ORLANDO, Fla. — Nearly 180 new laws are going into effect in Florida on Monday, ranging in topics from helping new moms to hurricane-hardening programs.

One of those programs is a hurricane-hardening program called the My Safe Florida Home program, providing grants to eligible homeowners in an effort to make their homes stronger and safer against storms.

What You Need To Know

  • Application portal for the My Safe Florida home program reopens July 1

  • Gov. Ron DeSantis has allocated $200 million in funding for the program this year

  • The My Safe Florida home program offers free home inspections and then up to $10,000 in funding for eligible homeowners to upgrade their windows and doors

My Safe Home offers free wind-mitigation inspections and funds of up to $10,000 for owners of single-family homes and some townhomes identified in those inspections to improve the security of their homes with products like impact-resistant doors and windows. There is a limited number of free inspections.

This program is not new and has been helping more than 30,000 Florida applicants since 2022. After a major backlog of applicants still waiting on approval and funding earlier this year, the portal to apply closed while waiting for additional funds to become available.

A bill proposing additional funding also requested that low-income senior citizens be prioritized in the next round of funding, and the structure of the program is doing just that. The portal to apply for funding reopens Monday, July 1, and this time Gov. Ron DeSantis has allocated $200 million in additional funds.

Officials are hoping to keep insurance costs down in the long run by helping homeowners with mitigating efforts now, strengthening their homes from the potential impacts of storms and hurricanes.

Javier Toro knows the benefits of the state’s My Safe Florida Home program. For the past year, he’s been performing wind mitigation inspections for homeowners looking to save money this storm season.

“The program helps you qualify for these wind resistant features, such as impact graded windows. To help you with the wind mitigation with the hopes of saving some money on that insurance policy,” Toro said.

He said homeowners simply apply for the grant money, have an inspection, and if they qualify, would receive up to $10,000 dollars they don’t have to pay back. Some might have to front the initial cost.

“Either a low-income grant, where the $10,000 will be fronted by the state. Or a matching grant, where you have to put in the initial amount, and they will refund you up to $10,000,” he said.

Homeowners looking to benefit from the program will need an insured home value of less than $700,000 and the property must have a homestead exemption. Initial construction must have been made before January 1, 2008.

Inspectors will take photos of the home or townhouse. Condos don’t qualify. This will help determine what needs to be done to harden the property.

The portal for applications will remain open at least through August. The order in which people can apply is as follows:

  • Low-income homeowners 60 years old and up 
  • Low-income homeowners of any age
    • Low income is defined as 80% or less of the median household income of your county.
  • Moderate-income homeowners 60 and up
  • Moderate-income homeowners of any age
    • Moderate income is defined as 120% or less of the median household income of your county.
  • All other eligible Florida homeowners