U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson toured some of Fort Myers’ lower-income communities Wednesday to tout a program meant to revitalize neighborhoods.
The Opportunity Zone incentive was created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and is meant to provide tax incentives for projects in low-income communities that have traditionally been underdeveloped. There are 427 opportunity zones in Florida, including 15 zones in Lee County and three in Fort Myers.
Carson drove through Southward Village, East Pointe Place and the Renaissance Preserve, all of which are in opportunity zones but have not received money through the program.