Housing

Student housing is limited near the Florida Gulf Coast University campus. Only three designated student housing complexes are in the area, creating an expensive apartment market for college students. With limited on-campus housing, many students struggle to find affordable living options during the school year.

A 60-day demo and rebuild project by Lee Builders Care and Stevens Construction was in response to issues the Fort Myers family of Myrtle Dillard family faced; Myrtle Dillard was caring for her daughter and twin granddaughters, she also had health concerns and her husband, Joseph, had recently died.On the home issue, the forest green old house not only required extensive repairs, but also lacked necessary accessibility features, posing serious safety risks for Dillard, who relies on wheelchair access.On Tuesday, they not only got a new home, but a healthy does of hope to go with it.

The online application portal and submission of new applications online or in-person for the LeeCares Hurricane Ian Housing Recovery Program will conclude at 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 15.Lee County currently is processing more than 1,300 applications requesting assistance for repairing, reconstructing, elevating or purchasing a home. Lee County and its partners directly contacted more than 62,000 Lee County residents to provide LeeCARES program information.

Lee BIA Builders Care, Stevens Construction partner to rebuild a home for a Fort Myers family in need.Demolition marks launch of 60-day project to rebuild home at no cost to the family

Lee County will host a series of public hearings in accordance with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development regulations governing Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Solutions Grant, and HOME programs.The county stressed that the meetings are part of the county’s annual allocation of HUD funding and are not related to disaster recovery.

Millions of Americans, especially people of color, are facing painful decisions as a record number struggle with unaffordable rent increases, a crisis fueled by rising prices from inflation, a shortage of affordable housing and the end of pandemic relief.

Three commissioners remained silent after several hundred residents have called for a moratorium on high-density zoning changes.

Residents of The Brooks in Estero lost their appeal Wednesday to stop a 4-story apartment complex from being built at the northeast corner of Three Oaks Parkway and Coconut Road.Long Bay Partners LLC, Top-CR Associates LLC and PAC Estero Apartments plan to tear down the former Winn-Dixie grocery store at the Brooks Town Center to make room for the 137 high-end apartments.

High costs for housing, food and other necessities are proving to be the Grinch of the holiday season for some in Southwest Florida.Mental health experts are sounding alarms about the rising number of people suffering a great deal of stress because of economic issues.

The fight against a 4-story apartment complex at the northeast corner of Three Oaks Parkway and Coconut Road in Estero is not over.Residents of the Brooks filed an appeal this week with the Village of Estero to reconsider giving the developers of the apartment complex a development order.