July 17, 2024, WFLA-TV News Channel 8, Tampa – Lisa Miller, an insurance consultant, said homeowners should still consider paying for their own inspection. “That inspection will tell you features of your home you never knew you had and you can share that with your insurance company and your agent, and perhaps you can get reductions that you didn’t know you were entitled too,” she said. (Original story location: https://www.wfla.com/news/florida/my-safe-florida-funds-run-dry-for-new-applicants/ and video version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmrN24bcYeo)
TAMPA, Fla. – Funds for new My Safe Florida Home applicants have run dry. The popular program promises to bring down homeowners’ property insurance premiums by hardening up their homes.
Officials said the program has been “an amazing success.” It offers free home inspections and up to $10,000 for home improvements and upgrades.
On Tuesday, officials said they had to pause initial inspection applications because funding was exhausted.
“So you’re telling me that you’ve allocated all these funds for that many people in less than 15 days?” Brenda Piccirillo said. “I need windows and I can’t afford them.”
This year, the state allocated $200 million to the program. However, there were already concerns that the program wasn’t going to meet the demand. The program also ran out of money last year.
“I don’t want to have to lose my home because the insurance is getting so high and because I can’t be able to fix the things I need to fix on my house,” Piccirillo said.
Lisa Miller, an insurance consultant, said homeowners should still consider paying for their own inspection.
“That inspection will tell you features of your home you never knew you had and you can share that with your insurance company and your agent, and perhaps you can get reductions that you didn’t know you were entitled too,” she said.
My Safe Florida officials said the remaining funds will be utilized for home hardening grants and final inspections. Officials said the program remains fully operational for grant applicants who have completed their initial inspection.
Funding for the program was tied to the following prioritization requirements:
Grant Group 1 – Low-income homeowners age 60+ – July 1 – July 15
Grant Group 2 – Low-income homeowners of any age – July 16 – 30
Grant Group 3 – Moderate-income homeowners age 60+ – July 31 – Aug. 14
Grant Group 4 – Moderate-income homeowners of any age – Aug. 15 – 30
Grant Group 5 – All other eligible Florida homeowners – Aug. 31
According to the state, 106,000 home inspections have been conducted and 38,500 grant applications have been approved since 2022.
For more information, visit MySafeFLHome.com.
There are still other ways homeowners can get help to stormproof their homes. Several cities and counties have similar programs with generous grants.
- Tampa: Healthy Homes Program
- Hillsborough County: OOR Program
- St. Pete: Housing Rehabilitation Assistance Program
- St. Pete: Rebates for Affordable Residential Rehabs Program
- Clearwater: Home Preservation Program
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