TITLE 42 - US CODE - SUBCHAPTER III - ELIGIBILITY; COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES

42 USC 3161 - Eligibility of areas

(a) In general
For a project to be eligible for assistance under section 3141 or 3149 of this title, the project shall be located in an area that, on the date of submission of the application, meets 1 or more of the following criteria:

(1) Low per capita income
The area has a per capita income of 80 percent or less of the national average.

(2) Unemployment rate above national average
The area has an unemployment rate that is, for the most recent 24-month period for which data are available, at least 1 percent greater than the national average unemployment rate.

(3) Unemployment or economic adjustment problems
The area is an area that the Secretary determines has experienced or is about to experience a special need arising from actual or threatened severe unemployment or economic adjustment problems resulting from severe short-term or long-term changes in economic conditions.

(b) Political boundaries of areas
An area that meets 1 or more of the criteria of subsection (a) of this section, including a small area of poverty or high unemployment within a larger community in less economic distress, shall be eligible for assistance under section 3141 or 3149 of this title without regard to political or other subdivisions or boundaries.

(1) In general
A determination of eligibility under subsection (a) of this section shall be supported by the most recent Federal data available (including data available from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, or any other Federal source determined by the Secretary to be appropriate), or, if no recent Federal data is available, by the most recent data available through the government of the State in which the area is located.

(2) Acceptance by Secretary
The documentation shall be accepted by the Secretary unless the Secretary determines that the documentation is inaccurate.

(d) Prior designations
Any designation of a redevelopment area made before the effective date of the Economic Development Administration Reform Act of 1998 shall not be effective after that effective date.

42 USC 3162 - Comprehensive economic development strategies

(a) In general
The Secretary may provide assistance under section 3141 or 3149 of this title (except for planning assistance under section 3149 of this title) to an eligible recipient for a project only if the eligible recipient submits to the Secretary, as part of an application for the assistance

(1) an identification of the economic development problems to be addressed using the assistance;

(2) an identification of the past, present, and projected future economic development investments in the area receiving the assistance and public and private participants and sources of funding for the investments; and

(3)

(A) a comprehensive economic development strategy for addressing the economic problems identified under paragraph (1) in a manner that promotes economic development and opportunity, fosters effective transportation access, maximizes effective development and use of the workforce consistent with any applicable State or local workforce investment strategy, promotes the use of technology in economic development (including access to high-speed telecommunications), enhances and protects the environment, and balances resources through sound management of development; and

(B) a description of how the strategy will solve the problems.

(b) Approval of comprehensive economic development strategy
The Secretary shall approve a comprehensive economic development strategy that meets the requirements of subsection (a) of this section to the satisfaction of the Secretary.

(1) In general
The Secretary may accept as a comprehensive economic development strategy a satisfactory plan developed under another federally supported program.

(2) Existing strategy
To the maximum extent practicable, a plan submitted under this paragraph shall be consistent and coordinated with any existing comprehensive economic development strategy for the area.