Large cities and urban counties may not use assistance under this subpart for planning the project or developing the application. However, they may use entitlement community development block grant funds for this purpose, provided that the UDAG project meets the eligibility test of this part. Any small city which submits a project application which is selected for preliminary approval and for which legally binding grant agreement and for which a release of funds pursuant to 24 CFR part 58 has been issued may devote up to three (3) percent of the approved amount of its action grant to defray its actual costs in planning the project and preparing its application.

Assistance under this subpart may not be used for public services as described in § 570.201(e).

No assistance may be provided under this subpart for speculative projects intended to facilitate the relocation of industrial or commercial plants or facilities from one area to another. The provisions of this paragraph (c)(1) shall not apply to a relocation of any such plant or facility within a metropolitan area.

HUD will presume that a proposed project which includes speculative commercial or industrial space is intended to facilitate the relocation of a plant or facility from one area to another, if it is demonstrated to HUD's satisfaction that:

The proposed project is reasonably proximate (i.e., within 50 miles) to an area from which there has been a significant current pattern of movement, to areas reasonably proximate, of jobs of the category for which such space is appropriate; and

There is a likelihood of continuation of the pattern, based on measurable comparisons between the area from which the movement has been occurring and the area of the proposed project in terms of tax rates, energy costs, and similar relevant factors.

The restrictions established in this paragraph (c)(1) shall not apply if the Secretary determines that the relocation does not significantly and adversely affect the employment or economic base of the area from which the industrial or commercial plant or facility is to be relocated. However, the Secretary will not be required to make a determination whether there is a significant and adverse effect. If such a determination is undertaken, the Secretary will presume that there is a significant and adverse effect where the significant pattern of job movement and the likelihood of continuation of such a pattern has been from a distressed community.

The presumptions established in accordance with this paragraph (c)(1) are rebuttable by the applicant. However, the burden of overcoming the presumptions will be on the applicant.

The presumptions established in this paragraph (c)(1) will not apply if the speculative space contained in a commercial or industrial plant or facility included in a project constitutes a lesser percentage of the total space contained in that plant or facility than the threshold amounts specified below:

Projects with identified intended occupants. No assistance may be provided or utilized under this subpart for any project with identified intended occupants that is likely to facilitate:

A relocation of any operation of an industrial or commercial plant or facility or other business establishment from any UDAG eligible jurisdiction; or

An expansion of any operation of an industrial or commercial plant or facility or other business establishment that results in a substantial reduction of any such operation in any UDAG eligible jurisdiction. The provisions of this paragraph (c)(2) shall not apply to a relocation of an operation or to an expansion of an operation within a metropolitan area. The provisions of this paragraph (c)(2) shall apply only to projects that do not have speculative space, or to projects that include both identified intended occupant space and speculative space.

Significant and adverse effect. The restrictions established in this paragraph (c)(2) shall not apply if the Secretary determines that the relocation or expansion does not significantly and adversely affect the employment or economic base of the UDAG eligible jurisdiction from which the relocation or expansion occurs. However, the Secretary will not be required to make a determination whether there is a significant and adverse effect. If such a determination is undertaken, among the factors which the Secretary will consider are:

Whether it is reasonable to anticipate that there will be a significant net loss of jobs in the plant or facility being abandoned; and

Whether an equivalent productive use will be made of the plant or facility being abandoned by the relocating or expanding operation, thus creating no deterioration of economic base.

Within 90 days following notice of intent to withhold, deny or cancel assistance under paragraph (c) (1) or (2) of this section, the applicant may appeal in writing to the Secretary the withholding, denial or cancellation of assistance. The applicant will be notified and given an opportunity within a prescribed time for an informal consultation regarding the action.

Assistance for individuals adversely affected by prohibited relocations. (i) Any amount withdrawn by, recaptured by, or paid to the Secretary because of a violation (or a settlement of an alleged violation) of this section (or any regulation issued or contractual provision entered into to carry out this section) by a project with identified intended occupants will be made available by the Secretary as a grant to the UDAG eligible jurisdiction from which the operation of an industrial or commercial plant or facility or other business establishment was relocated, or in which the operation was reduced.

Any amount made available under this paragraph shall be used by the grantee to assist individuals who were employed by the operation involved before the relocation or reduction and whose employment or terms of employment were adversely affected by the relocation or reduction. The assistance shall include job training, job retraining, and job placement.

If any amount made available to a grantee under this paragraph (c)(4) is more than is required to provide the assistance described in paragraph (c)(4)(ii)(A) of this section, the grantee shall use the excess amount to carry out community development activities eligible under section 105(a) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974.

The provisions of this paragraph (c)(4) shall be applicable to any amount withdrawn by, recaptured by, or paid to the Secretary under this section, including any amount withdrawn, recaptured, or paid before the effective date of this paragraph.

Grants may be made under this paragraph (c)(4) only to the extent of amounts provided in appropriation Acts.

For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

“Operation” means any plant, equipment, facility, substantial number of positions, substantial employment opportunities, production capacity, or product line.

“Metropolitan area” means a metropolitan area as defined in § 570.3 and which consists of either a freestanding metropolitan area or a primary metropolitan statistical area where both primary and consolidated areas exist.

“Likely” means probably or reasonably to be expected, as determined by firm evidence such as resolutions of a corporation to close a plant or facility, notifications of closure to collective bargaining units, correspondence and notifications of corporate officials relative to a closure, and supportive evidence, such as newspaper articles and notices to employees regarding closure of a plant or facility. Consultant studies and marketing studies may be submitted as supportive evidence, but by themselves are not firm evidence.

“UDAG eligible jurisdiction” means a distressed community, a Pocket of Poverty, a Pocket of Poverty community, or an identifiable community described in section 119(p) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this subpart, nothing in this subpart may be construed to permit an inference or conclusion that the policy of the urban development action grant program is to facilitate the relocation of businesses from one area to another.