Rapid growth in LaBelle leaves residents driving miles for groceries

LABELLE, Fla. (WINK) — More than 3,500 new homes have been approved in LaBelle in just the last five years.

But neighbors came to WINK Listens to say they're still driving miles for groceries, healthcare and basic needs. They want to know where their tax dollars are going.

At 82 years old, Mary Caban came to WINK Listens in LaBelle with her dog Skippy right by her side. Now, she says the community she moved to has changed quickly.

"I moved here from Las Vegas just because my son lives here," Caban said.

"It seems that they're building houses like crazy," Caban said. "This place has expanded 100%, no, 200%, maybe more."

As homes go up, she says it seems everyday essentials aren't keeping pace.

"We have Walmart, and it's the only major store," Caban said.

It's why neighbors like Nadine Bailey say they were hoping WINK Listens would come to town. She says she's seeing the same rapid growth.

"When I saw you guys started doing the WINK News series, I was praying I would come to LaBelle, and you did," Bailey said.

"I would say probably the population might have doubled within the last couple of years," Bailey said. "So I think we need a couple of more grocery stores."

With the closure of Winn-Dixie stores in both LaBelle and nearby Immokalee, neighbors say even more people are now relying on the same few options.

"If you're not in at a certain time, in the morning, if you need certain essentials, it's off the shelf," Bailey said. "I drive around, and I see like, four or five Publixes in Corkscrew. What's wrong with us? Why are we not getting the same treatment?"

There is movement. LaBelle's planning consultant revealed plans for a hotel, shops and office space on State Road 80 and Captain Hendry Drive.

Across from the Walmart on 80, there are plans for a gas station and car wash. Still, neighbors say there are basic, urgent needs.

"We do need an urgent care that opens at least later than seven or eight o'clock, because we're not close to any hospitals," Bailey said. "God forbid, if there's a real emergency."

WINK News found several clinics in the area. But most close by early evening, with limited or no weekend hours.

For Caban, the biggest concern is what she's paying and what she's seeing in return.

"The thing that bothered me the most is the property tax," Caban said. "What are they doing with this money? You know, we don't have street lights, we don't have sidewalks."

Hendry County Property Appraiser Dena Pittman says the increase isn't coming from higher tax rates but from rising home values. She says millage rates for both the county and Port LaBelle have actually decreased over time, but property values have increased significantly as home sale prices have climbed.

For example, the average home sale price in Port LaBelle increased from about $204,700 in 2021 to about $319,500 in 2025. Pittman says many new homeowners are seeing the biggest tax increases because when a home is sold, the tax value resets to market value, and first-time buyers do not have portability or long-term homestead caps that limit annual increases.

She says as home prices go up, so do property values and taxes. For homeowners like Caban, who built new, the first tax bill may have only reflected the value of the land, not the home itself.

Hendry County officials say several infrastructure projects are planned or underway in the Port LaBelle area, including new sidewalks, intersection improvements, sewer expansion and water treatment upgrades funded through state and federal grants. However, there are currently no plans for additional street lighting, and the county is still updating its long-term capital improvement schedule.

While the county says these projects are intended to support the area's growth, many residents told WINK News they are still waiting for basic services like grocery stores, healthcare and retail options despite paying property taxes and impact fees as development continues. Caban says she still enjoys life in Port LaBelle with Skippy and hopes the growth happening around her brings the services neighbors say they need.