Editor of the Citizen,

I thought it would be appropriate if I, as a volunteer in the Lehigh Acres Weed and Seed program, spoke out in favor of the proposed rental ordinance that Matt Caldwell opposed.

Raising the lower limit of depressed property conditions is one of the ways we can save the whole community of Lehigh Acres from more tragic declines in values. While the ordinance imposes certain costs and rules on owners of less than seven units; a reasonable time to comply should allow them to plan for the new requirements.

What we are finding out is that good landlords exist; but some landlords will offer a unit that still has open issues from the previous renter with no one overseeing the owner’s indifference toward the complaints of the tenant.

Things can go unfixed for months or years while renters face the insult of dealing with neglect. The Weed and Seed program has the important component of making our home place a better community to live in.

We hope to give back some pride to people who may be in dire straits living in the oldest, cheapest housing by showing an interest in the appearance of their homes and the behavior of bad neighbors.

Years ago when the first duplexes were built, a different kind of renter lived here. Retired people with no children or snowbird families took care of the properties when their units were much newer.

Today we have troubled people sharing a small apartment or rental house and sometimes it looks like they do not to care how it looks. This outlook relates to vandalism and graffiti, causing damage to other people’s homes. Any kind of crime has a detrimental effect on property owners.

The Weed and Seed program needs this Rental Ordinance in the Community Plan to help accomplish its mission. My only appeal is that rental owners be given 12 months to comply once the ordinance is approved.

Then the obligations will start to root out offensive behavior and force indifferent landlords and tenants to pay attention to the harm they do to the community as a whole.

Defined parking space should have been required years ago. Glaring examples of trashy units with no defined driveways and cars all over the yard says, “Do not move in here” to prospective home buyers that are needed to bolster the tax base that guarantees our county services. Many home owning residents feel stuck here by the value of their homes going down verses the amount they owe. All of this spells blight and if left unchecked will turn our once proud home place into a dump.

I have decided to help out in the Weed and Seed effort this year because it is important and I would encourage everyone to ask how they can pitch in. When the community gets behind it, sources of money will open up and actions will change the face of Lehigh Acres from the bottom up! Why not contact the Sheriff’s Office and offer to help?

John C. Miller

Lehigh Acres