- The grants program from My Safe Florida Homes is on hold, pending more funding
- My Safe Florida Homes still offers free wind-mitiration home inspections
- A special session of the Florida Legislature in November is expected to address the program’s funding
On Monday, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill passed during a special legislative session this month providing hurricane relief for rural areas hit by Hurricane Idalia, which also included $176.17 million in funding for the My Safe Florida Home program and another $5.3 million for administrative costs.
This is great news for the 17,6000 applicants still waiting for financial help hardening their homes against hurricane damage. The previous additional $100 million in grant money added on July 1 ran out in October, leaving some approved people hanging. It’s not great news for people needing help who didn’t get an application in before Oct. 15.
Here’s what you need to know.
What is the My Safe Florida Home program?
The My Safe Florida Home Program, originally started in 2006 and brought back during a 2022 legislative special session on the state’s insurance crisis, provides qualifying Florida homeowners with free home inspections for wind mitigation and awards grants to go toward hardening homes against storms and bringing them up to the latest building standards.
The inspection alone can help save homeowners money on their insurance premiums by documenting common wind-damage mitigation features such as roofing materials, storm…
