How do I know if I am in a HUBZone?

Verifying if your business is located within a qualified HUBZone is simply merely click on the link to the HUBZone Mapping tool and type in your physical address. http://map.sba.gov/hubzone/maps/

As of May 2016, the interactive HUBZone maps reflect the most recent updates to the HUBZone designations of non-metropolitan counties, census tracts, qualified base closure areas, and qualified Indian lands.   The HUBZone mapping tool is updated several times a year and new data is made available.

How are HUBZones designated?

The SBA uses information obtained from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Bureau of the Census, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Department of Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of Defense. The HUBZone areas are designated by statute and draw upon determinations and information obtained by other agencies. The SBA does not have discretion when it comes to designating HUBZones.   Qualified HUBZones may consist of the following

• A qualified Census Tract (QCT)
• A qualified Nonmetropolitan County (QNMC)
• A qualified Indian Reservation (QIR)
• A Qualified Base Closure Area (QBA)
• A Re-designated Area

Hampshire County HUBZone eligibility is based on qualified census tracts throughout the county; please see applicable definitions below for more information.

A qualified Census Tract (QCT)

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) designates Qualified Census Tracts (QCTs) for purposes of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program. The LIHTC program is defined in Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The LIHTC is a tax incentive intended to increase the availability of affordable rental housing.

The LIHTC statute provides two criteria for QCT eligibility. A census tract must have either:

• A poverty rate of at least 25 percent; or
• 50 percent or more of its householders must have incomes below 60 percent of the area median household income. The area corresponds to a metropolitan or a non-metropolitan area.

It is important to note, the Low Income Tax Credit program, which is driven by statute, imposes limits on the number of census tracts an area can have. As such, it is possible for a tract to meet one or both of the above criteria, but not be designated as a QCT.

The Census Bureau defines the boundaries of Census tracts in cooperation with local authorities every ten years for the purposes of the decennial census and, following a public comment period, has completed defining tract boundaries for the 2010 Census. Note that when census tract boundaries are set, they remain unchanged for the next decade. Thus, tract boundaries will not be changed until the 2020 Decennial Census.

A Re-designated Area

The SBA Act provides for grandfathering QCTs and QNMCs that lose their HUBZone eligibility. During this grandfathering period, the area is termed a redesignated area. The redesignation expires three (3) years after the date on which the census tract or nonmetropolitan county ceased to be qualified (i.e., became redesignated). Every year, some redesignated HUBZones expire. If your firm’s principal office is in a redesignated HUBZone that is approaching expiration or your firm’s employees reside in such an area, please refer to the Maintaining Certification; Decertification section for details on what you can do.

What if I can’t find my address?

The primary tool that should be used to verify HUBZone eligibility is the Map located on the SBA’s website. However, if your address is unable to populate within the mapping tool alternative resources are available.  Please click on the link below for additional support:

https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/files/HUBZone_Geocoding_Toolkit.pdf

Training Webinar

Understanding HUBZone Designations: https://www.sba.gov/tools/sba-learning-center/training/hubzone-mini-primer-1