ABOUT SOUTH LOUISIANA’S ACADIANA REGION

South Louisiana’s nine-parish region, known locally as “Acadiana,” is located midway between Houston and New Orleans. The region offers a pro-business climate, loyal labor force, and diverse infrastructure, making the centrally located region a hot spot for business along the Gulf Coast.

ABOUT INVEST ACADIANA

Invest Acadiana is an initiative powered by Acadiana Planning Commission and One Acadiana to promote Opportunity Zone investment throughout the Acadiana Region.

OPPORTUNITY ZONES IN THE ACADIANA REGION

Acadiana’s nine-parish region includes 25 federally designated Opportunity Zones (OZs) and strike a balance of rural and urban neighborhoods. The OZs are categorized into typologies to serve as a guide for gauging the compatibility of potential projects against the existing environment. Each OZ falls into one of the typologies: Rural Employment Center, Rural Mixed Neighborhood, Rural Residential Center, Urban Employment Center, Urban Mixed Neighborhood, or Urban Residential Center.

Click below to learn more about the OZs within each of the region’s nine parishes.

ACADIA PARISH

Acadia Parish’s Opportunity Zone includes the Town of Church Point and the surrounding rural area.

CENSUS TRACT MUNICIPALITY TYPOLOGY
9601 Church Point Rural Residential

 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL PARISH PROFILE

EVANGELINE PARISH

Evangeline Parish’s opportunity zones are located within the downtown area of Ville Platte, the seat of Evangeline Parish.

CENSUS TRACT MUNICIPALITY TYPOLOGY
9605 Ville Platte Rural Residential
9506 Ville Platte Rural Mixed

 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL PARISH PROFILE

IBERIA PARISH

The Opportunity Zones in Iberia Parish are located within New Iberia, the seat of Parish Government, and are a short distance from the Port of Iberia and the Acadiana Regional Airport.

CENSUS TRACT MUNICIPALITY TYPOLOGY
305 New Iberia Urban Mixed
309 New Iberia Urban Residential
310 New Iberia Urban Mixed
311 New Iberia Urban Mixed

 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL PARISH PROFILE

JEFF DAVIS PARISH

Jeff Davis Parish’s opportunity zone is located in the heart of Jennings, the birthplace of the oil industry in Louisiana and the seat of parish government.

CENSUS TRACT MUNICIPALITY TYPOLOGY
5 Jennings Rural Mixed

 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL PARISH PROFILE

LAFAYETTE PARISH

Lafayette Parish’s seven opportunity zones are located within the City of Lafayette, the region’s largest metropolitan area. The zones are all within the following areas: The University Ave Corridor, Downtown, and the Oil Center. Lafayette is home to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the second largest university in Louisiana, and a city-wide gigabit fiber network.

CENSUS TRACT MUNICIPALITY TYPOLOGY
1 Lafayette Urban Employment Center
7 Lafayette Urban Mixed
8 Lafayette Urban Mixed
9 Lafayette Urban Residential
10.01 Lafayette Urban Mixed
11 Lafayette Urban Mixed
22 Lafayette Urban Employment Center

 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL PARISH PROFILE

ST. LANDRY PARISH

St. Landry Parish’s opportunity zones are located in the Cities of Eunice and Opelousas. The Eunice opportunity zone is located adjacent to the Louisiana State University at Eunice Campus while the three Opelousas opportunity zones are in and around the city’s historic downtown.

CENSUS TRACT MUNICIPALITY TYPOLOGY
9611 Eunice Rural Residential
9613 Opelousas Rural Residential
9614 Opelousas Rural Mixed
9616 Opelousas Rural Residential

 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL PARISH PROFILE

ST. MARTIN PARISH

St. Martin Parish’s Opportunity Zone is in the City of Breaux Bridge and the surrounding rural area.

CENSUS TRACT MUNICIPALITY TYPOLOGY
205.01 Breaux Bridge Urban Residential

 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL PARISH PROFILE

ST. MARY PARISH

St. Mary Parish’s four opportunity zones are in the Towns of Berwick, Baldwin, and Morgan City which includes the Port of Morgan City.

CENSUS TRACT MUNICIPALITY TYPOLOGY
403 Morgan City Rural Residential
404 Morgan City Rural Residential
405 Berwick Rural Employment Center
412 Baldwin Rural Residential

 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL PARISH PROFILE

VERMILION PARISH

Vermilion Parish’s Opportunity Zone is located in the heart of historic downtown Abbeville.

CENSUS TRACT MUNICIPALITY TYPOLOGY
9507 Abbeville Urban Mixed

 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL PARISH PROFILE

OZPhoto

OPPORTUNITY ZONE FEDERAL TAX INCENTIVE

What is the Opportunity Zone program?
The Opportunity Zone program was established by Congress in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 to spur long-term private sector investments in low-income urban and rural communities. The program offers federal capital gains tax benefits to investors who re-invest their capital gains into Qualified Opportunity Funds.


What is an Opportunity Zone?
Opportunity Zones are low income census tracts nominated by governors and certified by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.


What are Opportunity Funds?
Opportunity Funds are the investment vehicle that invests in Opportunity Zones. Investors with capital gains can transfer those into an Opportunity Fund within 180 days to take advantage of the tax benefits.

BENEFITS OF OPPORTUNITY ZONE INVESTMENT

OPPORTUNITY ZONES IN THE NEWS

FROM BEING HOMELESS TO BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Young developer is pursuing her dream.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

FORBES OZ 20 NOW ANNOUNCED

Forbes—in partnership with the Sorenson Impact Center—has launched a new Forbes list to honor leaders sparking the equitable revitalization of distressed communities identified as Opportunity Zones: The Forbes OZ 20: Top Opportunity Zone Catalysts.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

CONTACT INVEST ACADIANA

Interested in investing in one of Acadiana’s Opportunity Zones? We can help you find the opportunity that’s right for you.

OPPORTUNITY ZONE RESOURCES

Use the following links to learn more about the Opportunity Zone Program.

 

LOUISIANA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: OPPORTUNITY ZONE INTERACTIVE MAP

IRS: OPPORTUNITY ZONES FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ECONOMIC INNOVATION GROUP: INFORMATION & RESOURCES FOR OPPORTUNITY ZONES

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF STATE HOUSING AGENCIES (NCSHA): OPPORTUNITY ZONE FUND DIRECTORY

INVEST ACADIANA PARTNERS: