PRESS RELEASE

July 3, 2008   

400,000 INSPECTIONS AND 35,000 GRANTS LATER, MY SAFE FLORIDA HOME SIGN-UPS COME TO AN END 

TALLAHASSEE— Florida Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink today announced that the My Safe Florida Home program will meet the Florida Legislature’s goal of approving 400,000 homeowners for free wind inspections a full year ahead of schedule. The program will cease to take new applications in the next few days. 

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. The popular first-come, first-serve program is averaging over 5,000 new sign-ups a day leading up to today’s announcement and previously met grant goals in May.  

“When the Florida Legislature created the My Safe Florida Home program, their intent was to create a culture of mitigation in our state,” said CFO Alex Sink. “Almost half a million homes later, homeowners served by this program are better informed and most are better prepared for the next big storm.”  

Participating homeowners received a free 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, 58 percent of homeowners who have received a free wind inspection were eligible for discounts on their wind insurance premiums averaging $219.31 statewide. To date, the MSFH program, including local government and non-profits, has approved approximately 39,000 homeowners for mitigation grants and has paid 18,787 grants totaling more than $63.8 million. 

“The My Safe Florida Home program has proven to be a success for Florida homeowners, especially for those that live in the most vulnerable areas of our state,” Senator Charlie Justice said. “It is an honor to have worked with CFO Alex Sink to make sure that as many homeowners as possible benefited from this program. It is my hope that the Legislature finds a way to continue helping Florida’s families strengthen their homes.” 

Any Floridian who lives in a single-family, site-built home was eligible for a free wind inspection through the MSFH program. Homeowners who received free wind inspections through the MSFH program received a detailed inspection report, complete with additional information on estimated insurance premium discounts, if the homeowner is eligible.