Lee County Commissioner Frank Mann
Back in 2008-09, foreclosures were through the roof in Lee County. Eight years later, there is on average around 120 homes that fall into that category. The housing secretary and others say it’s thanks to President Obama’s Recovery Act.
Patricia Howard is very thankful for her new home after losing her rental in the housing crisis.
“I’m ecstatic, I wake up every day thanking God that he did this for me,” said Patricia Howard of Lehigh Acres. “That house went into foreclosure and so it meant I had to move back in with family members.”
She qualified for housing assistance under housing and urban development and bought a new home.
“This was a very successful program and I wasn’t embarrassed to say thank you very much federal government at a time when we were on our backs,” said Lee County Commissioner Frank Mann.
Putting politics aside, Commissioner Mann welcomed up-and-coming Democratic Party star U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro in Lehigh Acres Thursday where he was touting the falling number of foreclosures.
Castro is meeting with Ft Myers city leaders. He’s warning of a new problem facing many areas like ours — rental affordability. He says there are many families who simply can’t afford to live in the area.
“We also know that we have a rental affordability crisis. The rents are going up in a lot of areas,” he said.
He says that’s something city leaders and the next administration will have to work together on.