Fort Myers closes on first house through affordable home program

Reporter: Valentina LaFranca Writer: Tim Belizaire
Published: Updated:

It is the season of giving, and the City of Fort Myers is participating.

The city closed a contract for the first single-family home through its Affordable Home Construction Program.

This program gives families who qualify a chance to purchase their own home at the city’s cost with no markup.

The new homeowner, Latisha Jewett, and her son were at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for her new home.

So many of her friends and family, as well as many members of the city, came out to announce their first completed home through that program.

Lincoln Street just gained some new neighbors. The home here used to be a lot owned by the City of Fort Myers. Now, it belongs to Jewett and her son.

“I love it, I love my new home,” said Jewett.

The city held a ribbon cutting to celebrate Jewett and celebrate the first home that the city built through its Affordable Home Construction Program.

This program is designed to help families purchase a home at the city’s cost with no markup.

Kevin Anderson is the mayor of Fort Myers. He said this program benefits many people.

“This was a vacant lot that costs the city money to maintain,” said Anderson. “Now, it’s going to be in the tax rolls, plus you have a family living here, first-time homeowners. You know, it’s a win, win, win. We use a local contractor. Another win.”

The mayor said their goal is six houses a year in various neighborhoods within the city.

“The city manager and I were out driving around looking at some of the lots we own,” said Anderson, “so he was getting a feel, ‘OK, how do we best utilize these?’ and so I just said, ‘Why can’t we build a house and sell it at cost?’ And he responded, ‘There’s no reason we can’t.'”

Applications are closed for now for this specific program, but the city’s affordable housing trust fund also offers rental assistance.

For more information on the Affordable Home Construction Program, click here.

For more information on the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, click here.

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