California investment company Sugar Beach Estates owns 4 neglected homes on Estero Boulevard that have not been touched since Hurricane Ian came through in September of 2022. It’s now up to the town to clean up and secure the properties.
On Thursday, Fort Myers Beach Special Magistrate Monica Schmucker held a status update on 5276, 5280, 5268, and 5300 Estero Boulevard. All rental properties owned by Sugar Beach Estates. They were ordered to secure the structures and get them into compliance by April 2nd at a previous hearing.
Town staff told Schmucker they heard from the property owner on February 25th and they informed the town the leaves had been cut. They did not show up to the hearing Thursday. Schmucker ruled in favor of the town which sets in motion $250 per day fines on each property retroactive to April 3rd, the day after the previous hearing. As of today those fines sit at $16,000 per day plus court costs of $250 per house. Another $1,000 per calendar day will be added until the property owner comes into compliance.
Schmucker also authorized the town to proceed with correcting the violations and securing the properties. It’s unknown at this time if that means the town will demo what remains of the four structures. The taxpayers have to cover the initial cost of securing the structures and the town then adds that dollar amount to the property owner’s tax bill.
Here are all 4 structures:
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When you look up Sugar Beach Estates on SunBiz.org is says they are actually headquartered in Ontario, Canada (3410 South Service Rd, Ste 201, Burlington, ON L7N 3T2, CA), sharing an office with The Valour Group and Elite Developments, and the local registered agent listed as Pavese Law Firm in Fort Myers. Websites: valourgroup.ca, elitedevelopments.com and paveselaw.com.
Why should the tax payers have to cover the cost?? Why isn’t the business receiving the bill and the town going to court to collect? I don’t understand !! Why goes the company get to walk away while the tax payers pay and the only benefit to us is being able to look at a cleaned up empty lot or 4! Hope me understand.
I believe the town will eventually be able to put a lien on the properties and if/when the properties are sold the town gets their money back. If there is no mortgage on the properties, at a certain point the town can foreclose the properties, take ownership and sell the properties for much more than the amount of the fines and demolition work.
This is correct!
And how do the taxpayers get their money back?
The lien has to be paid when the property sells, or if it doesn’t sell and the Town forecloses its lien, the Town can sell the property for whatever the market bears.
Curious: How many properties have been hit with fines since Ian, how many of those fines have actually been collected and how much has been forgiven, such as the 2 million in fines Terry Persuad was allowed to fagetabout.
I’m sure he’s pissin’ n moanin’ about the construction @ Lynn Hall Park and if he hasn’t already, I’m sure a lawsuit will be coming.
Yay! They’re just thumbing their nose at us. They don’t give a flip about our Island and Town…only the $$$.
We are going on 4 years. It’s time to tear these properties, and any others that are not in compliance, down. These are a black mark on trying to rebuild the beach
Well done, Monica