Developers who want to build a 32-story, two-tower condo development along the eastern outskirts of downtown Fort Myers received another setback this week. City council members, sitting as Community Redevelopment Agency commissioners, turned down the request by Doral-based Jaxi Builders to amend an agreement that would have given $15.1 million in tax incentives.

The vacant 61 acres that sits on the north and south sides of the intersection at Alico Road and U.S. 41 won’t sit empty much longer.

The Diocese of Venice in Florida and National Development of America have broken ground on Casa San Juan Diego, marking the first step in an effort to expand affordable housing opportunities in Immokalee. Casa San Juan Diego will add 80 brand-new rental units to the community, providing housing for qualified residents who earn up to 60% of the average median income and work in Immokalee.

Sarasota’s effort to directly develop affordable housing downtown — an unprecedented, city-led plan championed by former City Manager Marlon Brown — faltered after the city spent more than $7 million on land without a finalized construction budget or financing strategy and as anticipated state and philanthropic funding did not come through. It has now reemerged with an unsolicited, scaled-back proposal from a local developer whose low cost estimates and lack of high-rise experience have prompted questions from housing and real estate experts about feasibility, due diligence and next steps.

New registration requirements, annual fees and stricter enforcement for residential rental properties in Cape Coral took effect Jan. 1 aimed at increasing accountability and funding code enforcement.The changes, adopted under Ordinance 53-25 and Resolution 279-25 and approved by a City Council vote last year, require all residential rental properties — both long-term and short-term — to register annually with the city. Officials say the updated program allows Cape Coral to better track rental properties, respond to complaints and recover enforcement-related costs.

Moving can be a stressful endeavor: selling your home, showing your home to prospective buyers, negotiating a price, buying another home, packing up, unpacking — it can be a high-stress activity.Research carried out by federally legal cannabis retailer, Mood, analyzed 355 U.S. metro areas across and found seven of the top 10 most stressful places for moving are in Florida and four of them are right here in Southwest Florida — Naples, Punta Gorda, North Port and Cape Coral.

Habitat for Humanity dedicates a new home in McNeill Village. First single-family home completed with CDBG-DR funds in Lee County.

Collier County leaders are refusing to approve hundreds of new homes on farmland east of Collier Boulevard. Commissioners voted Tuesday to continue an item for the approval to build 423 homes on 170 acres along Sabal Palm Road.

Site work is underway on FGCU’s workforce housing project behind Gulf Coast Town Center. The housing site is adjacent to West Lake Village and Gulf Coast Town Center and will include 74 cottage-style homes and townhomes.

A court ruled against Lee County in a case that could affect new housing projects. One of them, Kingston Development, is planned for thousands of homes in southeast Lee County. The circuit court judge's ruling went against Lee County in the approval of a waste-water treatment plant on Alico Road.