$5000 FLORIDA GRANT PROGRAM FAQ'S
1. Am I eligible?
2. What do I need to apply?
4. When will I be approved?
5. When will I be reimbursed?
AM I ELIGIBLE?
If you received a wind inspection before May 1:
If you received a free wind inspection and grant application through the program before May 1, 2007, you are eligible for a matching grant of up to $5,000 to make any of the improvements recommended in your wind inspection report.
If you received a wind inspection after May 1:
The 2007 Legislature changed the eligibility requirements for grants under the program. You will be eligible for a matching grant up to $5,000 if you live at least 6 months out of the year in a single-family detached, site-built home that meets the following criteria:
• have a building permit application for initial construction made before March 1, 2002;
• insured value of $300,000 or less;
• valid homestead exemption;
• located in the wind-borne debris region;
• has undergone a hurricane mitigation inspection.
The 2007 Legislature also changed how grant funds could be used under the program. Grant funds must be used for opening protections, which includes windows, skylights, gable vents, exterior doors and garage doors, and the bracing of gable ends.
Windows: If you are eligible for a grant and you choose to protect your windows, you must protect all windows identified by your wind inspection report as needing hurricane protection.
Exterior Doors: If you are eligible for a grant and you choose to protect your doors, you must protect all exterior doors identified by your wind inspection report as needing hurricane protection.
Garage Door: If you choose to protect your garage door and it is a recommended improvement in your inspection report, you will be eligible for grant funds to make this improvement.
Gable Ends: If you choose to brace your gable ends and it is a recommended improvement in your inspection report, you will be eligible for grant funds to make this improvement.
Am I required to match if I am a low-income homeowner?
Homeowners with an annual household income of less than 80% of Annual Median Income are eligible for a grant up to $5,000 with no match required. However, you must meet all other criteria outlined above with the exception of insurance. Contact us to see if you are eligible. If you qualify, you will need to certify under penalty of perjury that you are eligible as a low-income homeowner.
Low-Income Documents and Definitions
You will need to submit the following documentation to qualify as a low-income homeowner:
• A copy of your most recent signed tax return that was filed with the IRS along with completed W-2 and 1099 forms. If a household member did not file a tax return with the IRS then they should be required to state this in writing and explain why.
If a tax return is unavailable, you will need to submit one of the following documents:
• Pay stubs from the most recent past three months.
• Evidence documenting the type and amount of any state or federal assistance received.
• Evidence documenting the amount and type of Social Security and/or retirement benefits.
• Evidence documenting the amount and source of any regular payments from unemployment compensation, strike benefits from union funds, worker’s compensation, veteran’s payments, training stipends, alimony and military family allotments; private pensions, government employee pensions (including military retirement pay) and regular insurance or annuity payments; dividends, interest, net rental income, net royalties, periodic receipts from estates or trusts, and net gambling or lottery winnings.
"Low-income persons," as defined by Section 420.0004(10), Florida Statutes, means one or more natural persons or a family, the total annual adjusted gross household income of which does not exceed 80 percent of the median annual adjusted gross income for households within the state, or 80 percent of the median annual adjusted gross income for households within the metropolitan statistical area (MSA) or, if not within an MSA, within the county in which the person or family resides, whichever is greater. |
WHAT DO I NEED TO APPLY?
Homeowners who have undergone a wind inspection and meet the eligibility requirements outlined in the “Am I Eligible?” section of this website are eligible to apply for a grant through the program.
For inspections done after May 1, 2007, we will determine if your home is located in the wind-borne debris region at the time of inspection.
Before you begin the application process, you will need several key pieces of information on hand, including:
1. Your inspection report. Grant funds are limited to certain improvements – opening protections and bracing of gable ends. Section 2 or page 4 of your inspection report will detail if these improvements are recommended.
2. Your Service Request (SR) number. This number was provided to you when you applied for a free wind inspection. It is located in the upper, left corner of your inspection report.
3. Your homestead exemption number. To obtain a copy of your homestead exemption, which also has information on the year your home was built, you may use the following link to find your local property appraiser’s website:
http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/property/appraisers.html
Depending on your county, your homestead exemption number can be called any of the following: parcel ID number, folio number, property number or real estate number.
(NOTE: If you were in your home on January 1, 2007 but did not apply for homestead until after March 1, 2007, or if you moved into your home after March 1, 2007, you will not be granted a homestead exemption until 2008. You can apply for a grant in 2008 after you have been granted the homestead exemption.)
4. Your insurance information. Unless you qualify as a low-income homeowner, you will need to provide us with the effective date of your insurance policy, which is the first date of your coverage or policy period, and the insured value of your home.
The declarations page(s) of your insurance policy will provide this information and will display your name and property address. If you are unable to locate your insurance policy information, contact your insurance agent or company for this information. A flood insurance policy is not an acceptable form of proof of insured value for your home.
5. The year your home was built. In addition to your homestead exemption, your insurance and mortgage documents may include the year your home was built.
IF YOUR HOME WAS BUILT IN 2002, WE WILL NEED THE EXACT DATE THE PERMIT APPLICATION WAS MADE TO BUILD YOUR HOME. Only homes with a building permit application for initial construction made before March 1, 2002 will qualify for a grant. You can find this information through your local building official. We will need a copy of the permit.
WHEN WILL I BE APPROVED FOR A GRANT?
Please allow us up to 30 days to review and approve your grant application. We will respond to your grant application in one of three ways:
1. Congratulations, you are eligible! If all eligibility requirements are met upon review of your grant application and proof of homestead and insurance, you will receive a grant award letter and reimbursement forms. You will then be required to make the approved improvements with one of our approved contractors. To contact one of the contractors approved to work in your area, click here. Once improvements have been made, you will be reimbursed for half of the actual costs to make the improvements up to a maximum of $5,000.
2. You may be eligible but we don’t have a complete application. In this case, either your application is incomplete or proof of homestead and/or insurance was not included with the application. You will receive a letter or email explaining the information we need before we can approve your application. You will need to submit the required information or documentation outlined in this letter before we can proceed with processing and approving your grant application.
3. You are ineligible. If eligibility requirements are not met, you will receive a letter or email confirming that you are ineligible for a grant and the reasons why.
WHEN WILL I BE REIMBURSED?
• You will be reimbursed when improvements have been completed. Grant funds may only be used for:
1. Opening Protections. Windows, skylights, gable vents, exterior doors and garage doors.
2. Bracing of gable ends.
• You must use a participating contractor to make improvements.
• Improvements must be made within 12 months of the grant award date on your letter.
• Reimbursement forms must be completed and signed by the homeowner.
• The maximum amount of grant funds you receive will be half of the actual cost of the recommended improvements up to a maximum of $5,000.
• Once all documentation has been received and approved, you will receive a check made payable to you (the homeowner) within 30 days.
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