Under law, the My Safe Florida Home program may award grant monies to non-profit organizations that have programs in place to help homeowners strengthen their homes against natural disasters.  Homeowners assisted through non-profit organizations will be subject to eligibility requirements as prescribed by Florida law, including having a homestead exemption, living in a single-family, site-built home and undergoing a wind certification and hurricane mitigation inspection. Inspections are provided free of charge through the program to qualified homeowners.

Florida’s Department of Financial Services and the Volunteer Florida Foundation are inviting non-profit organizations to help low-income Floridians strengthen their homes against natural disasters through the new My Safe Florida Home program.  The program has been developed by the Department of Financial Services to help homes better withstand hurricane damage and keep families safer.

Through non-profit organizations participating in the program, qualifying low-income Floridians will be eligible for a free wind inspection and financial assistance to strengthen their homes. 

Interested non-profit organizations can get involved by responding to Volunteer Florida’s request for proposal posted at http://www.volunteerfloridafoundation.org/my_safe_florida_home.php. 

A grant of up to $5,000 is available to a low-income homeowner with no match required. 

Grant money awarded to a non-profit organization must be used for wind-resistance improvements in seven specific categories, as follows:

Improving the strength of your roof deck attachment. For example, if your roof consists of shingles nailed to plywood sheets, the inspection may reveal that the plywood sheets are not adequately nailed to your roof trusses, and that additional nails and/or longer nails need to be added to prevent the plywood from being blown off in a hurricane.

Creating a secondary water barrier to prevent water intrusion. For example, using strips of “peel and stick-on” material that cover the joints between the plywood sheets on your roof to reduce leakage until repairs can be made if a hurricane blows off your roof shingles.

Improving the survivability of your roof covering. For example, upgrading to thicker and stronger hurricane-resistant roof shingles, attached with properly sized and properly applied roofing nails, to reduce the susceptibility of your roof shingles blowing off in a hurricane.

Bracing gable-ends in your roof framing. This is usually done inside your attic to decrease chances that your roof will collapse under hurricane wind loads.

Reinforcing roof-to-wall connections. For example, installing metal tie-down straps that attach roof rafters to wall studs to decrease chances that all or a portion of your roof will simply lift your house during a hurricane.

Upgrading exterior wall opening protections. For example, installing hurricane-rated window shutters.

Upgrading exterior doors. For example, replacing a standard garage door with a hurricane-rated garage door.