PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — The popular My Safe Florida Home program opens for applicants on Monday, Aug. 4.
It offers grants of up to $10,000 to help homeowners harden and improve their homes, potentially lowering their tax bill.
WATCH BELOW: What to know about navigating the My Safe Florida Home application
The program's restart has been greatly anticipated by homeowners like Chris Brown.
"If they actually open up at midnight or 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 4, I'll be there," Brown said.
He is hoping to apply when the portal opens on Monday.
It's a two-step process for homeowners interested in applying, which includes getting a free wind mitigation inspection.
Brown is looking to receive a $10,000 grant to help replace his roof.
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"Everybody wants to get in on this, and I expect that $280 million is going to go fast," Brown said.
The $280 million in new funding allocated by Florida lawmakers could go quickly, like in past years.
Steven Fielder, the director of the My Safe Florida Home program, said there is enough money to handle both applicants who have been waiting since last year and the first few groups bundled by age and income level.
He expects there to be a rush to apply on Monday.
"I suspect that will be the case, and we have also heard feedback from our many thousands of customers at this point," Fielder said. "We are making changes to the portal that we think will make it more user-friendly. We've tried to listen to everyone's feedback about that and tried to make some tweaks and changes so everything will be easy to understand."
The first people who will be processed will be Group 1, which consists of homeowners 60 and older who have an income at or below 80% of the median income of the county they reside.
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.
