Welcome to Housing Matters – an occasional update from the Greater Naples Chamber about housing affordability issues facing Collier County, Southwest Florida and beyond. Here you’ll find information about upcoming meetings, calls to action and news about housing.

The Greater Naples Chamber has identified housing affordability as a top public policy priority, and works at the local, regional and state level to address this important talent issue. 

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

• The Collier County Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC) will meet at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 7in HR training room, located in Building B on the Collier County government campus. This meeting is open to the public, but not televised, and there is an opportunity for you to learn more about what’s being discussed in terms of housing in Collier.
  • ON THE AGENDA: Look for AHAC to discuss recommendations to the Collier Board of County Commissioners on ways to address housing affordability in Collier County.
• The Collier Board of County Commissioners is expected to discuss the AHAC recommendations when they meet on Tuesday, Feb. 22 in Collier BCC Chambers. Look for commissioners to get an update from staff on housing affordability and discuss next steps during this meeting.

CALL TO ACTION

• Email the Collier Board of County Commissioners to tell them why housing affordability is important to you: Here’s how:

1. Download the email template to commissioners
2. Personalize the email to explain why housing affordability is important to you and/or your business
3. Copy and paste your email into the body of an email, and visit the Chamber’s website to find contact information for commissioners and their aides.
4. Hit send! If you’re sending an email to all commissioners, make sure to BCC them to limit their chances at replying all!
5. BONUS ROUND: Make sure to tell us if you’ve reached out to commissioners, either by blind copying me on the email or forwarding it after you send.

IN THE NEWS

• Guest opinion: Affordable housing is a crisis in Collier County via Naples Daily News
• Lack of affordable housing hurts economy as well as people via Florida Weekly
• The Crossings at Cape Coral affordable housing purchased for $22.8 million via Gulfshore Business
• Affordable housing trust fund ordinance approved by Fort Myers City Council via Fox 4

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