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Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four

Historical Context

The roots of Southern Lee County’s housing and traffic problems can be traced back to the rapid and often unplanned development described in Jason Vuic’s “Swamp Peddlers.” The book chronicles how speculative land sales and profit-driven motives dominated the landscape, leading to haphazard growth without sufficient infrastructure or long-term urban planning. This speculative frenzy created sprawling developments, often at the expense of sustainable community building.

Current Situation

Traffic congestion in Estero and Southern Lee County has become a persistent issue, disrupting daily life and impeding economic activity. Long commutes diminish residents’ quality of life and contribute to environmental degradation through increased vehicle emissions. The local economy suffers as businesses face challenges recruiting and retaining employees due to insufficient workforce housing nearby.

The workforce housing shortage is a critical barrier to the region’s growth and sustainability. Workers, including those in essential sectors, find it increasingly difficult to secure housing within a reasonable distance of their employment. This challenge extends to institutions like Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), which struggle with recruitment and retention of staff due to the high cost of living and housing scarcity in the area.

Proposed Changes: Lessons from Toronto

Municipalities in Lee County can collaborate with the Lee County MPO and draw inspiration from Toronto’s successful initiatives to address these issues. The Toronto Council and the former and current mayors John Tory and Olivia Chow have implemented many initiatives to address workforce housing in the GTA.

The same issues exist in Estero, with the need to provide less expensive accommodation for new teachers, healthcare workers, and first responders, with the added benefit of reduced traffic congestion. The impressive list of initiatives already in place (see below) should guide our local administrators in doing the same.

Toronto’s Current Initiatives

1. Inclusionary Zoning Policies: Toronto has adopted inclusionary zoning policies requiring developers to allocate a percentage of new developments for affordable workforce housing units. This ensures that new residential projects contribute to the city’s affordable housing stock. The inclusionary zoning amendment initially mandates that beginning in 2022, new condominium projects with 100 or more units must set aside 5-10% for affordable workforce rental and ownership. By 2030, that number will increase to 8-22%. Ownership and rent prices will be geared to households earning between $32,486 and $91,611 yearly and won’t exceed 30 percent of their income. One developer recently agreed to assign 30% of the condos built to workforce housing.
2. Financial Incentives: The city offers financial incentives to developers who include affordable workforce housing units in their projects. These incentives may include tax breaks, density bonuses, and grants to offset development costs associated with workforce housing.
3. Community Housing Initiatives: Toronto supports non-profit and community housing organizations through funding and partnerships to develop and manage affordable workforce housing units specifically targeted at the workforce.
4. Regulatory Reforms: The city has streamlined regulatory processes to expedite the approval of workforce housing projects. This includes reducing bureaucratic hurdles and providing clear guidelines for developers.
5. Public-Private Partnerships: Collaborations between the city government, private developers, and non-profit organizations have been encouraged to leverage resources and expertise in building workforce housing. Strengthening partnerships with private developers and non-profit organizations can leverage additional resources and expertise in building workforce housing, as demonstrated by Toronto’s success in fostering such collaborations.

Impact Assessment

These initiatives have shown promising results in increasing the availability of workforce housing options in Toronto:

• Increased Supply: The number of affordable housing units has gradually increased across the city, meeting the workforce’s demand.
• Diverse Housing Types: Initiatives offer diversified housing options, including rental units, shared ownership schemes, and cooperative housing, catering to different workforce needs.
• Improved Affordability: Efforts to control housing costs through subsidies and incentives have stabilized rental prices and made homeownership more accessible.

Engaging the Community

Public awareness campaigns can educate the public about the benefits of workforce housing and dispel misconceptions, fostering community support. Regular consultations with stakeholders, including residents, businesses, and institutions, will ensure that development plans align with the community’s needs and aspirations.

Conclusion

Southern Lee County faces significant challenges with workforce housing issues that must be addressed for the community to thrive. We can create a more balanced and sustainable community by collaborating with the Lee County MPO and adopting successful strategies from other areas, such as Toronto. Prioritizing workforce housing and improving transportation infrastructure will ensure the well-being and prosperity of Southern Lee County for generations to come.

Engage Estero thanks Dr. Adam Malloy, Director, Planning, Growth and Capacity Lee County Schools, Chris Simoneau, Chief Foundation and Development Officer, Lee Health, and Dr. Shelton Weeks, Lucas Professor of Real Estate and Director of the Lucas Institute for Real Estate Development & Finance at Florida Gulf Coast University, for their initiatives and agreement to support Engage Estero’s commitment to attempt to accelerate workforce housing in Greater Estero.