Abandoned Fort Myers home poses threat as hurricane season nears in June

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) — A home in Whiskey Creek has remained in disrepair since Hurricane Ian, and neighbors are growing increasingly concerned as hurricane season approaches.

WINK News first reported on the abandoned property in August, highlighting its deteriorating condition. Neighbors say the homeowner passed away roughly five years ago, and since then, the home has not been maintained.

Despite the initial report, neighbors say nothing has been done to address the problem. The lanai is broken and falling into the pool while also covering it.

With hurricane season less than two months away, residents fear the debris could become dangerous projectiles during a storm.

"I'm really more concerned about the hurricane coming up, and my roof is damaged, my windows are broken by flying debris," Lena Pryor said. "So that's the least, just clean it up."

Pryor lives right next to the home in Whiskey Creek. Frustrated by the lack of action, she and her neighbor came to WINK Listens to get answers.

"When we have the next hurricane, the frames for the pool cage are gonna be flying missiles, and it's gonna damage my home," Pryor said.

A spokesperson for Lee County says the property has been fined daily since January 2023 for the dirty pool and broken lanai. The county says fines are well over $100,000.

The county is now trying to get out-of-state homeowners to bring their homes up to proper code. WINK News reached out to property lawyers at the Law Office of Jursinski and Murphy for insight into the situation.

"There's been more than three years of opportunities here to come into compliance and cease the daily fines," J Murphy said. "No one is paying attention to that, and no one is taking any affirmative action to come into compliance."

Murphy said the county could eventually foreclose on the property, but that process can take years.

"They're not in the business of owning property or foreclosing on it," Murphy said. "If they could get to a stage where they could get third parties involved, then that's what they would prefer."

WINK News was able to contact a man who says he's a relative of the deceased homeowner. He's going to look into who owns the home.

Click here for Lee County's Code Enforcement information.