Mayfair in Tampa Palms

Good Information For You To Have

Aug 18, 2006

I came across this article and thought this was good information for you to have.
Lori E. Hakeem
Lori@YourCastleYourHome.com

Home inspections begin in hurricane mitigation program

HIALEAH, Fla. -- Aug. 17, 2006 -- When Hurricane Wilma's winds began to whistle and howl, Angelina Guixen said her home trembled.

Thanks to a free hurricane home inspection offered by a newly launched state program, she now knows why: The metal roof ties, binding the roof to the frame of her 1950s-era home, are corroded, weakening and need to be replaced. Under the same program, she may also get financial help to cover the cost of replacing them.

Guixen's Hialeah home was the first home to receive a free mitigation inspection under the state's $250 million My Safe Florida Home initiative, which offers matching grants of up to $5,000 for people who want to strengthen their homes against hurricanes.

The Department of Financial Services hopes to serve as many as 50,000 homes in the coming year. It is working with city and county governments as well as nonprofits to promote the program and provide further financial assistance to low-income and elderly homeowners.

Gov. Jeb Bush is pressing the federal government for an additional $250 million to expand the program further, DFS said.

Before applying for financial assistance, homeowners must first undergo a property inspection by a state-approved inspector.

To apply for an inspection, go to www.mysafefloridahome.com or call 1-800-342-2762.

DFS has already received more than 23,000 applications for inspections, mostly from South Floridians, since the program kicked off Tuesday.

Homeowners who qualify should be contacted by an inspector within 72 hours of submitting an application, DFS said. Then, they'll make an appointment with an inspector to come to the house.

The state will start accepting applications for the matching grants Sept. 1.

"The response has been tremendous," said Tom Gallagher, Florida's CFO and gubernatorial candidate, who, accompanied by city officials, was in Hialeah for a demonstration of Guixen's home inspection on Wednesday. "I don't think any other state has done a project this large," Gallagher said.

In seven to 10 days, Guixen will get a written report from the inspector, detailing the needed improvements, including a cost estimate and the expected savings on her insurance premiums if she moves forward with the repairs. The report will also give her home a hurricane resistance rating before and after the fixes are made.

To qualify for an inspection and a matching grant, applicants need a valid homestead exemption on a single-family home with an insured value of less than $500,000. Residential buildings of four units or less are eligible.