A Lee County Sheriff’s Office–affiliated nonprofit received unanimous rezoning approval and now can apply for permits to build two deputy homes, about 46,000 square feet of buildings and a private, 10-slip boat dock on what is currently considered vacant, commercially zoned property.
Home Front Heroes was founded in 2022 by several Lee County Sheriff’s Office employees, including former undersheriff John Holloway.
The Huether family, longtime Fort Myers land investors, gifted the nonprofit 15 acres of riverfront property off Moody Road in North Fort Myers. The land previously had been zoned to allow about 200 apartment units.
The organization had one representative at the Dec. 3 hearing, Daniel Cote, an LCSO commander and vice president of the charity. He said most of the nonprofit’s donations have come from the Huether family, though he could not provide paperwork to confirm it.
Home Front Heroes appears not to be complying with federal law requiring nonprofits to provide financial disclosures upon request. Under 15 U.S.C. 6104(d), nonprofits must provide Form 990 records immediately if requested in person, or within seven days if requested in writing.
Gulfshore Business requested the disclosure form by email and text message Nov. 19. As of Dec. 3 — eight business days later — the nonprofit had not provided it. Attempts to access the form in person also were unsuccessful. Gulfshore Business visited the organization’s headquarters at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office three times in two days. Each time, an LCSO receptionist said the document was not available and that no one could provide it.
Home Front Heroes treasurer Annmarie Reno, who also serves as executive director of LCSO’s support services bureau and oversees the agency’s roughly $342 million taxpayer-funded budget, was unavailable Dec. 2 and in meetings all day Dec. 3, LCSO receptionist Kaylie Morgen said.
Cote said in a Dec. 2 text message that he could not provide the documentation. He said he attended the hearing on his own time and as a volunteer for the nonprofit.
Lee County resident Joyce Campana spoke during the hearing, expressing concerns that taxpayer dollars may be supporting the project.
“I found it interesting the home for the Home Front Heroes was LCSO,” Campana said. “Why does this taxpayer-funded sheriff department provide headquarters for Home Front Heroes? Are there any tax dollars involved in the operations or maintenance? Is the county sheriff office donating to the nonprofit? What are the funding sources? Who ultimately benefits from this project? It isn’t the taxpayer.”
Her comments prompted Commissioner Kevin Ruane to question Cote about the project’s funding.
“For the record,” Ruane said to Cote, “can you explain a little bit about how the money comes in and address the issues so there’s no inconsistencies or uncertainties?”
A sign marks the future site of Home Front Heroes in North Fort Myers. Lee County commissioners unanimously approved rezoning the riverfront property to allow new buildings and a private boat dock.
David Dorsey
Cote responded: “The charity was formed several years ago as a way to take donations from the community … for kids who maybe don’t have the resources they should have. We also considered veterans. Veteran services. As far as this massive project that we’re undertaking, we were very fortunate to have this property donated to us. The donor also provided some funding to help us with the rezoning.
“The agreement was that we took this property on, as long as we continued to carry out their vision. There is no taxpayer money coming in whatsoever. The majority of the funds we have at this point came from the original donor.”
According to its 2022 Form 990, Home Front Heroes reported $871,266 in revenue, $62,971 in expenses and $808,295 in assets — a low amount considering the waterfront property’s value would total in the millions, appraisers have said. Its 2023 filing reported $565,844 in revenue, $145,849 in expenses and $1.2 million in assets. The 2024 form remains undisclosed.
Public records show the nonprofit paid for an environmental study, a traffic study and a land-use attorney to handle the rezoning.
The organization has raised money through auctions, including LCSO experiences, such as a helicopter ride from Fort Myers to Boca Grande and a ride on the LCSO marine patrol unit. Both vehicles are taxpayer-funded.
Home Front Heroes also sold children’s books on its website written by an author under contract with LCSO. The books have since been removed from the nonprofit’s site.
Former state Sen. Lizbeth Benacquisto attended a March hearing examiner meeting. Although listed as a charity volunteer, her LCSO contract paid her $108,000, records show, and some of her duties included the rezoning project, Cote said in March.
Ruane said he would further examine whether taxpayer funding has supported efforts to build a private dock and deputy homes.
Commissioner Brian Hamman said the financial disclosures — and the lack of them —could not influence his vote on the rezoning.
“I’m not sure that can be used for a land-use decision,” Hamman said.