CFR > Title 24 - Housing and Urban Development > SUBTITLE B—Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development > CHAPTER V—OFFICE OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (parts 500 to 599) > SUBCHAPTER C—COMMUNITY FACILITIES (parts 570 to 599) > PART 598—URBAN EMPOWERMENT ZONES: ROUND TWO AND THREE DESIGNATIONS > SUBPART B—Eligibility Requirements (§598.100 to §598.115) > 598.100—Eligibility requirements.

598.100—Eligibility requirements.

A nominated urban area is eligible for designation in accordance with this part only if the area:
(a) Has a maximum population that is the lesser of:
(1) 200,000; or
(2) The greater of 50,000 or ten percent of the population of the most populous city located within the nominated area;
(b) Is one of pervasive poverty, unemployment and general distress, as described in § 598.110 ;
(c) Does not exceed twenty square miles in total land area, excluding up to three noncontiguous developable sites that are exempt from the poverty criteria;
(d) Has a continuous boundary, or consists of not more than three non-contiguous parcels meeting the poverty criteria, and not more than three noncontiguous developable sites exempt under § 598.115(c)(1) from the poverty rate criteria;
(e) Is located entirely within the jurisdiction of the unit or units of general local government making the nomination, and is located in no more than two contiguous States; and
(f) Does not include any portion of a central business district, as this term is used in the most recent Census of Retail Trade, unless the poverty rate for each census tract in the district is not less than 35 percent.