Kelly applauds newly designated Opportunity Zones in Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today, U.S. Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA), Chairman of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Tax, applauded the U.S. Treasury Department's and IRS's designation of new Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZs) beginning in 2027.

In all, 18 new Qualified Opportunity Zones have been designated across Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District covering all six counties. More than 6,500 communities across the United States received QOZ designations this year.

"Opportunity Zones have been an incredible success in communities across the country since they were first created in the 2017 Tax Cuts & Jobs Act. Now, thanks to the passage of the Working Families Tax Cuts last year, rural communities across our region will be able to benefit, as well," said Rep. Kelly. "This policy puts private dollars, not taxpayer dollars, to work in our communities. I've been proud to support it, and I'm excited to partner with our local leaders to turn dreams into reality."

As Chairman of the Ways & Means Subcommittee on Tax, Rep. Kelly has led Opportunity Zones legislation in Congress. In 2025, The Working Families Tax Cuts (WFTC) made permanent and expanded Rep. Kelly's Opportunity Zones (OZ) legislation, which encourages private investment in low-income and rural communities. The WFTC expanded Opportunity Zones to cover rural communities, defined as any city or town with a population less than 50,000.

Locally, the City of Erie's Opportunity Zones, located in the downtown's 16501 ZIP code, remains a national model for the success of this program.

The newly designated QOZs are located in the following PA-16 communities:

Butler County

• City of Butler
• Slippery Rock

Crawford County

• City of Meadville
• City of Titusville

Erie County

• City of Erie (7 QOZs)
• Wesleyville
• Union City

Lawrence County

• City of New Castle

Mercer County

• Northwest Mercer County, including Jamestown, and Greene and West Salem Townships near Greenville

Venango County

• City of Franklin

You can find the complete map of newly designated QOZs here, and you can learn more details in the Treasury Department's press release here.