HUBZone companies will get some additional time to plan for the unfreezing of the HUBZone maps by SBA. SBA has just issued a direct final rule that will extend the HUBZone map freeze from December 31, 2021, to June 30, 2023.

In an earlier rule, SBA had indicated that it would freeze current HUBZone designations until the results of the 2020 Census are available, as required under the 2018 NDAA. SBA said it would “‘freeze’ the HUBZone maps with respect to qualified census tracts, qualified non-metropolitan counties, and redesignated areas” until December 31, 2021. That date was merely an estimate of when 2020 census would be available and analyzed by SBA.

SBA has now “learned that the data necessary to update the HUBZone map to reflect the 2020 census results will not be available to SBA until December 2022” so the deadline of June 30, 2023 will give SBA enough time to digest the data.

The amendment will simply replace the current December 31, 2021 date set forth in the definitions of the terms HUBZone small business concern or certified HUBZone small business concern and redesignated area that are located at 13 C.F.R. § 126.103.

This is great news for HUBZone companies that were potentially going to lose their status because of the changes in the HUBZone maps. Be sure to mark the new June 30, 2023 date on your calendar so you can plan for it, but now you will have a lot more time to plan.

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