ORLANDO, Fla. – Floridians who need to strengthen their homes against hurricane winds can get help from the state government.

The My Safe Florida Home Program provides grants of up to $10,000 toward hurricane mitigation projects.

The program was established in 2006 but was revived in 2022 after being dormant for more than a decade, as a way to help homeowners retrofit their properties and get insurance discounts.

Currently, the program is closed to new applications because the $200 million in funds added last year were exhausted quickly. However, lawmakers hope to put more money toward the program this year.

How does the program work?

The program has two parts: a wind-mitigation inspection and then the grant program.

Any owner of a single-family residential house or townhouse can apply for an inspection. These are homes that receive a homestead exemption. You can get the inspection without any obligation to apply for a grant, but it has to be an MSFH-contracted inspector.

An inspector will come to your home and complete a report that determines what, if any, mitigation measures are needed for your home, and what insurance premium discounts you could be eligible for.

Inspection applications are prioritized by income level and age of the homeowner, with priority given to low-income homeowners ages 60 or older.

The report also lets you know the range of cost estimates for any improvements.

Once you have that report, the state will let you know when you can submit a grant application.

Who is NOT eligible for this program?

• Anyone living in a mobile home or a manufactured home

• Second homes, vacation homes or rental properties

• Cooperatives

• Retirement homes

What improvements are eligible for grant money?

The projects eligible for grant money include:

• Roof-to-deck attachment, which reinforces your roof’s ability to withstand strong winds.

• Roof-to-wall attachment, which adds clips or wraps to provide additional roof stability.

• Upgrading windows, doors, garage doors and skylights to make them impact-resistant.

• Secondary water resistance to protect the home from water intrusion if the roof covering is lost.

How much money can a homeowner get?

A homeowner is eligible for up to $10,000 toward the actual cost of the project. The homeowner has to pay at least 1/3 of the cost of the project, and then the state will contribute the remaining 2/3s.

So say adding impact-resistant windows costs $15,000. The homeowner has to pay $5,000, and the state would contribute $10,000. If the windows cost more than $15,000, the state still only contributes $10,000.

Applicants deemed to be low-income homeowners are not required to provide matching funds, but they must meet separate requirements.

How do I get a contractor?

You choose who to hire for the work. You must choose a contractor who is licensed and/or certified by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. You can find a licensed contractor HERE.

Do not begin construction on a project until you have the grant funds approved. However, when you apply, you have to provide the name and license number of the contractor who will perform the work.

Why is the application process closed?

The program is very popular and consistently runs out of money. The Florida Legislature allocated $200 million last year but the program ran out of money two weeks after the application portal reopened.

Some lawmakers sought to allocate more money but in the end, only the $200 million was allocated.

Gov. Ron DeSantis hopes a special session will lead to more money for My Safe Florida Home.

More details for the My Safe Florida Home program are available HERE.

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