The Property Advocates Explains the New My Safe Florida Home Program

Florida homeowners are no strangers to the immense damage that hurricanes can cause throughout the state. The Property Advocates explains that, in an effort to help residents harden their homes to decrease the potential for damage from hurricanes, the Florida Legislature created the new My Safe Florida Home Program.

Created as part of Senate Bill 2D, which was passed by the state Legislature and signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis in the spring of 2022, the program provides homeowners with funds for free hurricane mitigation inspections, as well as matching grants that can help them preserve their homes.

This is an important step that lawmakers in Florida have taken to try to decrease the amount of damage that homes throughout the state sustain during hurricanes. They hope that hardening homes and decreasing the likelihood that they sustain damage from hurricanes will ease the current burden that insurance companies face in the state processing claims.

More information about the new program is provided below.

Wind Mitigation Inspections

The first part of the new program is the wind mitigation home inspections. Every owner of a site-built single-family residential home can apply for one of these inspections, which seeks to identify any elements of the construction that could be improved to mitigate future wind damage at home.

The state will provide these inspections free of charge. All the homeowner must do is apply. The state is currently reviewing and approving the applications in the order they are received and will conduct the inspections for free until the funding from the program is fully exhausted.

Wind Mitigation Grants

Based on the wind mitigation home inspection results, some homeowners may qualify to apply for matching grant funds to make the recommended home improvements.

The Florida Department of Financial Services has said that it anticipates awarding roughly 11,000 to 12,000 of these grants based on its current funding.

Eligible homeowners can receive as much as $10,000 in matching grants to help pay for qualifying home hurricane mitigation projects. For every $1 the homeowner spends toward the project, the program provides an additional $2. To receive the maximum available grant of $10,000, the homeowner would have to provide $5,000 of their own funds.

This significant amount of money could essentially cut the cost of hurricane mitigation projects by two-thirds.

Eligibility

The Property Advocates outlines that there are some eligibility requirements that Florida homeowners should be aware of.

First, the home has to be located within the wind-borne debris region of Florida. The state provides a map of this region, which can be found online.

Second, the home's initial building construction permit must have been issued before January 1, 2008.

Third, homeowners must provide proof of their homestead exemption and documentation that their home is insured for less than $500,000.

Finally, homeowners who apply for and receive grant money must allow their homes to be re-inspected after all the work is completed.

More information on the new My Safe Florida Home Program can be found on a new webpage created specifically for the program.

About The Property Advocates

The Property Advocates, P.A. is a full-service Florida insurance law firm specializing in property insurance claims. With offices in Miami, Orlando, and Tampa, The Property Advocates team consists of nearly 25 experienced attorneys with decades of combined experience who are compassionate, knowledgeable, and not afraid to go to trial for their clients. They have a successful track record of resolving complicated property insurance claims and getting their clients the fair compensation they deserve.

(Disclaimer: Devdiscourse's journalists were not involved in the production of this article. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Devdiscourse and Devdiscourse does not claim any responsibility for the same.)