The other is increasing housing costs in the more affluent metropolitan areas to which these exurbs are attached, as most of the prime real-estate in Florida, this generally means near the beach had reached build-out.
If you want a fuller picture of what the development pattern looks like in these Florida boomburbs, and the problems that come with it, revisit my previous article on the topic from February. For an understanding of Lehigh Acres's history in particular, I recommend Paul Reyes's fantastic essay from Harper's magazine a few years back, titled "Paradise Swamped: The boom and bust of the middle-class dream. The population in Lehigh has not only grown since , its demographic characteristics have changed considerably, both racially:.
Note the dramatic drop in household income from to , and the increase in poverty. In , an estimated Note also the dramatic shift from homeowners to renters in a period which includes the subprime mortgage crisis. Who's buying up all those houses that are now rented out? Investors, mostly. And banks still own many of the homes that were foreclosed upon in the wake of the subprime mortgage crash.
Yasha Levine has written, in sometimes-colorful, not-safe-for-work language, about the emergence of Victorville , California as a "post-apocalyptic suburban ghetto" in the Mojave desert. Those displaced from the increasingly-unaffordable Los Angeles suburbs by foreclosure, eviction, or rising rents relocated there, the only place they could manage to go which was still if barely commuting distance from the LA and Inland Empire areas.
The post-industrial economy's most disposable people, shunted off to its most disposable places. Is this what's going on in Lehigh Acres? Fort Myers is not the supercharged housing market that Los Angeles is, and doesn't command the same kind of prices—but prevailing wages are also much lower in Florida than in California. The same dynamic may apply: desirable real estate nearer to the coast—that which has a built-in locational advantage—is increasingly out of reach to the working class and poor.
They're unwanted and displaced. I went to drive around Lehigh there's no other way to get around to see it for myself. Lehigh Acres's poverty is not uniformly distributed over its vast expanse. The New York Times has a nice interactive map of poverty rates by census tract. I followed this to zero in on Tract , an area in between State Route 82 and Leonard Boulevard with a poverty rate of This is an area of concentrated poverty by any definition, comparable to some of the poorest inner-city neighborhoods in major U.
The first thing you notice on the way into Lehigh from Interstate 75 is the feeling of remoteness. This highway could be anywhere, except that on the other side of that wall of trees on the left, the land has been subdivided into a monotonous grid for miles and miles and miles.
It's very hard to convey the sheer scale of this place, the seeming endlessness of it. Photos don't do it justice. The architecture, with few exceptions, is incredibly drab. This isn't surprising. One of the distinguishing characteristics of places that are part of the Suburban Experiment is they're not designed and built to retain value.
Materials are cheap. The architecture, urban design and landscaping are frequently banal. Their only appeal is their new-ness, and they're built with little concern for what happens to this appeal 20 or 30 years down the road.
One of the predominant impressions you get very quickly is that there are a lot of cars per household. Often 2 or 3. For a low-income area, this must represent a tremendous cost burden, and yet, what choice do you have in a place like this?
Transit service is so infrequently and spread-out as to be practically useless. If you have to get to a job, you drive. I did catch a glimpse of Good Wheels, a paratransit service for the elderly and disabled, but if it's anything like what I know of these services elsewhere, it's hardly a comprehensive solution.
Also, there seemed to be a LOT of people home at 1 pm on a Tuesday, judging from the number of cars in driveways and people out and about. Some combination of unemployment and nonto-5 hours, I inferred. A lot of contractors seem to live here: it's common to see vehicles with a company logo. This is where the working class that can't afford coastal Florida's boom-time housing prices gets pushed. They commute west to the coast to serve the McMansion and real mansion owners.
A surprising number of people were out walking. I saw a lot of teenagers in groups around 2 pm—presumably just after a high school had let out. Unfortunately, Lehigh Acres is an absolutely despotic environment to walk in.
Not a sidewalk or shoulder to be found. Virtually no shade from the 90 degree heat. And it's August—torrential afternoon downpours are an almost daily occurrence. Some houses are well cared-for. A lot aren't. The poorest census tract I mentioned above was largely characterized by duplexes. As soon as I drove beyond that area, almost all of the houses were single-family. There are hardships here that you don't find in the city. The big one is utter reliance on a car as one's lifeline—an expensive and precarious way to exist.
There are also issues with deficient infrastructure and the general lack of water and sewer service. Most Lehigh homes are on well water and septic systems. But there isn't rampant crime and gang violence. I can imagine choosing Lehigh over a troubled inner-city neighborhood if that's your price range. The wastelands of Lehigh Acres invite comparison with the hollowed-out neighborhoods of Detroit and St. The visual similarity can be striking.
They are not, of course, the same thing. While employment has been a concern at times, current and future projections are strong. The area is also spread out and growing more so, creating some sprawl-related problems. Fort Myers is located on the south bank of the Caloosahatchee River about 15 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico.
The terrain is level and low with a mix of coastal plain and wet oak, magnolia, and evergreen forests. The climate is subtropical with a strong Gulf influence. Winters are mild with many bright, warm days and moderately cool nights. About two-thirds of annual precipitation occurs June through September, mostly as cooling late afternoon thunderstorms 2 out of every 3 days. There are frequent long dry periods in winter. Late summer and fall tropical storms and hurricanes cause occasional torrential downpours, delivering perhaps 6 to 10 inches in 24 hours.
Recent job growth is Positive. Lehigh Acres jobs have increased by 1. More Economy. More Voting Stats. Since , it has had a population growth of Learn More The National Average is Home appreciation the last 10 years has been 4. The average school expenditure in the U. There are about More Education. Start Your Review of Lehigh Acres. Members receive 10 FREE city profile downloads a month, unlimited access to our detailed cost of living calculator and analysis, unlimited access to our DataEngine, and more.
Enhanced Cost of Living Calculator Now includes childcare, taxes, health, housing for home owners vs renters, insurance costs and more when you upgrade to premium. For a change of pace, the Gulf of Mexico and its nearby barrier islands provide spectacular saltwater fishing opportunities, with bountiful grouper, mackerel, redfish, snapper, snook and trout.
For a challenge on the green, visit one of Lehigh Acres' four championship golf courses. With parks, lakes, tennis, and safe roads for bicycling or walking, this charming suburban enclave is the ideal retreat for families or seniors seeking an affordable and laid-back vacation.
Florida boasts a rich, diverse history, with African American landmarks and legacies throughout the state. This historic town is home to beaches, museums and restaurants that make it If you're looking for luxury in southwest Florida, don't fret. On Florida's Southwest coast, Naples offers a highly sophisticated arts scene. Find Your Favorite Beach. Gulf Coast.
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