​For immediate release:                                   June 18, 2019
For more information:                                     Sherry Howard, 233-3600

Recent updates to the Department of Housing and Economic Sustainability's (DHES) home page on the Palm Beach County main website highlight the federal Opportunity Zone Program and U.S. Treasury-designated opportunity zones located in Palm Beach County.

The Opportunity Zone Program is an economic development tool designed to spur economic development and job creation in economically distressed communities. Updates include links to business and housing-related resources for investors and developers, a listing of each local opportunity zone by census tract and municipality, and maps identifying all designated opportunity zones throughout Palm Beach County.

Additional information includes links to the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Opportunity Zone Program FAQs, rules for investing in opportunity zones, and federal contacts to get more information.

PBC Interactive, the county's free, public-search tool designed to facilitate development with parcel-based business information in real time, has been updated to include opportunity zones. PBC Interactive integrates more than 20 search layers, adding high levels of detail to guide economic and real estate development decision making.

For example, search results may be enhanced with information on existing and future land use; parcel ownership and valuation; and identification of businesses based on the North American Industry Classification System. Search results can also identify transportation routes (bus, train and automobile), educational institutions, and community redevelopment agencies.

PBC Interactive is accessible from Palm Beach County's main website, pbcgov.com with additional links throughout the DHES webpages. For more information on opportunity zones, please visit http://discover.pbcgov.org/HES/Pages/Opportunity-Zones.aspx