- The state budget includes almost $300 million for the My Safe Florida Home program.
- The program provides free home wind mitigation inspections and matching grants up to $10,000 for improvements.
- The budget awaits the governor’s signature and potential line-item vetoes.
Though Floridians didn’t get the two-week disaster-prep tax holiday that usually drops around the start of hurricane because of lawmaker delays from battles over the state budget, there could be a silver lining.
On the plus side, the new budget, which was finally passed late on June 16, adds nearly $300 million in funding for My Safe Florida Home (MSFH). That’s the wildly popular state program that provides free home wind mitigation inspections and offers matching grants of up to $10,000 for Florida homeowners to both strengthen their homes against storms and lower their insurance premiums.
The new budget includes $94 million for My Safe Florida Home mitigation grants, $1.5 million for inspections, $4.7 million for administrative costs, and a nonrecurring sum of $180 million for the program moving forward for fiscal year 2025-2026.
That’s about half of the $600 million Gov. Ron DeSantis asked for in February to cover around 45,000 applicants who got their inspections but didn’t get grants before the money ran out. The new budget now goes to the governor’s desk for his signature, which may include line-item vetoes.
Since the program was relaunched in 2022 it has been rapidly running out of funds due to demand each time more money was pumped in, However, in May, then-Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis sent out a notice asking any homeowners who had completed inspections under the program but who had not completed their grant applications to get those in.Hurricane News: Get the latest hurricane updates and how communities are preparing, responding, and recovering.
“There’s over $100 million in existing My Safe Florida Home funds and about 30,000 inspected properties where the homeowner has not completed the age and income questionnaire,” Patronis said in a release. “If you haven’t done so already, it’s critical to go online and provide this information as soon as possible.”
According to Patronis, as of May the Legislature has appropriated $576 million in funding for grants and over $28.5 million for 178,184 homes to be inspected.
What is the My Safe Florida Home program?
The My Safe Florida Home Program provides eligible Florida homeowners with free home inspections for hurricane readiness and offers recommendations for wind mitigation features such as roofing materials, better exterior and garage doors, storm shutters, attachments for walls and roofs like hurricane clips and more.
MSFH was originally started in 2006 but the Legislature stopped funding it about three years later. It was brought back during a 2022 legislative special session on the state’s property insurance crisis amid complaints over the state having the highest homeowner premiums in the nation.
Just getting the inspection can help homeowners save money on their insurance premiums if they have existing wind mitigation features. Homeowners who receive the inspection may also apply for matching grant funds to help pay for any recommended improvements, with the state matching $2 for every dollar the homeowners spend, up to a cap of $10,000.
Of the homeowners who have received grants, completed improvements and disclosed their insurance premium discounts, they report an average savings of $1,014 per year, the News Service of Florida said in 2024.
What types of mitigation projects are eligible for My Safe Florida Home grants?
ROOFS AND STRUCTURES
- Improving the strength of roof deck attachments
- Reinforcing roof-to-wall connections
- Installing a secondary water barrier for the roof
OPENINGS
- Upgrading exterior doors
- Upgrading garage doors
- Upgrading windows
In 2024, townhouses were made eligible for upgrades on openings (doors and windows) but not for roof repairs.
Will the My Safe Florida Home program pay for a roof replacement?
Grants will not typically cover roof replacements. However, inspection reports that recommend adding a secondary water barrier can be used to justify funds covering the replacement, according to the official site.
How can I get a free wind mitigation inspection through My Safe Florida Home?
Anyone who owns a site-built, single-family residential house or townhouse can apply for and receive an inspection. Applying for a grant is not required.
You can apply for a free wind mitigation inspection here.
How do I get discounts on my home insurance with my free MSFH inspection?
Once you get a report showing the existing wind mitigation features on your home (if any), share it with your insurance carrier to make sure you are receiving all available discounts in your home insurance premium.
If you received a grant and have improvements done, contact your insurance carrier again for any new discounts that may be available. Wind upgrade discounts are required by law in Florida.
Who is eligible for a My Safe Florida Home grant?
Once funding is approved and the grant application portal is reopened, homeowners who have received a wind mitigation inspection will be able to apply for a matching grant if they meet the following criteria:
- The homeowner must have applied for, been approved for and received a free home hurricane inspection through the program
- They must provide proof of homestead exemption
- The home must be insured to a maximum of $700,000
- The building permit of the home must have been issued before Jan. 1, 2008
- The homeowner must allow the home to be reinspected after the work is completed
In 2024, new grant applications were weighted toward residents ages 60 and older, and residents who qualify as low- or moderate-income, with a staggered application schedule giving them priority. It has not been announced if the same will happen in 2025.
How can I tell if I need to complete my grant application?
If you log into the MSFH portal and your status says, “Grant App Prioritization Open,” you need to complete the prioritization questionnaire to be eligible for a grant application when available.
If I applied for the My Safe Florida Home program but haven’t received a grant, what happens next?
If your application status in the application portal is labeled “submitted,” your application will remain on hold until the funding is made available and the agency begins processing grants again. Grant applications will be approved in the same order they were received.
Make sure to log into your account and make sure your application is completely filled out.
How much money was allocated to the My Safe Florida Home program?
The program received $115 million in funding in its 2022 relaunch with an additional $100 million added to the state’s fiscal 2023-2024 budget-2023. That ran out in October 2023. The next month, lawmakers approved funding of $176.17 million to keep it going.
In 2024, another $200 million was added.
When will additional funds for My Safe Florida Home be available?
The My Safe Florida Home program has yet to announce a date to begin reviewing applications again.
While the budget has passed the Legislature, DeSantis has yet to sign it, and it is unknown what vetos he may apply.
Contributing: Brandon Girod, Pensacola News Journal