Cities across Florida are searching for practical ways to address housing affordability. In Fort Myers, local leaders are testing an innovative approach that combines city resources, private partnerships and underutilized land to create attainable homeownership opportunities for residents.
The City of Fort Myers’ Affordable Home Construction Program takes a straightforward approach: build homes using local contractors and sell them at cost to income-eligible residents. By removing developer markups and using city-owned land where possible, the program creates a pathway to homeownership for families who might otherwise be priced out of the market.
The idea originated when Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson and City Manager Marty Lawing began discussing how the city could better use the vacant lots it already owned. During those conversations, a simple question emerged. Why not build homes on those properties and sell them at cost to residents who qualify?…