# Economic Development Advisory Committee, 10/01/2026

The City of Laredo Economic Development Advisory Committee met on October 1, 2026. Members approved a meeting schedule, including a November meeting, skipping December, and generally meeting on the first Thursday of the month beginning in January; the exact November date was discussed as November 12. The committee received an update on the federal Opportunity Zones 2.0 initiative: the city submitted census-tract nominations through the state, and federal decisions were expected by November 28. Staff described the tax benefits and potential use for housing, commercial, warehouse, and mixed-use development, and said they would share further information after the designations are announced.

Discussion focused on reviewing local economic-development incentives, including the city’s Chapter 380 policy and Neighborhood Empowerment Zones. Members raised the need to consider thresholds and incentive tiers that could better serve smaller businesses, review targeted industries and qualifying criteria, and examine whether 4A/4B sales-tax revenue could support economic development. Staff noted that the current policy has a $7 million threshold for existing-business expansion and said policy revisions could be considered; no contract awards, bids, vendor selections, or spending approvals were identified. The committee also discussed inviting downtown and tourism organizations to provide updates and the possibility of partnerships related to children’s healthcare.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Industries:** Construction & Infrastructure
**Topics:** Grants & Funding
**Published:** October 01, 2026

### Sources
- [Economic Development Advisory Committee, 10/01/2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGo68DEVyos) - City of Laredo, Texas Committee Meetings Stream