My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program

My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program

Our Exciting Role in the My Safe Florida Home Program and Its New Condo Extension

As a proud participating contractor in the My Safe Florida Home program, All Phase Construction USA is thrilled to announce that we are now extending our services to condominiums through the new My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program. This initiative aims to lower insurance costs and attract more insurance companies back to Florida by enhancing the resilience of condominiums against hurricanes.

Successful Program Expansion

The original My Safe Florida Home program has been immensely successful, leading to an increase in allocated funds for the grant program. With this expansion, condo associations now have the opportunity to benefit from these grants for critical upgrades. We encourage

condo boards to act swiftly and submit their applications as soon as possible, as the initial round of funding is expected to be quickly utilized.

Program Details and Benefits

Effective July 1st, 2024, the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program provides licensed inspectors, grants, and guidelines for hurricane mitigation projects, funded by $30 million in state funds. The state contributes $2 for every $1 spent by a condominium association, with grants covering up to 50% of roof-related projects and up to $1,500 per unit for doors and windows. The maximum grant per condo association is $175,000.

Participation Guidelines

To participate, condo associations must receive approval by a majority vote of the board of administration or a majority vote of the total voting interests. For grants that improve individual units, a unanimous vote of all unit owners within the structure or building is required.

The votes can occur during the annual budget meeting or a dedicated meeting for this purpose. Clear disclosure of the pilot program must be provided to unit owners, and the decision to participate must be communicated within 14 days after the affirmative vote.

Funding Allocation

Grant projects are funded based on specific criteria:

• $1 from the association matched with $2 from the state.
• Roof-related projects: $11 per square foot of the replacement roof, up to $1,000 per unit, with a maximum of 50% of the project cost.
• Opening protection projects: Up to $750 per replacement window or door, not exceeding $1,500 per unit, with a maximum of 50% of the project cost.
• Combined roof and opening protection projects: Maximum grant award of $175,000 per association.

Eligible Improvements

Grants can be used for improvements recommended by a hurricane mitigation inspection report, including:

• Exterior doors, garage doors, windows, and skylights.
• Reinforcing roof-to-wall connections.
• Strengthening roof-deck attachments.
• Secondary water resistance for roofs.

Quality Assurance

The Florida Department of Financial Services may contract with third parties for grants management, inspection services, contractor services, information technology, educational outreach, and auditing services. They will also implement a quality assurance and reinspection program to ensure that initial inspections and mitigation improvements meet the program’s intent.

Call to Action

We urge condo boards to leverage this opportunity and apply for the My Safe Florida Condominium Pilot Program. Given the program’s pilot nature, prompt application is crucial as the first round of funding will go quickly. Successful participation could lead to additional funding in the future.

If you have any questions or need assistance with the application process, please contact us at All Phase Construction USA. We are here to help you make your condos safer and more resilient against hurricanes, while also helping reduce insurance costs.

For more details, you can read about HB 1029 here and SB 1366 here.