Southward Village housing project possible in Fort Myers

Reporter: Jolena Esperto Writer: Rachel Murphy
Published: Updated:

Affordable housing could be on the way in the Dunbar community of Fort Myers.

A million-dollar grant and a plan to transform Southward Village may be on the rise. Thursday, the City of Fort Myers and the Housing Authority accepted $2 million in funding from the state to help pay for phase three of the project.

southward village
New plan for Southward Village (CREDIT Housing Authority of Fort Myers)

“It’s a lot of people out here; they’re disabled. Like my sister, for example. She got letters from her doctor that had been taken to them and their office, Aetna Renaissance. The doctor was stating that she can’t live by herself,” said William Brown, who lives in Southward Village.

The Housing Authority said the point of the project is to help people like Brown’s sister.

“[It] is going to serve residents that are 62 and older, and that’ll be at brand new senior affordable housing units,” said Marcia Davis, the executive director of the Fort Myers Housing Authority.

When the work is done, Davis said there will be more than 300 units for single-household families, a neighborhood market and a new community center and amenities.

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