Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concernsStudents benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE What changes if Big Cypress National Preserve becomes a Wilderness Area? America’s first nationally designated preserve is in Southwest Florida’s backyard, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Method to treat IBD being used for other health issues Trying to get treatments for the brain when fighting neurological diseases like epilepsy and ALS is a challenge.
FORT MYERS NTSB report reveals new details in helicopter crash after Hurricane Ian The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a helicopter crash that occurred in Iona, Florida, shortly after Hurricane Ian.
NAPLES Memorial celebrates the life of John Passidomo Hundreds of friends and family gathered for a memorial at Baker Park in Naples.
‘Latinos in Action’ empowers all students to succeed WINK News talked with teachers who are a part of the program, helping kids reach their full potential.
Immokalee ‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into color One of Southwest Florida best portrait artist, Martha Maria Cantu, almost gave up art. Now she’s on the forefront of the city of Immokalee, to make her community filled with color.
GOLDEN GATE Collier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate Collier commissioners unanimously approved a long term lease and operating agreement to reopen the Golden Gate golf course Tuesday.
PUNTA GORDA Motorcyclists ride in SWFL to help veterans battle suicide A group of veterans from the American Legion are grabbing their helmets and boots for a motorcycle ride to bring awareness to the staggering rates of suicide among veterans.
SARASOTA Alleged sexual abuse victims of Port Charlotte priest comes forward Father Riley worked at three churches in Charlotte County and another in Naples. On Friday, new allegations emerged from a news conference in Sarasota.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte priest accused of sexual abuse appears in court A priest accused of sexually abusing four altar boys in Iowa nearly 40 years ago returned to Charlotte County court.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema prepares for opening at Mercato The newest movie theater in Southwest Florida opens April 29, and it does so with an array of entertainment offerings that go beyond the usual options across the region.
Surrendering-pets trend at Gulf Coast Humane Society concerns An large amount of pets are being surrendered by their owners. About half of the dogs at the Gulf Coast Humane Society are surrender dogs.
Students benefitting from millions in sales tax dollars So far, the voter-approved half-cent sales tax has brought in $507 million for the Lee County School District.
PORT CHARLOTTE ‘Shady’: One woman feels misled after federal student loan consolidation It takes some people decades to pay off their student loans. One woman’s last payment was in sight until she took a gamble she said she was told to take.
FORT MYERS Homeless encampments inch closer to neighborhoods Law enforcement has swept multiple encampments, cleaning the trails of mess and muck left behind, and some of these encampments are right in our backyards.
BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE What changes if Big Cypress National Preserve becomes a Wilderness Area? America’s first nationally designated preserve is in Southwest Florida’s backyard, and it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Method to treat IBD being used for other health issues Trying to get treatments for the brain when fighting neurological diseases like epilepsy and ALS is a challenge.
FORT MYERS NTSB report reveals new details in helicopter crash after Hurricane Ian The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its final report on a helicopter crash that occurred in Iona, Florida, shortly after Hurricane Ian.
NAPLES Memorial celebrates the life of John Passidomo Hundreds of friends and family gathered for a memorial at Baker Park in Naples.
‘Latinos in Action’ empowers all students to succeed WINK News talked with teachers who are a part of the program, helping kids reach their full potential.
Immokalee ‘The eyes always draw me in’; Immokalee portrait artist turns dark times into color One of Southwest Florida best portrait artist, Martha Maria Cantu, almost gave up art. Now she’s on the forefront of the city of Immokalee, to make her community filled with color.
GOLDEN GATE Collier commissioners approve agreement for golf complex in Golden Gate Collier commissioners unanimously approved a long term lease and operating agreement to reopen the Golden Gate golf course Tuesday.
PUNTA GORDA Motorcyclists ride in SWFL to help veterans battle suicide A group of veterans from the American Legion are grabbing their helmets and boots for a motorcycle ride to bring awareness to the staggering rates of suicide among veterans.
SARASOTA Alleged sexual abuse victims of Port Charlotte priest comes forward Father Riley worked at three churches in Charlotte County and another in Naples. On Friday, new allegations emerged from a news conference in Sarasota.
PORT CHARLOTTE Port Charlotte priest accused of sexual abuse appears in court A priest accused of sexually abusing four altar boys in Iowa nearly 40 years ago returned to Charlotte County court.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema prepares for opening at Mercato The newest movie theater in Southwest Florida opens April 29, and it does so with an array of entertainment offerings that go beyond the usual options across the region.
crosslandproperties.com/ MGN FORT MYERS, Fla.- When you can’t afford to own a home, you probably rent. But what if even rent is out of reach? Some of the steepest spikes in the U.S. are impacting renters in Southwest Florida. Nearly 1 in 3 renters in Florida are struggling to make ends meet with half of every paycheck going straight to their rent and power bill, according to a survey by the nonprofit Make Room. The rising cost of rent is forcing some families, like Jessica Powell’s to make tough choices. Powell is a hairdresser, whose salary is based partly on commission. Shortly after her divorce, Powell decided to move in with a close friend. The two single moms have three sons between the two of them. “When you’re looking at paying over half your income, what about my electric, what about groceries, everything else. What if something happens?” Powell said. According to real estate company Rent Range, rent in Fort Myers has risen 23.6% in the last year, more than anywhere else in the country. For small-scale multi-family rentals like duplexes in Lee County, MLS data shows rent has increased almost 11.98 percent in the last year. ALN, which tracks rental prices throughout the U.S., says rent for apartment complexes with 100 units or more is up 14.1 percent in Fort Myers. It’s been close to a decade since an apartment community was built in Lee County. Several are going up right now. “As the demand went up, and the supply stayed constant, rents went up. That got to the point where it made sense for developers to take the risks to build a new apartment community,” commercial real estate broker Gary Tasman, of Cushman & Wakefield Commercial Property Southwest Florida, said. Apartment specialist Jonathan Richards of CRE Consultants says the increase in rent is a sign of the market catching up. “Rates have been so low for so long, so we’re starting to see the market normalize,” Richards said. So what’s at play? Richards says the Southwest Florida housing crisis has made a lot of people too afraid to buy again. He also says downsizing baby boomers, mellennials marrying later, debt, and the flexibility to move with job opportunities has occupancy close to 98% in Lee County. “Lee County is growing which is a really good problem to have. we have have new people that want to rent and buy, so we need to meet those demands somehow,” property appraiser Bill Cole said. Lee County permit requests for the last four months show more than 400 apartments going in at U.S. 41 and Metro Parkway, and 280 going in at Estero and Three Oaks Parkways. Development there comes at a time when the Bonita/Estero market is seeing the most expensive rent in all of Southwest Florida. The average there is more than $1,200 a month, a 15% increase in the last year. “I think as bad as you hear people complaining about $1,200 rent, look in Tampa, look in Orlando. We’re still a great bargain compared to those other communities,” Tasman said. Bottom line, experts argue Southwest Florida is affordable, because the median household income in lee county is $50,000. “Rents are $1,100 a month for a 2 bedroom. Most communities require three times that much for gross salary, which puts you just under $40,000, so we’re still pretty far away from the median income,” Richards said. According to Richards, 2,000 units are either in the planning phase, under construction, or are already being leased in Lee County. He says the rental market isn’t slowing down, and rents will continue to rise.