On Monday night Fort Myers City Council decided to make some big changes to the city’s affordable housing trust fund . The expansion will make more people eligible for the program, helping renters get into a place they can call home.
“I’ve just been having a tough time trying to find a place that fits within my budget,” said Christina Staszak, who has been looking for a place to rent.
Fox 4 senior reporter Kaitlin Knapp last spoke with Staszak in June 2023 as she was dealing with the same issue. Since then, the rental prices have not dropped to fit her budget.
“You might see a couple places for $1,200 month and that’s just like an efficient that is owned by someone else,” she said.
The City of Fort Myers is looking to bridge the price gap with changes to the fund, which currently helps property owners lower rent for families to handle the cost.
“Anywhere from $1,000 to $1,200 a month is doable and that’s preferably with utilities included,” Staszak explained.
The changes include an increase to the area median income threshold from 100% to 120%. In other words, more people could soon be eligible for the program.