Holmes Beach

What Holmes Beach does

Holmes Beach is a municipal government on Anna Maria Island in Manatee County, Florida, incorporated in 1950 and serving approximately 3,010 permanent residents that seasonally expand alongside 3.83 million annual tourists (2024). The city operates under a Mayor-Commission form of government and delivers a full municipal services portfolio including police protection, development services (planning, building inspections, code compliance), public works (roads, stormwater, parks), financial administration, and digital records management. Its core technology stack centers on the Citizenserve online permitting and payment portal, supplemented by eSCRIBE meeting management with live streaming, JustFOIA public records request system, Laserfiche digital archive, Sage 100 financial management, and TextMyGov SMS notifications, with police operations supported by CAD, LPR cameras, body cameras, and in-car camera systems. These digital workflows have driven a fourfold increase in permit throughput (500 to 2,000 annually) and consolidated planning, building, and code compliance under a single Development Services directorate. Revenue is generated through City Ad Valorem taxes ($7.05 million for Tax Year 2024), a Tourist Development Tax that contributes approximately 25% of county-wide collections and over $70 million cumulatively since inception, a self-sustaining building permit fee model, federal/state grants ($4.27 million from Police 2013-2025; $5.5 million+ from Public Works since 2021), and municipal fees. The city's competitive position is anchored by voter-approved charter restrictions on building height and density, a FEMA CRS Class 5 floodplain management designation delivering approximately 25% NFIP premium discounts citywide, and a defended "Old Florida" small-town brand reputation supported by the 2016 Vacation Rental Certificate program.

Name

Holmes Beach

Legal name

City of Holmes Beach

Website

https://holmesbeachfl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Holmes Beach is a municipal government on Anna Maria Island, Florida, serving 3,010 residents and 3.83 million annual tourists with digital-first public services including permitting, policing, public works, and floodplain management since 1950.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (9241), Police Protection (922120), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251)

akta.pro primary industry

City Clerk/Records, Elections & Civic Engagement (BPAIACAB)

Keywords

• Municipal government services
• Public safety services
• Building permits
• Floodplain management
• Code enforcement

Headquarters

HQ city

Holmes Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Property Taxes (Ad Valorem): City Ad Valorem taxes of $7.05 million for Tax Year 2024 supporting municipal services. County Ad Valorem contributions of $21.56 million to county. Total taxable property value exceeds $3.2 billion.
2. Tourist Development Tax: Generates approximately 25% of all Tourist Development Tax collections countywide. Since tax inception, city has generated more than $70 million for the Tourist Development Tax Fund supporting beach renourishment, infrastructure, and tourism marketing.
3. Building Permits and Inspections: Building Department operates under self-sustaining fee-supported model where permit and inspection fees cover the cost of services. Planning and Code Compliance funded primarily through General Fund.
4. Grants and External Funding: Police department generated $4.27 million from 2013-2025 through federal/state grants, school resource officer agreements, and county beach patrol contracts. Public Works secured over $5.5 million in grant awards since 2021 including Resilient Florida, HMGP, FEMA Public Assistance, and ARPA funds.
5. Municipal Fees and Licenses: Revenue from business tax receipts, vacation rental certificates, golf cart registrations, parking permits, dock rentals, and various other municipal fees and services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Holmes Beach is a municipal government that delivers public safety, building and development services, code compliance, public works, and administrative services to residents, property owners, businesses, and visitors of Anna Maria Island. The City operates a Police Department, processes building permits and inspections, enforces local codes, maintains infrastructure, manages vacation rental registration, and conducts public meetings and records administration. Revenue is funded primarily through tourist development tax collections, business tax receipts, fees for permits and services, and intergovernmental grants.

Product overview

Holmes Beach is a municipal government, not a technology product company. Its 'products and services' consist of public services delivered to residents, businesses, and visitors through both traditional government functions and modernized digital platforms. The city has transformed from paper-based operations into a one-stop digital service model centered on its Online Permitting Portal and Citizenserve Payment Portal. Key service portfolios include Development Services (planning, building inspections, code compliance), Public Works (infrastructure, stormwater, parks), Public Safety (police, traffic, beach patrol), and Administrative Services (city clerk, finance, human resources). The city also operates specialized programs such as the Vacation Rental Certificate program, Floodplain Management services, and digital records management. These services collectively serve to manage growth, ensure public safety, maintain infrastructure, and preserve community character on the barrier island.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Police Department Services
• Building and Development Services
• Code Compliance and Enforcement
• Public Works and Infrastructure
• Vacation Rental Registration
• Business Tax Receipt Services
• Floodplain Management and Insurance Services
• City Clerk and Public Records Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 25% flood insurance premium discount for all NFIP policyholders through CRS Class 5 rating
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FEMAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal Emergency Management Agency partnership for disaster recovery and resilience. Holmes Beach qualified for $6 million in Hurricane Public Administration reimbursements after catastrophic storms. Nearly $5 million in FEMA Public Assistance projects obligated for Hurricanes Helene and Milton recovery.
• Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional water management partnership for stormwater planning, drainage improvements, and water quality projects. SWFWMD provides regulatory oversight and funding for infrastructure projects.
• Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState environmental protection partnership for coastal resilience, water quality, and environmental compliance programs. Collaborates on beach access and coastal management initiatives.
• Manatee CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partnership with county government for infrastructure, public safety, schools, and emergency management. City contributes $21.56 million annually in county ad valorem taxes and 25% of tourist development tax. Coordinates on beach patrols, schools funding, and shared services.
• Manatee County Supervisor of ElectionscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCoordinates local elections including voter registration, candidate qualifying, and election day operations at island branch library location.
• Anna Maria Island Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism and business promotion partnership. Commissioner serves as Commission Liaison for the Chamber. Collaborative marketing and visitor engagement.
• Island Transportation Planning OrganizationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional transportation planning coordination for barrier island mobility, parking, and traffic management. Commissioner Diggins serves as Commission Liaison.
• Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch & Shorebird MonitoringminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEnvironmental partnership for turtle conservation and public education. City hosts 'Turtle Talks' educational workshops during summer season.
• Islanders 4 Clean WaterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental awareness campaign raising visibility of water quality issues and pollution reduction efforts around Anna Maria Island.
• Manatee County Emergency Operations CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCountywide emergency management coordination for hurricane response, disaster recovery, and public safety during emergencies. Mayor serves as alternate for EOC.
• Local Mitigation Strategy Working GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCountywide hazard mitigation planning group. Helping prioritize more than $50 million in projects with over $25 million in HMGP funding proposals submitted.
• Tampa Bay Estuary ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional environmental partnership for Tampa Bay water quality improvement. City supports through Lyngbya algae awareness and water pollution prevention initiatives.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• City of Key West: Larger Florida island tourism municipality with parallel emphasis on tourism management, character preservation, and CRS-driven flood programs. Different scale but structurally analogous coastal island governance.
• City of Naples: Affluent coastal Florida city with similar 'Old Florida' character preservation policies, height/density restrictions, vacation rental debates, and hurricane recovery experience. Larger in scale but operationally analogous in governance philosophy.

Regional players

• Manatee County Government: County government that receives $21.56M in annual Ad Valorem contributions from Holmes Beach and coordinates on beach patrols, schools, and emergency management — the directly governing county partner for which Holmes Beach delivers constituent services.
• Town of Jupiter Island: Affluent Florida barrier island municipality with similar small permanent population, strict development regulations, and exclusive coastal residential character. Comparable governance approach despite larger per-capita property values.

Direct peers

• City of Bradenton Beach: Adjacent municipality on Anna Maria Island sharing the same barrier island geography, tourism economy, and regulatory framework. Directly comparable on floodplain exposure, vacation rental pressures, and small-staff municipal service delivery.
• City of Anna Maria: Third city on Anna Maria Island with similar small-staff governance, tourism dependence, and CRS/floodplain considerations. Shares the same county, school district, and tourist development tax structure.
• City of Marco Island: Florida coastal island municipality with similar tourism/tax base dynamics, vacation rental regulation, and barrier-island floodplain management. Highly comparable in budget scale and demographic profile.
• Town of Longboat Key: Florida Gulf Coast barrier island town sharing Holmes Beach's hurricane exposure, affluent property tax base, small permanent population, and Manatee-adjacent context. Directly comparable on coastal resilience program design.
• City of Sanibel: Florida barrier island city with similar coastal hazard exposure (major 2022 hurricane impact), height/density preservation, affluent tourism-based economy, and FEMA recovery dependency.

Others

• Florida League of Cities: Statewide municipal association providing advocacy, training, and shared services to Florida cities including Holmes Beach — relevant as a peer/advisory relationship on legislative issues (vacation rental preemption, CRS, FEMA coordination).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCBbi9wo6PZHNKEti5Wls5BQ/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/cityofholmesbeach
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/holmes-beach

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Holmes Beach