The owners of the Salvation Army Center of Hope building off Edison in Fort Myers want to use it to house as many Lee County people experiencing homelessness as possible.
The building’s location is close to the new midtown revitalization, which Fort Myers leaders are uneasy about.
Fort Myers city council is concerned about a homeless shelter next to Midtown revitalization
“We don’t want something that’s gonna discourage that investment,” says Kevin Anderson, the mayor of Fort Myers. “This investment is very important to the city. As is addressing the homeless.”
During Monday’s city council workshop, Mayor Kevin Anderson discussed the proximity of Lee County’s homeless population to the city’s revitalization projects.
He told me Tuesday that the city looks forward to millions of dollars of investments in Midtown.
“If that becomes a drop-off point for all the homeless and Lee County, they’re going to be congregated in and around Midtown and downtown, which we have put a lot of effort into restoring downtown and getting it to be the vibrant,” says Mayor Anderson.