ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — Representatives from Elevate Florida, a statewide residential mitigation program led by the Florida Division of Emergency Management, are hosting three program overview and application sessions in Sarasota County this week.

Albert Jasuwan is one of the owners of JAS Builders and an approved contractor for the Elevate Florida program.

He explained that their demand to elevate homes has gone up exponentially since Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

“We used to get a few calls a month, now we get hundreds of calls a day,” he said.

News Channel 8’s Nicole Rogers asked Jasuwan, “What’s your first step? How do you begin to lift an entire house?”

“Our first step is literally tunneling under by hand,” he said.

You may be wondering, how much does it cost to lift an entire home off of the ground and construct a sturdy support system?

Jasuwan said the answer is hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“Our typical price in this neighborhood (Shore Acres) is about $350,000,” he said.

With many Floridians having to decide whether to sell or try to pay $350,000, for example, to raise their home, some said it’s an impossible decision.

That’s where Elevate Florida comes in.

If approved, the program could cover at least 75% of the cost to raise your home.

To be eligible, you need to be 18 or older, a US citizen, and the legal owner of a residential property in Florida.

Nancy Biddle applied for the program and is waiting to hear back.

In the meantime, she’s deciding to lift her rental properties in Shore Acres.

“It is not inexpensive to do this, but it is not inexpensive to have your house flood every year,” she said.

Biddle said she was excited to hear about the Elevate Florida program.

“I was just thrilled to hear it,” Biddle said. “I mean, it’s hope, and a lot of people who live in Florida and love Florida — I’ve been here 36 years — I love it.”

“I don’t want to live anywhere else, but you have to feel safe too,” she concluded.

The sessions will be happening from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday at Colonial Oaks Park in Sarasota.

Representatives will be sharing in-person information on eligibility requirements and types of projects available.

This will also serve as an opportunity for homeowners to get on-site assistance with their applications.

Educational presentations will be held at noon and 5 p.m. daily.

To RSVP (not required), click here.

For more information on the program, click here.