Floridians looking for state cash to fix up their homes can apply for grants soon
Starting next week, Floridians in need of storm hardening home upgrades will have their annual shot at some state money to help fix up their property.
The My Safe Florida Home program is opening for more rounds of grant applications on Monday at 8 a.m.
The popular program got a cash infusion of $300 million in this year’s budget, which it doles out in $10,000 matching grants to help Floridians make storm improvements to their homes and lower their insurance premiums. Gov. Ron DeSantis initially asked for $600 million to cover the 45,000 homeowners who got state-required inspections completed but weren’t able to tap state funds for the repair projects, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.
Last year, the legislature also made a separate pilot program to help harden condominiums. Applications for that program last opened on July 7.
For the original program, single-family homes occupied by their owners — and with valid homestead exemptions — are eligible. After years of being open to anyone who applied, the program is now prioritizing a few categories of residents, including:
- Homeowners 60+ who are low income (defined as at or below 80% of the county’s median income). For instance, in Miami-Dade, that would be a household of two with an income of less than $79,300 a year.
- Low income homeowners of any age
- Homeowners 60+ who are moderate income (defined as someone whose total income is 120% of the county’s median income). For example, that would be a two-person household with an income of $118,920 in Miami-Dade.
- Moderate income homeowners of any age
Monday, Aug. 4 is the opening date for low-income residents over the age of 60 to apply for the program. Low-income residents of any age can start applying on Aug. 18. Moderate-income residents 60+ are up next, with an application window opening Sept. 1. Moderate-income residents younger than 60 are eligible next, starting Sept. 15.
If there’s still money left after all those groups go, the state says it will consider extending the grant program to high-income residents. That includes tens of thousands of high-income candidates who applied in previous years, but the program ran out of cash before they could get reimbursed for their improvements.
My Safe Florida Home was relaunched in 2022 amid the ongoing insurance crisis, and was intended by the legislature to be an answer to skyrocketing premiums. Each year, the money allocated has dissappeared very quickly as thousands of Floridians vie for it.
“Funding is limited and grants are awarded on a first come, first served basis. We strongly encourage eligible homeowners to complete their applications as early as possible to maximize their chances,” the website reads.
