(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.
(c) Documentation
(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.
References in Text
For the effective date of the Economic Development Administration Reform Act of 1998, referred to in subsec. (d), see section 105 of Pub. L. 105–393, set out as an Effective Date note under section 3121 of this title.
Prior Provisions
A prior section 3161, Pub. L. 89–136, title IV, § 401, Aug. 26, 1965, 79 Stat. 560; Pub. L. 89–794, title XI, § 1102, Nov. 8, 1966, 80 Stat. 1477; Pub. L. 91–123, title III, § 304, Nov. 25, 1969, 83 Stat. 219; Pub. L. 92–65, title I, § 106, Aug. 5, 1971, 85 Stat. 167; Pub. L. 93–423, §§ 3(a), 6, Sept. 27, 1974, 88 Stat. 1158, 1161; Pub. L. 94–487, title I, §§ 113, 114, Oct. 12, 1976, 90 Stat. 2334, set forth criteria for determining eligible redevelopment areas, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–393, § 102(a).
A prior section 301 of Pub. L. 89–136 was classified to section 3151 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–393, § 102(a).
Amendments
2004—Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 108–373 inserted “(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)” after “most recent Federal data available”.