LeeCares Hurricane Ian Housing Recovery Program outreach begins today; Application portal opens Feb. 1

01/14/2024

Fort Myers, FL, – Lee County has announced that the application portal for the LeeCares Hurricane Ian Housing Recovery Program will open Feb. 1. Door-to-door outreach to raise program awareness among individuals in need begins today, Jan. 16.

Outreach workers will fan out across the county to provide information to residents who were impacted by Hurricane Ian and who may qualify. The in-person outreach staff will be easily identifiable with the LeeCares logo on the front of shirts and “How Can I Help” on the back of shirts.

Outreach will continue even after the application portal opens. Areas to be visited this month and next include Dunbar and Tice, Fort Myers Shores and Franklin Park, Harlem Heights, Heritage Farms, Matlacha and Pine Island, North Fort Myers and Suncoast Estates, South Fort Myers Iona, Bonita Springs and Cape Coral, as well as many other areas. Additional outreach information and locations will be announced Feb. 1.

Funding for the LeeCares housing program comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery allocation to Lee County to address the disaster recovery needs of residents impacted by Hurricane Ian, which made landfall in Lee County on Sept. 28, 2022.

The door-to-door outreach involves flyers, door hangers and other informational materials to educate the public about the LeeCares Hurricane Ian Housing Recovery Program. Informational materials will also be distributed through networks of community service organizations and through the mail.

The information will pertain to the two programs for which individuals can apply beginning Feb. 1:

  • The Housing Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Elevation program may assist income-eligible property owners to repair, replace and/or elevate property that suffered hurricane damage.
  • The Home Purchase Assistance may assist income-eligible home buyers to purchase a qualifying primary residence outside of the flood zone in Lee County.

To view a full list of eligibility requirements and documents needed to apply, visit www.leeflcares.com. Questions can be emailed to leecares@leegov.com. At noon on Feb. 1 when the portal opens, individuals also can call 239-382-5453.

Comprehensive and detailed information about Lee County’s CDBG-DR Action Plan, program allocations, activities and expenditures are provided on the county’s website at https://cdbgdr.leegov.com.

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