Published by the Florida Center for Government Accountability
LCSO nonprofit plans to rezone 10 acres of North Fort Myers riverfront for deputy homes
A handful of Lee County Sheriff’s Office employees founded a nonprofit organization called Home Front Heroes, and they are looking to rezone and build four homes for deputies to live along the North Fort Myers riverfront.
The Lee County hearing examiner was scheduled to discuss the rezoning Jan. 9 — recently rescheduled to March 13 — about the 10-acre property at 840 Moody River Road. Her recommendations would be passed along to Lee County commissioners for a vote on whether to change the residential zoning for up to 14 homes to commercial. Home Front Heroes plans to build up to 50,000 square feet of structures, including the four homes, according to its rezoning application.
The story of Home Front Heroes so far spans three years and has connections to tens of thousands of dollars in political donations. It involves more than $100,000 taxpayer dollars supporting the nonprofit, paying a former state senator a six-figure salary, plus five figures to a children’s book author with a pen name. It includes the donation of a multimillion-dollar property from a couple of Fort Myers land investors, who are also two of the largest political donors to Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno. And it involves a 40-year-old sailing club for children being evicted from the property, with unanswered questions from all of those involved.
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Barbara Petersen, executive director of the Florida Center for Government Accountability, said the lack of transparency from LCSO and Home Front Heroes concerned her, especially since the nonprofit is connected to political donations and taxpayer funding.
“It’s not normal,” Petersen said. “It just sounds to me almost like a shell game. They’re moving things around. And this is what we’re coming up against when we’re trying to write about dark money in politics. It’s almost impossible to untangle the webs that are created.
“A charity receives tax benefits. They get that privilege in return for its service to its community. What service are they providing?
“And they’re kicking a sailing club for kids off their property. None of this makes sense. Why is the sheriff’s office paying the former state senator and paying the author, when they’re not working on behalf of the taxpayers? They’re working on behalf of the charity. The charity has to be held to a higher level of transparency and accountability.”