Outgoing CEO Becky Lucas at the McNeill Village Completion Celebration.
On May 13, we celebrated the completion of McNeill Village, our HOA-managed neighborhood located near the border of North Fort Myers and Cape Coral. We first gathered on this ten-acre plot in February 2023 to bless the land that would soon be transformed into 36 affordable homes for local families.
“Today, this neighborhood means a great deal to many people,” outgoing Habitat CEO Becky Lucas said. “To the families who now call McNeill Village home and to everyone who had a hand in making it possible. This neighborhood is now home to health care workers, social workers and teachers; young families just starting out and families approaching retirement; those who have lost spouses and those who are caring for loved ones with special needs. It is truly a diverse, hardworking and resilient group.”
Home construction in McNeill began in February 2024, fueled by the support of our project partners and the shared belief that affordable homeownership should be within reach for individuals and families.
Lee County Government has supported us since our affiliate’s inception 45 years ago, a time when efforts to expand affordable housing were often met with closed doors.
Lee County Commissioner Brian Hamman accepts partnership recognition gift from Habitat.
“Lee County opened a door by donating the land where the first Habitat homes were built,” Becky said. “They found a way to say yes, and others followed.” Today, this support from the county continues through its partnership via the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program.
The CDBG-DR program is a reimbursable federal grant that was administered by the County to support the development of McNeill Village. Following Hurricane Ian’s destruction in 2022, the County awarded Habitat CDBG-DR funding as part of its commitment to expanding access to affordable housing for local families.
Lee County Commissioner Brian Hamman spoke at the completion celebration, looking back at a time when McNeill Village was still just an idea.
“They say the best things come to those who wait, and McNeill Village is proof of that,” Commissioner Hamman said. “
Becky and I first discussed this development about six years ago, when rising home values were putting homeownership out of reach for so many Lee County families.”
“Six years or so later, the best things did come to those who wait. It’s beautiful. Habitat, you made us very proud, you’ve such a great partner and it’s an honor to be working with you.
Outgoing CEO Becky Lucas expressed gratitude to the President of Edison National Bank, Robbie Roepstorff.
At Habitat, our work truly takes a village. Edison National Bank provided financing to help build the final section of homes in McNeill Village through the outreach of its president, Robbie Roepstorff. “That support made it possible for us to begin on time, stay on track and even finish this project early,” Becky said.
Without partners like these, our mission would not be possible. But building a village requires villagers; people who show up and invest in their community. We see that spirit reflected not only in our partners, but within our own Habitat family.
Over the years, staff members become extensions of one another’s families, supporting each other through life’s milestones and challenges. Someone who exemplifies that spirit is Eduardo Patino, a Habitat staff member who has dedicated over 25 years of service to our organization. Eduardo found a village here at Habitat just as much as he helped build one for others.
To wrap up the celebration, Habitat dedicated the park in McNeill Village as ‘Patino Park’ in recognition of his dedication, spirit, and heart. The park is home to two benches, one in honor of Eduardo, and the other in memory of his late wife, Maria.
Eduardo and his family share a loving moment next to Maria’s commemorative bench in Patino Park.
Eduardo received the recognition with humility and gratitude, dedicating the moment to his late wife. “If she were here, I think she’d be the happiest person in this moment,” Eduardo said. “I hope these people come at any time, day or night, to enjoy this place.”
