Proposal For Opportunity Zone Identification A Spatial Approach Presenter, Duane Treadon Advisor, Patrick Kennelly, Ph.D

Opportunity Zone Identification Outline Background Why an Opportunity Zone OZ Law Spatial Relationship The Process Getting to Final Product

Assigned to explore OZ for Victoria Place Urban Redevelopment Area GEOG 586 Spatial Analysis Developed a GIS approach for identification of potential OZ areas Approached GA Dept. of Community Affairs with concept Opportunity Zone Identification Background

So, what is an Opportunity Zone and how can it benefit communities? Opportunity Zone Identification What is an OZ Jobs creation incentive program Allows for the maximum Job Tax Credit allowed under law - $3,500 per job created Requires at minimum the creation of 2 jobs Job Tax Credit is used against 100% of income tax liability and withholding Expands the definition of “business enterprise” to include all businesses of any nature The program reduces the businesses' overall Georgia Corporate tax liability allowing cash to stay with the business and thus the community.

So, what is an Opportunity Zone and how can it benefit communities? Opportunity Zone Identification What is an OZ Communities realize benefits through Job creation Business expansion/ relocation into economically depressed areas Increased retail, service, and industry options Positive growth for declining areas The program reduces the businesses' overall Georgia Corporate tax liability allowing cash to stay with the business and thus the community. Businesses often funnel these savings back into the community by creating more jobs and economic opportunities.

Opportunity Zone Identification Opportunity Zone Defined Rules Of DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS CHAPTER OPPORTUNITY ZONE JOB TAX CREDIT PROGRAM REGULATIONS Program Description, General Guidance, and Definitions Threshold Criteria for Boundaries and Designation Application for Designation Policies, Procedures, Limitations, Reporting and Adjustment of Boundaries Opportunity Zone Tax Credit

Opportunity Zone Identification Opportunity Zone Defined DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS OPPORTUNITY ZONE JOB TAX CREDIT PROGRAM CHAPTER OPPORTUNITY ZONE JOB TAX CREDIT PROGRAM REGULATIONS Program Description, General Guidance, and Definitions Threshold Criteria for Boundaries and Designation 1. “Areas Displaying Pervasive Poverty” shall be defined as census block groups with 15% or greater poverty and any “adjacent to” census block groups as determined from data in the most current United States decennial census. 2. “Underdevelopment” shall generally be defined as areas where appropriate data indicates a lack of development activities as evidenced through higher vacancy rates along with data indicating that business license fees, building permits, development fees, or other similar measures of business activity in the nominated area are significantly lower than the activity within the local governing body's jurisdiction as a whole. Underdevelopment must be supported by appropriate data as detailed under (4)(b). 3. “General Distress” shall generally be defined as adverse conditions within the nominated area other than those of Underdevelopment. Examples of such adverse conditions include, but are not limited to, higher than average unemployment, a high incidence of crime or code enforcement actions, a higher than average number of abandoned, deteriorated or dilapidated structures, deteriorated infrastructure, and substantial population decline. General Distress must be supported by appropriate data as detailed under (4)(b). 4. “Blight” shall generally be defined as the conditions described for “slum area” pursuant to the Urban Redevelopment Law at O.C.G.A. § (18) and/or the conditions described for “blighted or distressed area” pursuant to the Redevelopment Powers Law at O.C.G.A. § (7)(A).

Opportunity Zone Identification Spatial Relationship Language of the Law lends itself to Spatial Analysis Pervasive Poverty, Under Development, General Distress, Blight. Pervasive PovertyUnderdevelopmentGeneral DistressGeneral Blight U.S. Census poverty rate by Block Group Building Permit ActivityCrime IncidentEstablishment of an Urban Redevelopment Area Abandoned/Dilapidated Structure Abandon/Dilapidated Structure Vacant ParcelInfrastructure Non-active Business LicenseCode Enforcement Case Depressed Property ValuesPopulation Decline (US Census)

Opportunity Zone Identification Data Design Use Simple Binary Value Coding

Opportunity Zone Identification Data Input CRITICAL Optional Data But Helpful FOR JOIN Simple Binary Value Coding 0 = Does not meet condition 1 = Does meet condition To Be Populated by Field Calculator

Opportunity Zone Identification Data to GIS Using the Join Data function unite the OZ_TEMPLATE table with the Parcel layer shapefile. Once complete coded OZ values are ready for analysis.

Opportunity Zone Identification Data Calculations Field Calculator for UnderdevelopedField Calculator for DistressedField calculator for Combined Value

Opportunity Zone Identification Results

Opportunity Zone Identification Deliverables End Products to be Delivered to DCA: White Paper for posting on DCA website describing OZ identification tool Instructional document on how to use OZ Identification tool Section A covering data enter using supplied Excel spreadsheet Section B covering import and utilization of data in ArcMap Excel File for use by local communities in coding criteria conditions for OZ ArcMap Field Calculator files for use in calculating coded values Map template to DCA standards for display of results

Opportunity Zone Identification Timeline Contact DCA with proposalJune 2011 Refine concept based on DCA commentsJune-July 2011 Present concept proposal to DCA StaffAug, 08, 2011 Prepared “white paper” describing toolAug 2011 Develop tool based on DCA needsAug-Sept 2011 Submit deliverables to DCAOctober 03, 2011 Revise as needed for DCAOctober 2011 Anticipate acceptance of tool from DCANovember 07, 2011 Present project during SHRUG WorkshopNovember 09, 2011 CompleteIn Progress

Opportunity Zone Identification Capstone Presentation 2011 SHRUG GIS Workshop November 9 th and 10 th Florida State Convention Center

Opportunity Zone Identification Discussion Comments Thoughts Discussion