(1) AUTHORIZATION TO GRANT COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION TAX CREDITS; LIMITATIONS ON INDIVIDUAL CREDITS AND PROGRAM SPENDING.—

(a) There shall be allowed a credit of 50 percent of a community contribution against any tax due for a taxable year under this chapter.

(b) No business firm shall receive more than $200,000 in annual tax credits for all approved community contributions made in any one year.

(c) The total amount of tax credit which may be granted for all programs approved under this section, s. 212.08(5)(p), and s. 624.5105 is $12.5 million in the 2018-2019 fiscal year, $13.5 million in the 2019-2020 fiscal year, and $10.5 million in each fiscal year thereafter for projects that provide housing opportunities for persons with special needs as defined in s. 420.0004 and homeownership opportunities for low-income households or very-low-income households as defined in s. 420.9071 and $3.5 million each fiscal year for all other projects.

(d) All proposals for the granting of the tax credit shall require the prior approval of the Department of Economic Opportunity.

(e) If the credit granted pursuant to this section is not fully used in any one year because of insufficient tax liability on the part of the business firm, the unused amount may be carried forward for a period not to exceed 5 years. The carryover credit may be used in a subsequent year when the tax imposed by this chapter for such year exceeds the credit for such year under this section after applying the other credits and unused credit carryovers in the order provided in s. 220.02(8).

(f) A taxpayer who files a Florida consolidated return as a member of an affiliated group pursuant to s. 220.131(1) may be allowed the credit on a consolidated return basis.

(g) A taxpayer who is eligible to receive the credit provided for in s. 624.5105 is not eligible to receive the credit provided by this section.

(2) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.—

(a) All community contributions by a business firm shall be in the form specified in s. 220.03(1)(d).

(b)1. All community contributions must be reserved exclusively for use in projects as defined in s. 220.03(1)(t).

2. If, during the first 10 business days of the state fiscal year, eligible tax credit applications for projects that provide housing opportunities for persons with special needs as defined in s. 420.0004 or homeownership opportunities for low-income or very-low-income households as defined in s. 420.9071(19) and (28) are received for less than the annual tax credits available for those projects, the Department of Economic Opportunity shall grant tax credits for those applications and shall grant remaining tax credits on a first-come, first-served basis for any subsequent eligible applications received before the end of the state fiscal year. If, during the first 10 business days of the state fiscal year, eligible tax credit applications for projects that provide housing opportunities for persons with special needs as defined in s. 420.0004 or homeownership opportunities for low-income or very-low-income households as defined in s. 420.9071(19) and (28) are received for more than the annual tax credits available for those projects, the Department of Economic Opportunity shall grant the tax credits for those applications as follows:

a. If tax credit applications submitted for approved projects of an eligible sponsor do not exceed $200,000 in total, the credit shall be granted in full if the tax credit applications are approved.

b. If tax credit applications submitted for approved projects of an eligible sponsor exceed $200,000 in total, the amount of tax credits granted under sub-subparagraph a. shall be subtracted from the amount of available tax credits, and the remaining credits shall be granted to each approved tax credit application on a pro rata basis.

3. If, during the first 10 business days of the state fiscal year, eligible tax credit applications for projects other than those that provide housing opportunities for persons with special needs as defined in s. 420.0004 or homeownership opportunities for low-income or very-low-income households as defined in s. 420.9071(19) and (28) are received for less than the annual tax credits available for those projects, the Department of Economic Opportunity shall grant tax credits for those applications and shall grant remaining tax credits on a first-come, first-served basis for any subsequent eligible applications received before the end of the state fiscal year. If, during the first 10 business days of the state fiscal year, eligible tax credit applications for projects other than those that provide housing opportunities for persons with special needs as defined in s. 420.0004 or homeownership opportunities for low-income or very-low-income households as defined in s. 420.9071(19) and (28) are received for more than the annual tax credits available for those projects, the Department of Economic Opportunity shall grant the tax credits for those applications on a pro rata basis.

(c) The project must be undertaken by an “eligible sponsor,” defined here as:

1. A community action program;

2. A nonprofit community-based development organization whose mission is the provision of housing for persons with special needs or low-income or very-low-income households or increasing entrepreneurial and job-development opportunities for low-income persons;

3. A neighborhood housing services corporation;

4. A local housing authority, created pursuant to chapter 421;

5. A community redevelopment agency, created pursuant to s. 163.356;

6. A historic preservation district agency or organization;

7. A local workforce development board;

8. A direct-support organization as provided in s. 1009.983;

9. An enterprise zone development agency created pursuant to s. 290.0056;

10. A community-based organization incorporated under chapter 617 which is recognized as educational, charitable, or scientific pursuant to s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and whose bylaws and articles of incorporation include affordable housing, economic development, or community development as the primary mission of the corporation;

11. Units of local government;

12. Units of state government; or

13. Such other agency as the Department of Economic Opportunity may, from time to time, designate by rule.

In no event shall a contributing business firm have a financial interest in the eligible sponsor.

(d) The project shall be located in an area that was designated as an enterprise zone pursuant to chapter 290 as of May 1, 2015, or a Front Porch Florida Community. Any project designed to construct or rehabilitate housing for low-income or very-low-income households as defined in s. 420.9071(19) and (28) or provide housing opportunities for persons with special needs as defined in s. 420.0004 is exempt from the area requirement of this paragraph. This section does not preclude projects that propose to construct or rehabilitate housing for low-income or very-low-income households on scattered sites or provide housing opportunities for persons with special needs. Any project designed to provide increased access to high-speed broadband capabilities which includes coverage of a rural enterprise zone may locate the project’s infrastructure in any area of a rural county.

(3) APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS.—

(a) Any eligible sponsor wishing to participate in this program must submit a proposal to the Department of Economic Opportunity which sets forth the sponsor, the project, the area in which the project is located, and such supporting information as may be prescribed by rule. The proposal shall also contain a resolution from the local governmental unit in which it is located certifying that the project is consistent with local plans and regulations.

(b) Any business wishing to participate in this program must submit an application for tax credit to the Department of Economic Opportunity, which application sets forth the sponsor; the project; and the type, value, and purpose of the contribution. The sponsor shall verify the terms of the application and indicate its receipt of the contribution, which verification must be in writing and accompany the application for tax credit.

(c) The business firm must submit a separate application for tax credit for each individual contribution that it makes to each individual project.

(4) ADMINISTRATION.—

(a) The Department of Economic Opportunity has authority to adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of this section, including rules for the approval or disapproval of proposals by business firms.

(b) The decision of the Department of Economic Opportunity shall be in writing, and, if approved, the notification must state the maximum credit allowable to the business firm. A copy of the decision shall be transmitted to the executive director of the Department of Revenue, who shall apply such credit to the tax liability of the business firm.

(c) The Department of Economic Opportunity shall periodically monitor all projects in a manner consistent with available resources to ensure that resources are utilized in accordance with this section; however, each project shall be reviewed no less often than once every 2 years.

(d) The Department of Revenue has authority to adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of this section.

(e) The Department of Economic Opportunity shall, in consultation with the Florida Housing Finance Corporation and the statewide and regional housing and financial intermediaries, market the availability of the community contribution tax credit program to community-based organizations.

History.—ss. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, ch. 80-249; s. 24, ch. 81-167; s. 127, ch. 81-259; s. 6, ch. 82-119; s. 41, ch. 84-356; s. 19, ch. 88-201; s. 1, ch. 89-352; s. 56, ch. 89-356; s. 4, ch. 90-130; s. 123, ch. 91-112; s. 53, ch. 94-136; s. 22, ch. 96-320; s. 27, ch. 98-200; s. 1, ch. 98-219; s. 1, ch. 99-265; s. 26, ch. 2000-210; s. 8, ch. 2001-201; s. 925, ch. 2002-387; s. 9, ch. 2004-243; s. 3, ch. 2005-282; s. 2, ch. 2006-78; s. 25, ch. 2007-5; s. 35, ch. 2008-153; s. 6, ch. 2010-4; s. 3, ch. 2011-97; s. 91, ch. 2011-142; s. 28, ch. 2012-96; s. 15, ch. 2014-38; ss. 19, 26, ch. 2015-221; s. 4, ch. 2016-216; s. 31, ch. 2017-36; s. 44, ch. 2018-118.