PUNTA GORDA, Fla. Southwest Florida is experiencing record numbers when it comes to construction, but that’s creating a unique problem in Charlotte County. For the first time in more than two decades, contractors requested 100 new home permits for two straight months, according to the Charlotte Desoto Building Industry Association. “Growth that we see coming and what’s been happening in the past few months has helped our economy and brought more people to our area,” the building association’s president Patrick Lewis said. Only 232 permits were pulled for the entire 2009 fiscal year in Charlotte County, according to Lewis. The owner of Charlotte Harbor Construction, Garrett Kizer, says the rapid growth is creating a shortage of skilled workers. “We can’t build them as fast as we would be able to otherwise,” Kizer said. “We’re definitely having to turn some jobs away and others we’re telling clients that we’re three to five months out.” If the shortage continues it could lead to higher construction prices for homeowners or an increase in unlicensed contractors, the building association’s spokeswoman Donna Barrett said. Some construction companies are willing to train on the job in order to fill open positions, Barrett said.