the area meets at least one of the following criteria:

(i)Not less than 70 percent of the households living in the area have incomes below 80 percent of the median income of households of the local government (determined in the same manner as under section 5318 of this title).

(ii)The population of the area decreased by 20 percent or more between 1970 and 1980 (as determined from the most recent census available).

(4)For purposes of paragraph (1), a nominated area that is a rural area described in subsection (a)(2)(B) meets the requirements of paragraph (3) if the State and local governments in which it is located certify and the Secretary, after such review of supporting data as he deems appropriate, accepts such certification, that the area meets—

(A)the criteria set forth in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (3); and

(B)not less than one of the criteria set forth in the other subparagraphs of paragraph (3).

(d)(1)No nominated area shall be designated as an enterprise zone unless the local government and the State in which it is located agree in writing that, during any period during which the area is an enterprise zone, such governments will follow a specified course of action designated to reduce the various burdens borne by employers or employees in such area. A course of action shall not be treated as meeting the requirements of this paragraph unless the course of action include provisions described in not less than 4 of the subparagraphs of paragraph (2).

(2)The course of action under paragraph (1) may be implemented by both such governments and private nongovernmental entities, may be funded from proceeds of any program administered by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development or of any program administered by the Secretary of Agriculture under title V of the Housing Act of 1949 [42 U.S.C. 1471 et seq.], and may include, but is not limited to—

(A)a reduction of tax rates or fees applying within the enterprise zone;

(B)an increase in the level of public services, or in the efficiency of the delivery of public services, within the enterprise zone;

(C)actions to reduce, remove, simplify, or streamline paperwork requirements within the enterprise zone;

(D)involvement in the program by public authorities or private entities, organizations, neighborhood associations, and community groups, particularly those within the nominated area, including a written commitment to provide jobs and job training for, and technical, financial, or other assistance to, employers, employees, and residents of the nominated area;

(E)the giving of special preference to contractors owned and operated by members of any minority; and

(F)the gift (or sale at below fair market value) of surplus land in the enterprise zone to neighborhood organizations agreeing to operate a business on the land.

(3)In evaluating courses of action agreed to by any State or local government, the Secretary shall take into account the past efforts of such State or local government in reducing the various burdens borne by employers and employees in the area involved.

(4)(A)The course of action implemented under paragraph (1) may not include any action to assist—

(i)any establishment relocating from one area to another area; or

(ii)any subcontractor whose purpose is to divest, or whose economic success is dependent upon divesting, any other contractor or subcontractor of any contract customarily performed by such other contractor or subcontractor.

(B)The limitations established in subparagraph (A) shall not be construed to prohibit assistance for the expansion of an existing business entity through the establishment of a new branch, affiliate, or subsidiary if the Secretary—

(i)finds that the establishment of the new branch, affiliate, or subsidiary will not result in an increase in unemployment in the area of original location or in any other area where the existing business entity conducts business operations; and

(ii)has no reason to believe that the new branch, affiliate, or subsidiary is being established with the intention of closing down the operations of the existing business entity in the area of its original location or in any other area where the existing business entity conducts business operations.

(e)For purposes of this section:

(1)If more than one government seeks to nominate an area as an enterprise zone, any reference to, or requirement of, this section shall apply to all such governments.

(2)The term “local government” means—

(A)any county, city, town, township, parish, village, or other general purpose political subdivision of a State;

(B)any combination of political subdivisions described in subparagraph (A) recognized by the Secretary; and

(C)the District of Columbia.

(3)The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

(4)The term “State” includes Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other possession of the United States.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The date of the enactment of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, referred to in subsec. (a)(4)(B), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 102–550, which was approved Oct. 28, 1992. The Housing Act of 1949, referred to in subsec. (d)(2), is act July 15, 1949, ch. 338, 63 Stat. 413. Title V of the Housing Act of 1949 is classified generally to subchapter III (§ 1471 et seq.) of chapter 8A of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 1441 of this title and Tables.

Amendments

1992—Subsec. (a)(4)(B). Pub. L. 102–550, § 834(a)(1), substituted “the date of the enactment of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 occurs” for “the

Effective Date

of the

Regulations

described in subparagraph (A) occurs”. Subsec. (c)(3)(B). Pub. L. 102–550, § 834(a)(2), substituted “

October 28, 1992” for “

February 5, 1988”. 1988—Subsec. (a)(2)(B). Pub. L. 100–628, § 1090(b), substituted “under subparagraph (A)” for “under clause (i)” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (a)(3)(A). Pub. L. 100–628, § 1090(a), amended first sentence generally. Prior to amendment, first sentence read as follows: “Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall designate the nominated areas with the highest average ranking with respect to the criteria set forth in subparagraphs (C), (D), and (E) of subsection (c)(3) of this section.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Regulations

Pub. L. 100–628, title X, § 1090(c), Nov. 7, 1988, 102 Stat. 3283, provided that not later than 30 days after Nov. 7, 1988, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development was to revise the

Regulations

issued by the Secretary to carry out title VII of Pub. L. 100–242 (42 U.S.C. 11501 et seq.) by issuing a final regulation that carried out the

Amendments

made to this section by section 1090 of Pub. L. 100–628.

§11501 Designation of enterprise zones

Summary

Title 42, §11501

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Short Title

Amendments

Effective Date

Regulations

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Regulations

Regulations

Amendments

Citations & Metadata