La Fortaleza, Puerto Rico – November 6, 2026 – Governor of Puerto Rico Jenniffer González-Colón announced today that the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have published the official list of newly designated areas under the federal Qualified Opportunity Zones program, known as Opportunity Zones 2.0. The list includes 178 census tracts across 82 rural areas and 97 non-rural areas throughout Puerto Rico, as requested by the Governor.
During her tenure as Resident Commissioner, González Colón secured Puerto Rico’s inclusion in the federal Opportunity Zones program, established under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), Public Law 115-97. The program is designed to attract investment to economically distressed communities across the nation through tax incentives for eligible investments, using updated data published by the U.S. Census Bureau. Subsequently, following the passage of Hurricane Maria, González Colón secured a provision in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, Public Law 115-123, ensuring that all census tracts encompassing economically distressed communities in Puerto Rico would be certified and designated as Qualified Opportunity Zones, effective as of the TCJA’s enactment date.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), also known as the Working Families Tax Cuts, Public Law 119-21, signed by President Donald J. Trump on July 4, 2025, permanently authorizes the program and maintains Puerto Rico’s eligibility under the same parameters applicable to the states, requiring the selection of 25% of eligible low-income census tracts. The deadline to submit census tracts for designation was October 28, with the new designations taking effect on January 1, 2027, for a new 10-year cycle.
The designations were requested in coordination with the Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC) and the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA), and in collaboration with the relevant federal agencies to advance Puerto Rico’s participation in this new phase of the program.
“Since my time as Resident Commissioner in Washington, D.C., I have championed and defended the Opportunity Zones program as a tool to attract investment, create jobs, and promote economic development across the Island. As part of those efforts, we worked to secure Puerto Rico’s inclusion under two federal laws, resulting in approximately 98% of the Island being designated as Opportunity Zones. Today, under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump and with the permanent renewal of this program, we have a new opportunity to continue attracting capital and advancing development projects throughout all municipalities in Puerto Rico. The designation of 178 new areas under Opportunity Zones 2.0builds on those efforts and reaffirms our commitment to making full use of every tool available through the federal government to strengthen our economy,” Governor González-Colón stated.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent highlighted the nationwide scope of the new designations and the impact of the legislation advanced by the administration.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, the Working Families Tax Cuts permanently renewed and strengthened Opportunity Zones, giving investors, entrepreneurs, and local leaders the long-term certainty they need to commit capital to communities that have been overlooked for too long,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. “Today’s announcement of the new designations will help direct private investment to these communities, expand economic opportunity, support job creation, and unlock long-term growth in these communities across the country.”
For his part, Secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce Carlos Ríos Pierluisi stated: “Today, we celebrate a significant achievement for Puerto Rico and the economic future of our communities. The approval of 100% of the 178 census tracts nominated by the Government of Puerto Rico to the U.S. Department of the Treasury represents recognition of the rigorous planning, evaluation, and coordination efforts we have undertaken to ensure that our Island can fully capitalize on the opportunities offered by the Federal Opportunity Zones 2.0 Program. This outcome is the result of a collaborative effort led by DDEC’s Puerto Rico Business Incentives Office, in close coordination with PRFAA and with the participation of federal and state agencies, municipalities, developers, investors, and other interested stakeholders.”
The DDEC Secretary noted that a particularly important aspect of these designations is their geographic reach, reflecting a commitment to an inclusive economic development strategy that recognizes the distinct characteristics and potential of the Island’s various regions while expanding opportunities beyond major urban centers. “We thank everyone who contributed to this process and shared their knowledge and vision to help identify the communities with the greatest development potential,” Ríos Pierluisi added.
PRFAA Executive Director Gabriella Boffelli underscored the importance of federal and congressional coordination in advancing this initiative and securing Puerto Rico’s participation in the designation process established under the OBBBA.
“This designation represents the continuation of the efforts advanced by Governor Jenniffer González-Colón during her tenure as Resident Commissioner to expand investment and economic development opportunities in Puerto Rico. We are grateful for the close collaboration we have maintained with the public and private sectors. We will continue leveraging every legislative and administrative measure available to advance the priorities of our people before the federal government and preserve initiatives that are essential to sustaining and expanding economic development across the Island,” Boffelli stated.
According to data released by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the program has generated more than $110 billion in private-sector investment nationwide since its inception.
The new designations will allow Puerto Rico to participate in this renewed incentive framework over the next decade, creating opportunities to attract private capital, encourage development projects, and strengthen economic activity in the designated communities.
The official list of designated zones and the corresponding map are available through the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund):
https://www.cdfifund.gov/opportunity-zones
As noted above, the new designations will take effect on January 1, 2027.
