A step-by-step guide to the My Safe Florida Home Program

The My Safe Florida Home program has exceeded the Legislature’s goals of awarding 35,000 grants and providing more than 400,000 free wind inspections to eligible homeowners. Although we are no longer accepting applications, we are continuing to serve homeowners previously enrolled in the program.  

CFO Sink is urging the Legislature to continue funding the My Safe Florida Home program to serve additional homeowners. Floridians can express their support for continuing this program to their local legislative officials. Click here to find your local state senator and here to find your local state representative.

What Can I Do Now?

Homeowners do not have to wait for the Florida Legislature. You can pay for a wind inspection to identify how you can harden your home or to determine if you are eligible for discounts on your wind insurance premiums. Contact your insurance agent or insurance company for a referral to insurer-approved wind inspection firms.


If you have applied for a free wind inspection?

1. Once you’ve applied, an approved inspection firm or inspector will contact you BY PHONE within two to three weeks to schedule your inspection.

Click here for a list of approved inspection firms.

Click here for a list of approved inspectors.

2. Before the inspector arrives, gather any documents you have on your opening protections (such as shutters, impact resistant windows or garage door). If you have put on a new roof in the last five years, gather this information as well.

Please have these documents available for review by the inspector.

NOTE: The inspector will be looking for the type of opening protection or new roof installed and the date this work was done. If your documentation does not include this information the inspector will be looking at your shutters or roof shingles to try and determine a rating and/or building code approval number.

• This information is important because it may help you qualify for insurance discounts or credits.

• If documentation is not provided, the inspector may not be able to confirm that you have hurricane-rated opening protection or roof covering.

3. When the inspector arrives, the inspection will last approximately 30 to 45 minutes. For a thorough inspection, the inspector will need access to your attic. Please make sure this area is accessible. The inspector may also take photos of your home during the inspection.

4. Before the inspector leaves, you will be asked to sign a form verifying an inspection was conducted. The inspector will also leave general information with you about the inspection.

5. You can expect to receive your free inspection report in approximately 45 days after the program receives the inspection results from your inspector. To get the most out of your inspection report, read the User’s Guide that comes with it.


If you have applied for a grant, what can you expect?

The My Safe Florida Home program has reached the Legislature's goal of approving 35,000 grants. We are no longer accepting new grant applications.  Applications received by the May 31 deadline will be reviewed for eligibility.

The My Safe Florida Home program will continue to offer free wind inspections on a first-come, first-served basis until reaching the Legislature's goal of 400,000 inspections or the program ends in June 2009.

GRANT APPLICATION DEADLINES

1. Once the required documentation is received, you will be notified within 60 days if your grant application:

a. has been approved.
b. is deficient and what documents we need to complete the review process.
c. has been denied and why it was denied.

NOTE: If you applied as a non-low income homeowner and are approved for a matching grant, you will be reimbursed for half of the actual costs to make the improvement up to $5,000. Grant funds can only be used for opening protections and bracing gable ends.

If you applied as a low-income homeowner and are approved no match is required. You will be reimbursed 100% of actual costs up to $5,000 once the work on your home is completed. Remember, grant funds can only be used for opening protections and bracing gable ends.

2. You must use a participating contractor from our participating contractor list in order to be reimbursed under this program.  Please note that the My Safe Florida Home program does not recommend or endorse any contractors on our participating contractor’s list.

Click here for a list of participating contractors.

3. Make sure your contractor is registered in your county to pull permits to do mitigation improvements.

4. You are encouraged to obtain an estimate from one or more of our participating contractors.

NOTE: You do not need to submit copies of your contractor bid sheets or estimates. The bid sheets in your inspection report are for your use only.

You are also encouraged to research the product(s) you are interested in purchasing to protect your home to make sure they are hurricane or impact rated and approved by your local building code.

To learn more about the product(s) you are considering, visit the Florida Building Commission’s website at http://www.floridabuilding.org/c/default.aspx

5. Please remember that grant funds are only guaranteed once you have been approved for a grant by the Department.

If you’ve completed the work and are seeking reimbursement:

1. The reimbursement forms sent to you with your grant approval letter must be completed, signed and returned.

The HOMEOWNER REIMBURSEMENT FORM will need to be filled out by you, the homeowner. You must provide the following information on this form:

• Amount charged by the contractor

• Amount you paid the contractor

• Your signature

• Your Social Security number

The CONTRACTOR VERIFICATION FORM(S) will need to be filled out by the participating contractor(s). The Contractor(s) must complete the form, including a breakdown of labor and material costs, to ensure your reimbursement is processed quickly.

• Total job cost charged to the homeowner (for each type of improvement)

• Participating Contractor’s Name

• Business Name

• Participating Contractor’s Signature

• Participating Contractor Number

• Date Work Completed

• For Opening Protections

  • Number of windows and/or doors and square footage protected

  • A Diagram or Cut Sheet detailing what was protected

  Click here to see sample diagram sheets or obtain a blank one for the contractor to fill out

  • Number of labor hours

  • Labor Costs Material Costs

  • Other Costs (such as permit costs if applicable)

• For Bracing Gable Ends

  • Material Type

  • Material Number

  • Number of Labor Hours

  • Labor Costs

  • Material costs

  • Other costs (such as permit costs if applicable)

2. Again, if you are seeking reimbursement for opening protections, please be sure to include a diagram or cut sheet indicating which windows or doors were protected along with your reimbursement forms.

Click here to see sample diagram sheets or obtain a blank one for the contractor to fill out

3. Once the required forms are COMPLETELY filled out, submit the forms and any receipts you have to:

My Safe Florida Home
Reimbursement Request
PO Box 8200
Tallahassee, FL 32314-8200

Note: You should keep a copy of all documentation submitted to the My Safe Florida Home program.

4. If the forms you’ve submitted are complete, you should expect to receive your reimbursement check within 6 to 8 weeks.

You’ve submitted a reimbursement request, what can you expect?

1. Once we receive your reimbursement request and it is complete, we will send you an email confirmation or mail a postcard confirming it has been received and is being processed.

2. If the forms you’ve submitted are complete, you should expect to receive your reimbursement check within 90 days.

3. If the forms are incomplete, we will contact you to let you know what information is missing.

• We may ask you to email, fax or mail us additional documentation.

• We may ask you to provide photos of the work completed on your home.

• If your contractor did not complete the form, we will contact your contractor directly to obtain the necessary information.

• Incomplete reimbursement requests will remain “pending” until all necessary documentation is received.

4. Florida law requires us to re-inspect at least 5 percent of all homes retrofitted with grant funds. Please be aware that your home may be selected for a re-inspection.

5. If you have any questions concerning any of the information that has been provided, please contact the My Safe Florida Home helpline by calling 866-513-6734. We have specialists who are happy to assist you with your questions Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.