Erie County has received federal approval for an expanded Qualified Opportunity Zones map that covers nine census tracts across the county.
County Executive Christina Vogel announced today that the U.S. Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service approved Pennsylvania’s expanded map for the second round of the program. Erie County’s approved tracts include communities in the City of Erie, Wesleyville, Union City and rural areas.
The new designation period runs from January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2036. The county said the expanded map keeps the original designated areas in the City of Erie and opens the program to surrounding communities.
“This is a transformative milestone for the economic future of our entire region,” said County Executive Christina Vogel. “By expanding Opportunity Zones beyond the urban footprint, we are positioning Erie County to attract private-sector investment and giving our communities the tools they need to grow and thrive.”
For the first time, boroughs such as Wesleyville and Union City will participate in the program. Several newly designated tracts also meet federal rural criteria, allowing eligible communities to pursue enhanced investment benefits through Qualified Rural Opportunity Funds.
“This is exciting news for Erie and another step forward in our community’s revitalization,” said Mayor Daria Devlin. “We want to see Erie continue to grow, attract investment and create opportunities for our residents in every part of our city. This is exactly what moving Erie forward, together, looks like and we are grateful to County Executive Vogel and our federal partners for helping to make this possible.”
“There has already been a lot invested in our community over the last several years and this will help bring even more investment for larger projects and improvements,” said Cindy Wells, Union City Borough Manager.
“After watching the success of the original Opportunity Zones in the City, we are excited to see similar types of transformational investments flow into Wesleyville,” said Marcus Jacobs, Wesleyville Borough Manager. “This designation makes our borough more attractive as a place to invest.”
The City of Erie’s Opportunity Zone success has received national attention, including recognition in a White House Council of Economic Advisers report examining the impact of Opportunity Zones across the country. The county said the program’s first phase generated more than $400 million in Opportunity Zone investment.
The county said it is working with regional economic development partners to connect the incentives with local infrastructure, housing and commercial development priorities. More information and the updated designation map are available through the CDFI Fund Opportunity Zones Portal.