LETTER TO THE EDITOR: News from the November Lee County Commissioners’ meeting

To the Editor:

The Lee Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday selected District 5 Commissioner Mike Greenwell to serve as Board Chairman for the coming year and District 1 Commissioner Kevin Ruane to serve as vice chairman.

 The Board selects a chairman annually in November from among the five commissioners. Commissioner Greenwell previously served as vice chairman.

 Commissioner Greenwell was appointed to the Board by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022. Commissioner Ruane was elected to the Board in 2020. For complete biographies of all members of the Lee Board of County Commissioners, including “Meet the Commissioner” videos, visit leegov.com/bocc.payments.

Commissioners voted Tuesday to accept nearly $4.5 million in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant funds for the fiscal year 2023-2024 budget. 

 This annual funding is used for planning, homeless services, community development and various housing programs administered by Lee County’s Department of Human and Veteran Services to assist about 15,500 people with low to moderate household income.

 Lee County is eligible for the funds because HUD has accepted Lee County’s Annual Action Plan. The grants are through programs including Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds.

 Projects in Lee County’s Annual Action Plan include:

Housing Rehabilitation and Reconstruction

Community Infrastructure

Community Public Services

Down Payment Assistance

Tenant Based Rental Assistance

Nonprofit Capital Improvement.

Betsy Clayton

Communications Director

Lee County Government