(a) General. This part establishes as a permanent program the John Heinz Neighborhood Development Program, as authorized by section 832 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992. Previously, the program had been administered by the Department as a demonstration program under section 123 of the Housing and Urban-Rural Recovery Act of 1983 (42 U.S.C. 5318 note).

(b) Purpose. The program is intended to assist communities to become more viable, by providing incentive funds to carry out neighborhood development activities that benefit low- and moderate-income families. The program objectives are to increase the capacity of neighborhood organizations, promote long-term financial support for their neighborhood projects, and encourage greater participation of neighborhood organizations with private and public institutions.

Empowerment zone means an area designated by HUD as an Empowerment Zone under 26 U.S.C. 1391-1393.

Enterprise community means an area designated by HUD as an Enterprise Community under 26 U.S.C. 1391-1393.

Grantee means an eligible neighborhood organization that executes a grant agreement with HUD under this part.

Low- and moderate-income persons means families and individuals whose incomes do not exceed 80 percent of the median income for the area, as determined by the Secretary of HUD in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 5302(a)(20).

Neighborhood development funding organization means:

(1) A depository institution, the accounts of which are insured pursuant to the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, 12 U.S.C. 1811 et seq., or the Federal Credit Union Act, 12 U.S.C. 1751 et seq., and any subsidiary (as such term is defined in 12 U.S.C. 1813(w)) thereof;

(2) A depository institution holding company and any subsidiary (as such term is defined in 12 U.S.C. 1813(w)) thereof; or

(3) A company at least 75 percent of the common stock of which is owned by one or more insured depository institutions or depository institution holding companies.

Neighborhood development organization means the same as the term is defined in § 594.5.

Rural neighborhoods. In small cities with under 10,000 in population and in rural areas, a neighborhood area can be the same unit as the unit of general local government.

Unit of general local government means a city, town, township, county, parish, village, or other general purpose political subdivision of a State; an urban county; the Federated States of Micronesia; the Marshall Islands; or a general purpose political subdivision thereof.