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Director: Karen B. Hawes

Address: 83 Pondella Road, Suite 1

North Fort Myers, Florida 33903

Telephone:

(239) 533-7930 Administration

(239) 533-7900 Client Services

(239) 533-7940 Hearing Impaired Line

Fax Number: (239) 533-7955

Hours of Operation: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday

Number of Employees: 42

 

Online Documents (They are large PDF files)

HUD FY 2003 Consolidated Plan

HUD FY 2002 CAPER (Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report)

HUD FY 2004 HUD Annual Action Plan

HUD FY 2004 Homeless Continuum of Care Strategy

Administration/Contracts

Administration coordinates and provides direction to all program areas to meet the goals of the Board of County Commissioners. Administrative staff are involved in developing community legislative issues, implementing welfare reform initiatives, diversifying the County workforce, planning for future community impacts, and coordinating with other public and private social and health care agencies. 

The Contracts Team is responsible for administering and monitoring the County’s Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Supportive Housing for the Homeless programs; state-mandated programs for Alcohol, Drug Abuse and Mental Health treatment and Public Health, which are funded with General Fund tax dollars; and the Partnering For Results Request For Proposal Process which is also funded with General Fund tax dollars. These programs provide funds to not-for-profit subrecipient agencies for a multitude of needed programs, services, and capital improvements.

Neighborhood Building

 

The Neighborhood Building team coordinates and facilitates the County’s Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant and HOME Programs and it is responsible for developing the County’s HUD Consolidated Plan and the Homeless Continuum of Care Plan.  The team also implements programs directly in the seven most blighted neighborhoods in Lee County, which are Charleston Park, Dunbar, Harlem Heights, Page Park Palmona Park, Pine Manor, and Suncoast Estates. These programs are implemented with the cooperation of Neighborhood District Committees (NDCs), which are made up of residents from each community. One of the team’s main goals is to achieve neighborhood stabilization in the NDCs. This will be achieved by working closely with the local community leaders to build strong public/private partnerships through a balanced approach to neighborhood rebuilding.

 

Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS)

 

The Family Self-Sufficiency program coordinates and facilitates financial assistance to low and moderately low-income families that have experienced an unforeseen crisis such as medical bills, auto expenses, or temporary loss of income. The primary focus is on assisting individuals or families to become self-sufficient. There are a variety of programs available at different times of the year that can assist with rent, mortgage, and utility expenses. Assistance is based on program guidelines and availability of funds.

 

The Family Self-Sufficiency program also administers state-mandated programs. Some state-mandated programs require direct assistance to residents, such as the Indigent Burial/Cremation Program and the Health Care Responsibility Act (HCRA). Other state-mandated programs require indirect assistance in the form of financial reimbursement, such as the Medicaid Program.

 

Fiscal

 

The Fiscal team provides fiscal support and ensures fiscal integrity for the entire Department of Human Services including processing purchase orders and payment requests; preparing, maintaining, and monitoring budgets; and preparing monthly, quarterly, and annual grant reports as required.

 

Housing Services

 

Housing Services’ primary responsibilities fall under two broad program areas. The first is the creation of home ownership opportunities through its down payment and closing costs assistance program; and its programs which are designed to acquire vacant single family homes for rehabilitation and eventual sale to eligible first time home buyers. The second is through its owner/renter occupied housing rehabilitation program. This program is designed to keep low-income families in homes they can afford; while eliminating the substandard conditions they are currently relegated to live in.

 

The team currently gives priority in the implementation of these programs to the seven most blighted neighborhoods within Lee County (Dunbar, Harlem Heights, Charleston Park, Page Park Palmona Park, Pine Manor and Suncoast Estates). Additional emphasis is given to elderly and or disabled, low-income citizens throughout unincorporated Lee County. The overall effect of the Housing Services programs is the stabilization and revitalization of Lee County’s blighted communities, while providing the mechanisms for home ownership.

 

For more information on available programs in any of these areas, please call (239) 533-7900.