Sec. 05.05.02.10. Distressed Area Designation

A. Request for Designation. A municipality or county may request in writing at any time that a geographically defined area of the municipality or county be designated by the Secretary as a distressed area. The request may be made before or in conjunction with the request of a sponsor for financing for a public purpose project.

B. Application. The request for designation shall include information with respect to the following:

(1) The availability, cost, and condition of housing and neighborhood facilities, including the age and number of abandoned and substandard structures;

(2) The income of residents relative to State or area median incomes, including the number of persons who are welfare recipients, unemployed, and in poverty;

(3) The need for financing for housing or public or private facilities to upgrade the social and economic conditions of the distressed area;

(4) The plans and financial commitment of the municipality or county to undertake improvements in the distressed area; and

(5) Such other information as may be requested by the Secretary, including standards established for other relevant State or federal programs.

C. Consideration. The Secretary, after considering the information supplied in accordance with §B, above, and other information and criteria deemed relevant by the Secretary, may, upon the basis of the information, issue a written determination designating any specific geographically defined area as a distressed area for purposes of these regulations and the Act.