Cape Coral residents fear flooding from proposed affordable housing development

Residents in Cape Coral are voicing concerns about a proposed affordable housing development on Southwest Third Terrace, fearing it could worsen existing flooding issues in the area. Louis Torchia, who has lived in Cape Coral for over 30 years and owned his property since 1997, said he is worried about the potential impact of the project. “If they do this build, I'm basically afraid when they build the lake. Set two four-story apartment buildings on top of the ground, we can be subject to collapse,” Torchia said. Torchia shared photos of flooding on his property after rainstorms and said he believes the situation could deteriorate further if the development moves forward. “I don't want to deal with that. I would, particularly if we could find some way to figure out a solution and just make it better,” he said. The city of Cape Coral confirmed the property is privately owned and that a developer submitted plans for the project on June 19. Officials said the plan is currently under review. The city does not handle problems from construction that may come up, and it is the responsibility of property owners, developers and insurers. Alan Bussaeus, a neighbor of Torchia, also described the flooding issues on their street. “Oh, it gets pretty bad. One year we had the whole street was covered in the water,” Bussaeus said. LSI Companies, the brokers of the land, said obtaining the proper permitting is necessary to ensure the development does not cause additional harm to neighboring communities. “I just kind of find it unnecessary to contribute to an environmental disaster, as I almost see it as — and one of the reasons we're moving,” Torchia said. The South Florida Water Management District stated that an environmental resource permit was issued in 2025 for the property. Residents are now waiting to see how the review process progresses. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.