• 8/10/93- Congress enacts the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (OBRA 1993, P.L. 103-66), which established the EZ/EC Initiative's eligibility criteria, designation procedures, and benefits.
  
  
• 12/21/94- Round I results are announced. There are 6 urban EZs, 2 Supplemental EZs, 4 Enhanced Enterprise Communities and 66 ECs.
  
  
• 7/25-26/95- White House Community Empowerment Conference held in Washington, DC.
  
  
• 7/26/95- HUD EDI/108 Funds Awarded to 2 SEZs (Los Angeles/Cleveland) and 4 EECs (Boston, Oakland, Kansas City & Houston)
  
  
• 2/21-23/96- White House Community Empowerment Conference held in Washington, DC
  
  
• 4/14-16/97- White House Community Empowerment Conference held in Detroit, MI
  
  
• 8/7/97- Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 authorizes the designation of fifteen new Urban Empowerment Zones and five new Rural Zones
  
  
• 4/16/98- Vice President Gore announces the EZ Round II competition at the annual meeting of the National Conference of Black Mayors in New Orleans, Louisiana
  
  
• 4/16/98- Federal Register publishes the Round II Regulations (Rule and Notice Inviting Applications) which govern the competition. HUD also issues 6 technical assistance publications to assist potential applicants (Application Forms, Application Guide, Strategic Planning Guide, Performance Measurement System Guide, Federal Programs Guide, What Works in EZ/ECs). Over 10,000 Round II technical assistance publications are distributed to potential applicants.
  
  
• 4/17/98- HUD begins a series of ten regional Round II Technical Assistance Workshops to assist potential applicants. Over 1,200 people attend the workshops.

4/17- Columbus, Ohio

4/20- Memphis, Tennessee

4/24- Houston, Texas

4/27- Kansas City, Missouri

5/4- Denver, Colorado

5/7- Providence, Rhode Island

5/12- Washington, DC

5/18- Long Beach, California

5/20- Seattle, Washington

5/28- Newark, New Jersey

 

 

• 7/14 - 16/1998- Vice President Gore and Secretary Cuomo host White House Community Empowerment Conference in Washington, DC to assist Round II applicants. Over 2,200 people attended the Conference.
  
  
• 10/98- The omnibus budget agreement passed by Congress contains $45 million in HUD funding for the 15 new Empowerment Zones.
  
  
• 10/98 - 12/98- The application of each EZ designee was reviewed by at at least eight different career civil servants. An Initial Review Team and a Final Review Panel evaluated the applications based on the review considerations contained in the Notice of Funding Availability issued in April, 1998. Each application was scored based on the quality of the strategic plan (75 points) and the strength of private and public sector commitments made to implement the plan (25 points).
  
  
• 12/31/98- HUD designates 15 new Urban Empowerment Zones.
  
  
• 1/13/98- Vice President Gore, HUD Secretary Cuomo and USDA Secretary Glickman announce the 20 (15 urban/5 rural) Round II Empowerment Zones.
  
  
• 5/23 - 27/99- White House Community Empowerment Conference held in McAllen, TX, The Rio Grande EZ is the host.
  
  
• 6/27 - 29/2000- White House Community Empowerment Conference was held in Columbus, Ohio. The conference, held under the theme "Investing in America's Communities," attracted more than 1,400 registrants and 60 exhibitors.