Fort Myers housing project aims to sell vacant lots for affordable prices

Fort Myers wants to improve parts of the city where neighbors are currently stuck looking at unappealing lots, vacant properties or both. It would take abandoned lots and convert them into affordable homes.

Councilman Fred Burson told us the goal of the Fort Myers infill housing program is to put vacant plots of land in the city to good use.

“That is the intent, to improve the whole area through new construction,” Burson said.

Neighbor Steve Powell has lived in Fort Myers for 20 years and isn’t leaving anytime soon. But a property next-door does lower the value of his experience.

“Normally, people that move in, they stay like me, “ Powell said. “Because if I thought it was anything different, I wouldn’t be here.”

Powell acknowledged some of the unsightly, empty lots near his home.

“Yeah, like this one next to me right here,” Powell said. “It’s not kept clean or the grass cut, so there’s all kind of little critters hanging around, mosquitos and stuff.”

Powell likes the principles of the city’s goal with the housing program.

“Anything to improve in the neighborhood,” Powell said.

The goal of the project in Fort Myers is to also give a new homeowner an affordable opportunity.

“Helping somebody who needs a little bit of a helping hand, specifically the buyer,” Burson said. “That’s why we sell it to them at a discounted rate to help them get into it. That they might not otherwise be able to afford a home.”

A plot of land made available through the program went on sale for $4,000 and sold for $500.

“We give it to them at a discounted rate in exchange for building on it within the next three years,” Burson said.

Powell is looking forward to having neighbors and a new neighborhood.

“Oh yeah, because they’ve got houses building now,” Powell said. They’ve got one or two down the street, and I think one or two here. Yeah, so it’s improving a little bit.”

City considers adding background checks for development program