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Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities

Published by Office of Policy Development and Research, GIS Helpdesk and Open Data Division | Department of Housing and Urban Development | Catalog Last Checked: September 30, 2026 at 03:13 PM | Dataset Last Updated: November 29, 2023 at 10:43 PM
This service provides spatial data and infromation on Empowerment Zones Renewal and Enterprise Communities (EZRC). Introduced in 1993, the Empowerment Zone (EZ), Enterprise Community (EC), and Renewal Community (RC) Initiatives sought to reduce unemployment and generate economic growth through the designation of Federal tax incentives and award of grants to distressed communities. Introduced in 1993, the Empowerment Zone (EZ), Enterprise Community (EC), and Renewal Community (RC) Initiatives sought to reduce unemployment and generate economic growth through the designation of Federal tax incentives and award of grants to distressed communities. Local, Tribal, and State governments interested in participating in this program were required to present comprehensive plans that included the following principles: Strategic Visions for Change, Community-Based Partnerships, Economic Opportunities, and Sustainable Community Development. Communities selected to participate in this program embraced these principles and led projects that promoted economic development in their distressed communities. The EZ/EC initiative was implemented in the form of three competitions authorized by Congress in 1994 (round I), 1998 (round II), and 2001 (round III). The EC designation expired in 2004 and EZ and RC designations generally expired at the end of 2009. However, the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, Pub. L. No. 111-312 extended the Empowerment Zone and DC Enterprise Zone designations to December 31, 2011. Following the end of the first EZ designation extension on December 31, 2011, the American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA) of 2012, signed into law by President Obama on January 2, 2013, provided for an extension of the Empowerment Zone designations for Empowerment Zone Tax Credit purposes only until December 31, 2013. The ATRA of 2012 did not extend the designation of the DC Enterprise Zone. The third retroactive extension of the Empowerment Zone designation, for the purpose claiming EZ tax credits only, was the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 (TIPA 2014). TIPA 2014 was signed into law by President Obama on December 19, 2014 and extended the EZ designation for the purpose of businesses and entities claiming EZ tax incentives until December 31, 2014. TIPA 2014 did not extend the designation of the DC Enterprise Zone. To learn more about Empowerment Zones Renewal and Enterprise Communities (EZRC) visit: https://www.hud.gov/hudprograms/empowerment_zones , for questions about the spatial attribution of this dataset, please reach out to us at GISHelpdesk@hud.gov. Data Dictionary: DD_Empowerment Zones Renewal and Enterprise Communities Date of Coverage: Through 2014

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Complete Metadata
@type Dataset
accessRights Public
accrualPeriodicity irregular
bureauCode 
[
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contactPoint 
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description This service provides spatial data and infromation on Empowerment Zones Renewal and Enterprise Communities (EZRC). Introduced in 1993, the Empowerment Zone (EZ), Enterprise Community (EC), and Renewal Community (RC) Initiatives sought to reduce unemployment and generate economic growth through the designation of Federal tax incentives and award of grants to distressed communities. Introduced in 1993, the Empowerment Zone (EZ), Enterprise Community (EC), and Renewal Community (RC) Initiatives sought to reduce unemployment and generate economic growth through the designation of Federal tax incentives and award of grants to distressed communities. Local, Tribal, and State governments interested in participating in this program were required to present comprehensive plans that included the following principles: Strategic Visions for Change, Community-Based Partnerships, Economic Opportunities, and Sustainable Community Development. Communities selected to participate in this program embraced these principles and led projects that promoted economic development in their distressed communities. The EZ/EC initiative was implemented in the form of three competitions authorized by Congress in 1994 (round I), 1998 (round II), and 2001 (round III). The EC designation expired in 2004 and EZ and RC designations generally expired at the end of 2009. However, the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, Pub. L. No. 111-312 extended the Empowerment Zone and DC Enterprise Zone designations to December 31, 2011. Following the end of the first EZ designation extension on December 31, 2011, the American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA) of 2012, signed into law by President Obama on January 2, 2013, provided for an extension of the Empowerment Zone designations for Empowerment Zone Tax Credit purposes only until December 31, 2013. The ATRA of 2012 did not extend the designation of the DC Enterprise Zone. The third retroactive extension of the Empowerment Zone designation, for the purpose claiming EZ tax credits only, was the Tax Increase Prevention Act of 2014 (TIPA 2014). TIPA 2014 was signed into law by President Obama on December 19, 2014 and extended the EZ designation for the purpose of businesses and entities claiming EZ tax incentives until December 31, 2014. TIPA 2014 did not extend the designation of the DC Enterprise Zone. To learn more about Empowerment Zones Renewal and Enterprise Communities (EZRC) visit: https://www.hud.gov/hudprograms/empowerment_zones , for questions about the spatial attribution of this dataset, please reach out to us at GISHelpdesk@hud.gov. Data Dictionary: DD_Empowerment Zones Renewal and Enterprise Communities Date of Coverage: Through 2014
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identifier https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=1101a6c1e2364302b70485ca99fc7e69
issued 2023-07-31
keyword 
[
  "Boundaries",
  "Community Development Programs",
  "Distressed Communities",
  "EZRC",
  "Economic Development",
  "Economy",
  "Empowerment Zones  Renewal and Enterprise Communities",
  "Governmental Units",
  "HUD",
  "HUD.Official.Content",
  "Location",
  "Society",
  "U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development",
  "and Administrative and Statistical Boundaries"
]
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  "title": "Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities landing page"
}
modified 2023-11-29T22:43:41.797Z
programCode 
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publisher 
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      "@type": "org:Organization"
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rights 
[
  "HUD and the dataset and metadata authors assume no responsibility for the use or misuse of the dataset. No warranty, expressed or implied is made with regard to the accuracy of the spatial accuracy, and no liability is assumed by the U.S. Government in general, the dataset creators or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development specifically, as to the spatial or attribute accuracy of the data."
]
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  "@type": "Location",
  "prefLabel": "United States and Minor Outlying Islands"
}
title Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities

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