IONA, Fla. — Several new homes are rising off Windcrest Drive in Iona, part of a growing effort by the LeeCares Housing Recovery Program to rebuild lives in the wake of recent storms.
Watch as Iona Community Correspondnt Anvar Ruziev visits the neighborhood and speaks to people benefitting from the LeeCares Program:
The program, funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, reopened Tuesday to support Lee County homeowners impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. It provides income-eligible residents with financial assistance to repair, rebuild, or even purchase homes after major storm damage.
One of the program’s longtime applicants, Kevin Cothron, is preparing to break ground on his new home after years of waiting. Cothron’s property was hit by both a tornado and Hurricane Ian.
This week, he’s been clearing his lot in preparation for construction, which officially begins Monday.
“Been three years in the making so, we’ll see how it goes,” Cothron said. “They got 90 days, so in 93 days I’ll have a new house.”
A neighbor of Cothron’s is even closer to moving back in. He expects to return to his rebuilt home within the next 30 days.
According to him, the LeeCares program covered the full cost—minus previously received FEMA and insurance payouts that had to be returned to avoid what federal officials refer to as “duplicate benefits.”
Applicants must disclose any aid they’ve already received from FEMA, the Small Business Administration (SBA), or private insurers. Those amounts are deducted from the grant to ensure federal dollars aren’t used twice for the same damage.
Cothron acknowledged the process hasn’t been quick—but he said it’s been worth it.
“So far it’s worked out pretty good,” he said. “It took a little long, but you know, it was worth the wait. In the end, I end up with a brand new two-bedroom house so you can’t complain about that at all.”
As Lee County works to finish housing for Hurricane Ian survivors, officials are also launching a new round of assistance. The latest phase of the program is now open to people whose homes were damaged in Hurricane Helene (September 2024) or Hurricane Milton (October 2024).
Eligible homeowners can begin the process by submitting a pre-application at leeflcares.com. The county expects to open full applications this summer, pending final approval from HUD.
The pre-application window is open until September 30, 2025.
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