Collier County housing. (Credit: WINK News) More than 400 people attended the Collier County Workforce Housing Forum hosted by Greater Naples Leadership on Wednesday. The event included eight employers in the Southwest Florida area struggling to find housing for their employees along with testimonies from six local residents who are challenged daily by a lack of affordable housing. Dan Lavender, CEO of Moorings Park retirement community, is one of many business leaders in the area who are plagued with employees being forced to make long daily commutes. “I’ve had housekeepers come up to me, they got a letter, their rents are going up $700 to $800 a month. They can’t afford it, they move 45, 50 miles away sometimes,” he said. “Now they’re commuting back and forth and spending two hours coming each way. And I just don’t think that’s sustainable. We have to find a way as a community to have the people who provide the services and work to be close by.” To read more at Gulfshore Business, click here.