PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — WPTV continues to closely follow the My Safe Florida Home (MSFH) program, which awards residents thousands of dollars to strengthen their homes against storms.
But this year, with no approved budget yet, there's a big question about how much money will be allocated to the popular program.
WATCH BELOW: Money for popular program stuck in budget battle
The governor has proposed nearly $600 million to help Floridians pay for new roofs, windows, garage doors and walls.
WPTV is already hearing from people waiting to apply.
On Tuesday, WPTV spoke to Joe Murphy, a 77-year-old Port St. Lucie homeowner forced to replace his roof to avoid losing insurance coverage.
He's just one of many people reporter Matt Sczesny has heard from dealing with costly repairs and rising premiums.
"(My roof) held up and doesn't leak," Murphy said. "It's a good roof still, but Citizens (Insurance) thinks otherwise."
Murphy emailed WPTV about his Citizens Insurance policy not being renewed next month.
It's all because of his roof, which he said is under 20 years old, but with some wear and tear.
It's coming at a big cost to replace, which he estimated will set him back $13,600 to $21,000.
Murphy is retired and doesn't have the cash to afford that bill.
Seeking some help or assistance programs is why he contacted WPTV.
Port St. Lucie has a Home Repair and Rehabilitation Program, which was funded with $1.8 million this year. However, applications filled up in 10 minutes in one day in January.
The best option for many homeowners still seems to be the My Safe Florida Home program.
Funded by the state every year, MSFH offers grants of up to $10,000, but the program ran through applications and $200 million quickly last year.
Currently, budget negotiations in Tallahassee are in overtime and facing a June 30 deadline.
If money is allocated to the program, WPTV is told that MSFH will try to restart on July 1 or sometime after with new applications.
As for Murphy, he'll need to secure new homeowners insurance before he be able to apply to MSFH.
He said his only option is a forced-placed policy, which typically has higher premiums.
"That's probably going to increase our mortgage ... $700 to $800 a month," Murphy said. "That's a whole lot of money."
Matt Sczesny is determined every day to help you find solutions in Florida's coverage collapse. If you have a question or comment on homeowners insurance, you can reach out to him any time.
