1. Vermont Department of Housing & Community Development
Opportunity Zones
Josh Hanford
Deputy Commissioner
Vermont Department of Housing & Community Development

2. In February 2018, the Agency of Commerce and Community Development (ACCD) began the following public input process regarding Opportunity Zones:
Parties provide input on census tract selection, including adjoining non-NMTC census tracts:
February 14, 2018
The Agency publishes a draft recommendation on the web at accd.Vermont.gov/OpportunityZones:
February 23, 2018
Parties provide feedback on the draft recommendation:
March 6, 2018
The Agency publishes a final draft recommendation on the web at accd.Vermont.gov/OpportunityZones:
March 9, 2018
Parties provide feedback on the final draft:
March 16, 2018
ACCD worked with communities, development organizations and other stakeholders to narrow the list of more than 100 federally-recognized eligible census tracts down to the 25 recommended by the Governor. The Agency evaluated poverty and unemployment rates, population counts, the number of businesses and private sector jobs, available infrastructure, state designation program participation and development potential of each tract before making recommendations.

3. Vermont’s Opportunity Zones:
Vermont’s Methodology
The Agency used both American Community Survey data and 2016 ACS data to inform decisions (in addition to geographic equity):
Poverty Rates
Unemployment Rates
Population Counts
Number of Businesses
Number of Private Sector jobs
Available Infrastructure
State Designation Programs
Public Comment
Barre City (southwest of Main Street)
Rockingham (Bellows Falls)
Bennington (downtown and north)
Royalton
Rutland City (downtown core, west, and south)
Brattleboro (downtown)
Burlington (waterfront, Pine Street Corridor, downtown)
St. Albans City (west of Main Street)
St. Johnsbury
Johnson
South Burlington including City Center
Lyndon (downtown Lyndonville and West of Broad and Main Street
Springfield
Vergennes
Newport City
Winooski
Randolph
VT designated the max number of zones allowed by statue:
Geographic Diversity (12 of 14 counties)
17 different communities
85,000 Vermonters
18,000 people below the federal poverty line
7,470 businesses

4. What Role can State CDBG Programs play in Opportunity Zones?
“Just four states—California, Colorado, Idaho, and Vermont—simultaneously met the four dimensions of inclusivity and transparency:
(1) Published a dedicated web site
(2) Asked for structured input from the general public
(3) Published at least a link to the eligible census tracts from which their governor was choosing
(4) Published their governor’s final choices recommended to Treasury.”
- “Maximizing the impact of new Opportunity Zones requires transparency and citizen engagement” Anthony Pipa, Brookings Institute, April 16, 2018
Engage local Opportunity Zone citizenry and leadership?
Provide leadership and technical assistance to “fund creators”?
Create complimentary state policy and incentives to maximize impact?
Provide data and tools to municipal leaders within Opportunity Zones?
Measure investment and track success (or failure)?
How Do We…
Make the most out of Opportunity Zones?
What Role can State CDBG Programs play in Opportunity Zones?
More resources on Opportunity Zones can be found on our website at