2023 Florida Statutes › Title XXX - Social Welfare › Chapter 420 - Housing › Part V - Florida Housing Finance Corporation (Ss. 420.501-420.55) › 420.50872 - Live Local Program.

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420.50872 Live Local Program.—
(1) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:
(a) “Annual tax credit amount” means, for any state fiscal year, the sum of the amount of tax credits approved under paragraph (3)(a), including tax credits to be taken under s. 220.1878 or s. 624.51058, which are approved for taxpayers whose taxable years begin on or after January 1 of the calendar year preceding the start of the applicable state fiscal year.
(b) “Eligible contribution” means a monetary contribution from a taxpayer, subject to the restrictions provided in this section, to the corporation for use in the State Apartment Incentive Loan Program under s. 420.5087. The taxpayer making the contribution may not designate a specific project, property, or geographic area of this state as the beneficiary of the eligible contribution.
(c) “Live Local Program” means the program described in this section whereby eligible contributions are made to the corporation.
(d) “Tax credit cap amount” means the maximum annual tax credit amount that the Department of Revenue may approve for a state fiscal year.
(2) RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CORPORATION.—The corporation shall:
(a) Expend 100 percent of eligible contributions received under this section for the State Apartment Incentive Loan Program under s. 420.5087. However, the corporation may use up to $25 million of eligible contributions to provide loans for the construction of large-scale projects of significant regional impact. Such projects must include a substantial civic, educational, or health care use and may include a commercial use, any of which must be incorporated within or contiguous to the project property. Such a loan must be made, except as otherwise provided in this subsection, in accordance with the practices and policies of the State Apartment Incentive Loan Program. Such a loan is subject to the competitive application process and may not exceed 25 percent of the total project cost. The corporation must find that the loan provides a unique opportunity for investment alongside local government participation that would enable creation of a significant amount of affordable housing. Projects approved under this section are intended to provide housing that is affordable as defined in s. 420.0004, notwithstanding the income limitations in s. 420.5087(2).
(b) Upon receipt of an eligible contribution, provide the taxpayer that made the contribution with a certificate of contribution. A certificate of contribution must include the taxpayer’s name; its federal employer identification number, if available; the amount contributed; and the date of contribution.
(c) Within 10 days after issuing a certificate of contribution, provide a copy to the Department of Revenue.
(3) LIVE LOCAL TAX CREDITS; APPLICATIONS, TRANSFERS, AND LIMITATIONS.—
(a) Beginning in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the tax credit cap amount is $100 million in each state fiscal year.
(b) Beginning October 1, 2023, a taxpayer may submit an application to the Department of Revenue for an allocation of the tax credit cap for tax credits to be taken under either or both of s. 220.1878 or s. 624.51058.
1. The taxpayer shall specify in the application each tax for which the taxpayer requests a credit and the applicable taxable year. For purposes of s. 220.1878, a taxpayer may apply for a credit to be used for a prior taxable year before the date the taxpayer is required to file a return for that year pursuant to s. 220.222. For purposes of s. 624.51058, a taxpayer may apply for a credit to be used for a prior taxable year before the date the taxpayer is required to file a return for that prior taxable year pursuant to ss. 624.509 and 624.5092. The Department of Revenue shall approve tax credits on a first-come, first-served basis.
2. Within 10 days after approving or denying an application, the Department of Revenue shall provide a copy of its approval or denial letter to the corporation.
(c) If a tax credit approved under paragraph (b) is not fully used for the specified taxable year for credits under s. 220.1878 or s. 624.51058 because of insufficient tax liability on the part of the taxpayer, the unused amount may be carried forward for a period not to exceed 10 taxable years. For purposes of s. 220.1878, a credit carried forward may be used in a subsequent year after applying the other credits and unused carryovers in the order provided in s. 220.02(8).
(d) A taxpayer may not convey, transfer, or assign an approved tax credit or a carryforward tax credit to another entity unless all of the assets of the taxpayer are conveyed, assigned, or transferred in the same transaction. However, a tax credit under s. 220.1878 or s. 624.51058 may be conveyed, transferred, or assigned between members of an affiliated group of corporations if the type of tax credit under s. 220.1878 or s. 624.51058 remains the same. A taxpayer shall notify the Department of Revenue of its intent to convey, transfer, or assign a tax credit to another member within an affiliated group of corporations. The amount conveyed, transferred, or assigned is available to another member of the affiliated group of corporations upon approval by the Department of Revenue.
(e) Within any state fiscal year, a taxpayer may rescind all or part of a tax credit allocation approved under paragraph (b). The amount rescinded must become available for that state fiscal year to another eligible taxpayer as approved by the Department of Revenue if the taxpayer receives notice from the Department of Revenue that the rescindment has been accepted by the Department of Revenue. Any amount rescinded under this paragraph must become available to an eligible taxpayer on a first-come, first-served basis based on tax credit applications received after the date the rescindment is accepted by the Department of Revenue.
(f) Within 10 days after approving or denying the conveyance, transfer, or assignment of a tax credit under paragraph (d), or the rescindment of a tax credit under paragraph (e), the Department of Revenue shall provide a copy of its approval or denial letter to the corporation.
(g) For purposes of calculating the underpayment of estimated corporate income taxes under s. 220.34 and tax installment payments for taxes on insurance premiums or assessments under s. 624.5092, the final amount due is the amount after credits earned under s. 220.1878 or s. 624.51058 for contributions to eligible charitable organizations are deducted.
1. For purposes of determining if a penalty or interest under s. 220.34(2)(d)1. will be imposed for underpayment of estimated corporate income tax, a taxpayer may, after earning a credit under s. 220.1878, reduce any estimated payment in that taxable year by the amount of the credit.
2. For purposes of determining if a penalty under s. 624.5092 will be imposed, an insurer, after earning a credit under s. 624.51058 for a taxable year, may reduce any installment payment for such taxable year of 27 percent of the amount of the net tax due as reported on the return for the preceding year under s. 624.5092(2)(b) by the amount of the credit.
(4) PRESERVATION OF CREDIT.—If any provision or portion of this section, s. 220.1878, or s. 624.51058 or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held unconstitutional by any court or is otherwise declared invalid, the unconstitutionality or invalidity does not affect any credit earned under s. 220.1878 or s. 624.51058 by any taxpayer with respect to any contribution paid to the Live Local Program before the date of a determination of unconstitutionality or invalidity. The credit must be allowed at such time and in such a manner as if a determination of unconstitutionality or invalidity had not been made, provided that nothing in this subsection by itself or in combination with any other provision of law may result in the allowance of any credit to any taxpayer in excess of $1 of credit for each dollar paid to an eligible charitable organization.
(5) ADMINISTRATION; RULES.—
(a) The Department of Revenue and the corporation may develop a cooperative agreement to assist in the administration of this section, as needed.
(b) The Department of Revenue may adopt rules necessary to administer this section and ss. 220.1878 and 624.51058, including rules establishing application forms, procedures governing the approval of tax credits and carryforward tax credits under subsection (3), and procedures to be followed by taxpayers when claiming approved tax credits on their returns.
(c) By August 15, 2023, and by each August 15 thereafter, the Department of Revenue shall determine the 500 taxpayers with the greatest total corporate income or franchise tax due as reported on the taxpayer’s return filed pursuant to s. 220.22 during the previous calendar year and notify those taxpayers of the existence of the Live Local Program and the process for obtaining an allocation of the tax credit cap. The Department of Revenue shall confer with the corporation in the drafting of the notification. The Department of Revenue may provide this notification by electronic means.
History.—s. 34, ch. 2023-17.
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Note.—Section 43, ch. 2023-17, provides that:
“(1) The Department of Revenue is authorized, and all conditions are deemed met, to adopt emergency rules under s. 120.54(4), Florida Statutes, for the purpose of implementing provisions related to the Live Local Program created by this act. Notwithstanding any other law, emergency rules adopted under this section are effective for 6 months after adoption and may be renewed during the pendency of procedures to adopt permanent rules addressing the subject of the emergency rules.
“(2) This section expires July 1, 2026.”