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Announcement: Palm Beach County has created the Department of Economic Sustainability (DES), combining programs for business development, housing, and community initiatives. This department's mission is:

To advance community sustainability by increasing economic competitveness and improving the elements that create a high quality of life for Palm Beach County's residents.

The new website is currently under construction, but please check back often for further updates. If you are presently interested in programs for business assistance and economic development, visit EDO. For housing assistance and community development initiatives, visit HCD.

We look forward to working with you.

 

 

County Profile

 
 

Agencies

 
 

Florida Enterprise Zone Program

 


Background. The Florida Enterprise Zone (FEZ) Tax Incentive Program was established by the State of Florida in 1982. The Florida Enterprise Zone Act of 1994 made significant changes to the program. This act was based primarily on the federal government's Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities programs. There are 59 enterprise zones statewide (30 rural and 29 urban), which are areas targeted for economic revitalization. This program offers tax incentives to businesses located in designated FEZ areas of urban and rural communities to encourage private investment and increase employment opportunities for the area's residents.

The FEZ Program in Palm Beach County was formally established in May 1995 for a 10-year period. In 2005, the Florida Legislature extended the Enterprise Zone Program for another ten years and provided existing enterprise zones an opportunity to have their zones redesignated with boundary amendments. This state program offers eight different tax incentives and it is designed to assist and support: (a) new and existing businesses contemplating relocation to or establishing a new facility in an Enterprise Zone, and (b) local existing businesses in the County planning an expansion.

The 2011 Florida Legislature enacted Committee Substitute for House Bill 143, Chapter 2011-076, Laws of Florida, which provides Palm Beach County and the City of Pahokee with an opportunity to apply for an Enterprise Zone Boundary Amendment request.

The governing body of a jurisdiction which has nominated an application for an enterprise zone that is no larger than 12 square miles and includes a portion of the state designated as a rural area of critical economic concern under s. 288.0656(7) may apply to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, Division of Strategic Business Development to expand the boundary of the enterprise zone by not more than 3 square miles.

(rev. March 2012)
 

EDO Location

 

100 Australian Avenue, Suite 500
West Palm Beach, FL 33406
phone:  (561) 233-3671
fax:  (561) 656-7543 e-fax
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