We appreciate your interest in the critical issue of workforce housing.  As Tony Ridgway said at the Forum, it’s critical for each of us to spread the message to our friends and community leaders. Our local government officials need to hear from us that we support building housing for workers in our community. 

Joe Trachtenberg told us the loudest voices our elected officials are hearing are opposed to adding new developments. Joe also stressed that there’s lots of confusion about what workforce housing means. We can help overcome the false visions of deteriorating crime-ridden projects. We’re talking about homes for police, nurses, teachers, restaurant workers and families, people like Darlene, Amanda, Brenda, Lauren, Stephanie, and Mario & Abigail.
 
If you couldn’t attend the forum or have friends who couldn’t attend, a video of the event is available on this website. Share the link, www.gnlwebsite.org
 
If you wish to contact your elected officials here is their contact information.

Collier County Commissioners
 Address: 3299 Tamiami Trail East, Suite 303, Naples, FL 34112

District 1 Commissioner Rick LoCastro, Vice Chair
rick.locastro@colliercountyfl.gov 
239.252.8601

District 2 Commissioner Chris Hall
chris.hall@colliercountyfl.gov 
239.252.8602

District 3 Commissioner Burt Saunders
burt.saunders@colliercountyfl.gov 
 239.252.8603

District 4 Commissioner Dan Kowal
dan.kowal@colliercountyfl.gov 
239.252.8604

District 5 Commissioner William L. McDaniel, Jr., Chairman
bill.mcdaniel@colliercountyfl.gov 
239.252.8605
 
County Manager Amy Patterson
Amy.patterson@colliercountyfl.gov
239-252-8383
 
Not sure of your district? Click here:  https://collierbcc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/InformationLookup/index.html?appid=99799c8e61b74eed9ba9cac42ca4b90f

City of Naples
 Address: 735 8th St. S, Naples FL 34102
 
Naples City Mayor
Mayor Teresa Heitmann
mayorheitmann@naplesgov.com
239.213.1000

Vice Mayor Michael McCabe
mmccabe@naplesgov.com 
239.213.1011

Council Member Terry Hutchison
thutchison@naplesgov.com 
239.213.1005
 
Council Member Paul Perry
pperry@naplesgov.com 
239.213.1009

Council Member Ted Blankenship
tblankenship@naplesgov.com 
239.213.1027

Council Member Raymond Christman
rchristman@naplesgov.com 
239.213.1035

Council Member Beth Petrunoff
bpetrunoff@naplesgov.com 
239.213.1004
 
City Manager Jay Boodheshwar
jboodheshwar@naplesgov.com
239.213.1030
                             
Here are some sample letters to use when you write your county commissioner or city elected officials, courtesy of the League of Women Voters of Collier County.  Letters are more meaningful to elected officials if you personalize them, so feel free to do that.

 
Dear Commissioner or City Official,
 
It seems that everyone agrees that many workers cannot afford to live in Collier County close to where they work. The situation is continuing to worsen and yet there are actions that can be taken to improve the situation. Changing regulations to speed up the permitting process would
be a good start. Builders who are willing to include affordable housing can’t afford to do so when costs keep rising while they wait on necessary permits. Please act to remove this barrier to starting new projects.
 
Sincerely,

 
Dear Commissioner or City Official,
 
I certainly wish the new Board of County Commissioners success in their efforts to maintain what is good in our county while taking necessary action to improve what isn’t.  One of our major problems is attracting the best employees to fill our vacancies for essential workers.

Teachers, nurses, first responders, police and others cannot afford to live here and often choose other locations for employment. It is within your power to change some of the building requirements such as allowing greater density in exchange for building projects which include affordable housing.
 
Sincerely,

 
Dear Commissioner or City Official,
 
Congratulations to the new Collier County Board of Commissioners. Please start to make your mark without delay. The lack of workforce housing is one of the biggest problems that you need to address. Every citizen of this county is being affected by this shortage. To encourage the building of affordable housing developments, the BCC should reduce the size, setback, and parking requirements for these developments. Please act!
 
Sincerely,

 
Dear Commissioner or City Official
 
For builders to even consider building affordable housing, the unreasonable burden of one of the highest impact fees in the state needs to be addressed. A reasonable deferral plan to help the builders would be a great place to start. Please act now.
 
Sincerely,

 
Dear Commissioner or City Official
 
In 2018, your constituents - the citizens of Collier County - approved a 1% sales tax surtax. $20 million dollars was earmarked buy land for affordable housing. When will these funds be used? Please pass the regulations needed to use these funds.
 
Sincerely,

 
Dear Commissioner or City Official
 
Please schedule and hold a workshop to discuss actions that will help alleviate the workforce/affordable housing crisis in our area. Such a workshop would be good start and show your willingness to act on the housing urgent matter.
 
Sincerely,

 
Want to attend or speak at a meeting of Board of Commissioners (BCC) or Naples City Council?  Here’s how.
 
Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, except in July, November, and December when there is one monthly meeting, on the second Tuesday. The meeting takes place in the Chambers on the third floor of the Administrative Building, 3299 Tamiami Trail E., Suite 303, Naples 34112.
 
Naples City Council meets the first and third Wednesdays of each month, excepting summer break from mid-July through August, at City Hall, 735 8th St. S, Napes 34102.
 
Anyone can attend these public meetings.
 
Early in each meeting both bodies allow up to 3 minutes of public comments per speaker, for topics that do not appear on that day’s agenda. (Attendees may cede their time to another speaker, who could then have 6, 9, etc. minutes to speak). Both bodies allow speakers to appear remotely. All BCC and City Council meetings are televised live. 
If your comments are related to an item on the agenda, you would register and be called to speak when that agenda item is considered. Individuals may register to speak more than once, as often as desired for each separate agenda item.
 
Agendas for meetings are posted on each government body’s website a few days before the meeting date.  For BCC, go to www.colliercountyfl.gov and click on meetings for further details, including how to participate remotely.  For City Council, go to www.naplesgov.com.
 
You must fill out a form to register to speak, and hand it to the clerk (in front of the room) prior to the agenda item being called. At the BCC the forms are on a table outside the meeting room.  At City Council they’re on a table behind the room. Just list your contact information, the agenda item and affiliation if any.
 
Want to write a letter to the editor at Naples Daily News?  Here’s how.
 
Naples Daily News publishes Letters from individuals in the section, “SWFL Voices/Opinions, Views and Observations from our Readers” in the paper on Wednesday and Sunday.  Letters should be 250 words or less.  They may be edited for accuracy, for clarity or taste, to eliminate personal attacks and to prevent libel.  Submissions should be sent to letters@naplesnews.com, cannot be handwritten or typed in all caps. Name of the letter writer and city or community of residence are required and will be published with the letter.  A phone number is required for verification but won’t be published.
 
Want to learn more about the lack of workforce housing?

WGCU Gulf Coast Life: Interview with Joe Trachtenberg 
https://news.wgcu.org/show/gulf-coast-life/2022-12-20/the-ever-growing-lack-of-affordable-housing-in-collier-county-and-all-of-swfl
 
Gulfshore Business printed a thorough discussion of the problem
https://www.gulfshorebusiness.com/collier-county-suffers-from-lack-of-affordable-housing/
 
Coverage of the workforce housing Forum
 
Gulfshore Business: 
https://www.gulfshorebusiness.com/collier-county-business-leaders-residents-share-impacts-of-lack-of-workforce-housing/
 
WGCU:
https://news.wgcu.org/section/business/2023-01-12/naples-explosive-growth-and-affluence-offers-few-living-options-for-those-working-everyday-jobs
 
Naples Daily News: https://www.naplesnews.com/story/news/2023/01/12/naples-affordable-housing-workers-struggle-to-find-impact-business-quality-life-swfl/69790213007/
 
Want to learn more about workforce housing solutions?
 
An affordable housing project elsewhere in Florida.
https://floridayimby.com/2023/01/developers-attain-construction-financing-and-break-ground-on-orchid-lake-in-cocoa-florida.html
 
2017 Urban Land Institute report for Collier County on affordable housing
ULI Final Report 2017