The deadline for LeeCares applications is March 31 for homeowners who experienced damage because of Hurricanes Helene or Milton. If you qualify based on income, you need to apply before the portal closes at the end of the month.
You can apply and review program details at www.leeflcares.com. If you’d rather speak with someone, call 239-382-5453 or stop by the LeeCares Intake Center, open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at 9400 Gladiolus Drive, Suite 270, Fort Myers.
LeeCares uses funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) to help homeowners repair, replace, or rebuild homes damaged by the 2024 hurricanes. The program is still reviewing applications, assessing damage, and providing support for reconstruction, rehabilitation, and mobile home replacement across the county. If you submit your application by March 31, the team will review it for eligibility and award. The application window for Hurricane Ian-related damage closed in December.
In other news, the Lee Board of County Commissioners just opened a 30-day public comment period for major changes to the CDBG-DR Action Plans for both Hurricane Ian and the 2024 hurricanes. Lee County received $1.1 billion for Hurricane Ian recovery and about $100.7 million for Helene and Milton recovery. As needs shift and projects develop, the county adjusts its policies and funding allocations. Any significant changes—like expanding who’s eligible, adding or removing projects, or moving over 5% of funds—require a formal amendment process and at least 30 days for public review.
The proposed amendments do two main things. First, they allow flexibility to move funds between the Hurricane Ian and Helene/Milton programs, making it easier to cover gaps as recovery moves forward. Second, they add $2.4 million to the Sanibel Captiva Road and Captiva Drive Resiliency project. This money will help repair the Blind Pass Bridge, the only road access for about 194 households on Captiva Island, which took repeated hits from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The extra funding will help ensure this critical evacuation and emergency route stays open and safe.
You can find the amended Action Plans, the public notice, a table of contents, and a link to submit comments at these sites:
CDBG-DR Hurricane Ian: https://ian-cdbgdr.leegov.com/
CDBG-DR Hurricanes Helene and Milton: https://2024-cdbgdr.leegov.com/
Share your feedback or questions online through those sites, by email at recovery@leegov.com, or by mail to Lee County Government County Administration, c/o Strategic Resources and Government Affairs, PO Box 398, Fort Myers, FL 33902.
Also, the Board just approved up to $20 million in CDBG-DR funds to help build 230 new affordable rental housing units at 5300-5360 Summerlin Road in Fort Myers. They estimate the total project at $93.6 million, which works out to $407,065 per unit, with each unit receiving an $86,957 CDBG-DR subsidy.
To keep up with county updates, sign up for the Lee County Government newsletter at www.leegov.com/resources/newsletters, or follow along on social media at www.leegov.com/socialmedia.
