|
PRESS RELEASE |
 |
May 13,
2008
MY SAFE FLORIDA HOME
PROGRAM NEARS 35,000
GRANTS
Program will continue
offering free wind
inspections until it
reaches goal of 400,000
TALLAHASSEE—
Florida Chief Financial
Officer Alex Sink today
announced that the My
Safe Florida Home (MSFH)
program is projecting it
will exceed the Florida
Legislature’s goal of
approving 35,000
homeowners for grants by
the end of May. The
first-come, first-served
program will stop
accepting new grant
applications at that
time. MSFH will continue
to work with homeowners
currently making
improvements to their
homes.
The MSFH program will
transition to an
inspection-focused
program beginning June
2008, offering free wind
inspections for eligible
homeowners until it
reaches the
Legislature’s goal of
performing 400,000
inspections or until the
program sunsets in June
2009.
“With hurricane season
less than one month
away, I encourage
Floridians to sign up
for a free wind
inspection to learn how
to harden their homes
against hurricane
damage,” said CFO Alex
Sink, who oversees the
Department of Financial
Services. “The response
from homeowners has been
overwhelming, and I
thank the Legislature
for creating this
program and allowing us
to enable more than
35,000 Floridians to
make their homes more
storm-resistant.”
Homeowners who have
already received an
inspection and meet
other statutory
requirements may apply
for a grant online at
www.MySafeFloridaHome.com
or by calling toll-free
1-866-513-MSFH (6734).
In addition to
completing an
application online or
over the phone,
homeowners are required
to provide the MSFH
program with proof of
homestead and insurance
for matching grants or
proof of homestead and
income for low-income
grants. Deadlines for
applying for a MSFH
grant and the submission
of these required
application documents
are listed below.
Grant Application
Methods Grant Application
Deadlines
|
Apply
online |
Saturday, May
31, 2008 |
Mailed proof of
homestead and
insurance for
matching
grants must be
postmarked by
Friday, June 13,
2008. |
|
Apply over the
phone |
Friday, May 30,
2008 |
Mailed proof of
homestead and
income for
low-income
grants must be
postmarked by
Friday, June 13,
2008. |
In 2007, the Florida
Legislature directed the
MSFH program to provide
inspections for at least
400,000 site-built,
single-family,
residential properties
and provide grants to at
least 35,000 applicants
before June 30, 2009.
To date, the MSFH
program has approved
approximately 32,292
homeowners for
mitigation grants and
has paid 6,930 grants
totaling more than $22.4
million. The MSFH
program has also
provided more than
222,981 free wind
inspections.
Participating homeowners
receive a wind
inspection report, which
suggests ways homeowners
can harden their homes
against storm damage and
informs homeowners if
they are currently
eligible to save money
on their wind insurance
premiums. To date, 59
percent of homeowners
who have received a free
wind inspection are
eligible for discounts
on their wind insurance
premiums averaging $217
statewide. For
additional information,
log on to
www.MySafeFloridaHome.com.
