November 5, 2007
REP. FITZGERALD DELIVERS
$5,000 CHECK FROM THE MY
SAFE FLORIDA HOME
PROGRAM TO SARASOTA
RESIDENT TODAY
SARASOTA – On
behalf of Florida Chief
Financial Officer Alex
Sink and the My Safe
Florida Home (MSFH)
program, Representative
Keith Fitzgerald
(D-Sarasota) personally
delivered a matching
grant reimbursement for
$5,000 to a Sarasota
homeowner who hardened
her home through the
state’s MSFH program. At
the event today, Rep.
Fitzgerald discussed the
financial and safety
incentives available
through the MSFH program
and encouraged more
homeowners in the area
to sign up for the
program’s free wind
inspections.
“Mitigation is the best
way to protect your
home. It will reduce the
state’s exposure to
hurricane damage and it
can result in savings on
your wind insurance
premium,” said CFO Sink,
who oversees the
Department of Financial
Services. “I encourage
more Floridians to
follow Howard Houle’s
lead and sign up for
free wind inspections
through the My Safe
Florida Home program.”
Howard Houle, a
57-year-old resident of
Sarasota, received a
grant reimbursement
Monday after hardening
his homes opening
protections. After
having his home
inspected by a MSFH
inspector, Houle
received a report
indicating that
hardening all of his
home’s window and door
openings would help
strengthen his home to
hurricanes. Based on
information from his
inspection report, Houle
made $15,700 worth of
improvements on his
home.
"The My Safe Florida
Home Program is an
important incentive for
homeowners to protect
their homes from
hurricane damage," said
Representative
Fitzgerald. "The program
has not always worked
smoothly in the past,
but it is important for
people to know that the
state has worked out
many of the initial
problems. This important
benefit is there for
them if they qualify. We
all benefit when our
neighbors harden their
homes from storms
because doing so lowers
insurance rates and adds
to public safety."
To date, the program has
reimbursed 79 homeowners
in Sarasota County for a
total of $254,081.82. In
Manatee County, the
program has reimbursed
52 homeowners for a
total cost of
$167,587.53. Currently
there are 383 homeowners
in Sarasota County
hardening their homes
through the MSFH
program. In Manatee
County, 313 homeowners
are hardening their
homes through the MSFH
program. These
homeowners are being
reimbursed for half the
cost up to $5,000 on a
variety of home
improvements, including
hurricane shutters,
reinforced garage doors
and bracing gable ends.
Any Floridian who lives
in a single-family,
site-built home is
eligible for a free wind
inspection through the
program. Floridians can
apply on-line at
www.MySafeFloridaHome.com
or by calling the
program toll-free at
1-866-513-6734.
Homeowners who receive
free wind inspections
through the MSFH program
will get a detailed
inspection report,
complete with additional
eligibility information
on matching grants and
estimated insurance
premium discounts, if
the homeowner is
eligible.
In order to be eligible
for the program’s
matching grant
reimbursements of up to
$5,000, the Legislature
requires that homeowners
meet the following
requirements: have
received a completed
wind inspection after
May 1, 2007; live in a
single-family,
site-built home built
before March 1, 2002;
have a valid homestead
exemption; have an
insured value of
$300,000 or less; and be
located in the
wind-borne debris
region.
Additionally, while the
free wind inspections
will still cover seven
potential
wind-resistance
improvements, matching
grants may only be
applied to opening
protections, including
windows, exterior doors
and garage doors, as
well as the bracing of
gable ends. |
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