Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110
§11501 Designation of Enterprise Zones
Title 42 › CHAPTER 120 — ENTERPRISE ZONE DEVELOPMENT › § 11501
Summary
The HUD Secretary can pick up to 100 areas to be called enterprise zones. Local and State governments must nominate an area. The HUD Secretary must talk 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 Indian reservation areas. At least one-third of the chosen areas must be rural (for example, in places with local populations under 50,000, outside metropolitan areas, or otherwise found rural). HUD had to write rules about nominations, size, and how areas are judged no later than 4 months after February 5, 1988, and could make designations only during the 24-month period starting the first day of the first month after the month the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 was enacted. An area can be picked only if it is inside one local government, has a continuous boundary, and meets population limits (at least 4,000 if part of a metro area of 50,000 or more, otherwise at least 1,000, or it may be all on an Indian reservation). The State and local governments must certify the area is full of poverty, unemployment, and general distress, that unemployment is at least 1.5 times the national rate, that each populous census tract has a poverty rate of at least 20 percent, and that the area meets one of these tests: 70 percent of households have incomes below 80 percent of the local median, or the area’s population dropped 20 percent or more between 1970 and 1980. Rural nominations must meet the poverty and eligibility tests plus at least one other test. The State and local governments must promise in writing to follow a plan that reduces burdens on employers and workers and must include at least four types of actions (examples: lower taxes or fees, better public services, less paperwork, job training and local business help, minority contractor preference, or giving surplus land to neighborhood groups). HUD can refuse, or later revoke, a zone if officials don’t meet their commitments after a hearing. A designation lasts until the earliest of: December 31 of the 24th calendar year after the year it was designated, a termination date set by the State and local governments, or the date HUD revokes it.
Full Legal Text
Title 42, §11501
The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Designation of zones
(1)“Enterprise zone” defined
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)Number of designations
(A)In general
The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may designate not more than 100 nominated areas as enterprise zones.
(B)Minimum designation in rural areas
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)Areas designated based solely on degree of poverty
(A)In general
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)Exception where inadequate course of action, etc.
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)Separate application to rural and other areas
Subparagraph (A) shall be applied separately with respect to areas described in paragraph (2)(B) and to other areas.
(4)Limitation on designations
(A)Publication of regulations
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)Time limitations
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)Procedural rules
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)Nomination process for Indian reservations
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)Period for which designation is in effect
(1)In general
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)
(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)Revocation of designation
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)Area and eligibility requirements
(1)In general
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)Area requirements
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)Eligibility requirements
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)Eligibility requirements for rural areas
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)Required State and local commitments
(1)In general
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)Course of action
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)Recognition of past efforts
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)Prohibition of assistance for business relocations
(A)In general
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)Exception
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)Definitions
For purposes of this section: (1) Government
(2)Local government
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)Secretary
The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
(4)State
The term “State” includes Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other possession of the United States.
Legislative History
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.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
42 U.S.C. § 11501
Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110