(a) Units of general local government located in non-entitlement areas that are not eligible to participate or that opt not to participate in the entitlement portion of the federal CDBG Program are eligible to apply for funding under the TxCDBG Program. An exception to this requirement is Hidalgo County, an entitlement county, which is eligible to apply for the Colonia Fund only.(b) Non-entitlement cities are cities located predominately in rural areas and generally:(1) have a population of less than 50,000;(2) are not designated as a central city of a metropolitan statistical area; or(3) are not participating in urban county CDBG programs.(c) Non-entitlement counties are counties that are predominately rural in nature and generally have fewer than 200,000 persons in the non-entitlement cities and unincorporated areas located in the county.