PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Starting July 1st, the My Safe Florida Home Program will re-open for applications after the state program ran out of money last year.
The My Safe Florida Home Program offers homeowners up to $10,000 in grant money for homeowners to harden their homes, with the goal of bringing down insurance rates.
However, Palm Harbor homeowner Steve Fay said after spending 10 months completing the program and spending more than $2,546 to upgrade his garage door, he was denied.
"This was sort of the rejection letter," Fay said. "Stating that my insurance company didn't provide me with the A-1 discount, so I couldn't receive the funds. So, I was sort of locked out."
According to the letter, he'd have to prove that his insurance would give him a discount, but his insurance would only give the discount if he hardened every opening in his entire house, windows, and doors.
"After I complete all 15 doors and windows in the house. $30,000 or more upfront to get $1,600 back on a garage door. It just doesn't seem to work."
This is the third viewer who emailed us as ABC Action News regarding nuances and obstacles they've come across with the My Safe Florida Home Program.
We took another viewer's concern to CFO Jimmy Patronis for a response back in May.
"You might have to put a little more money out of pocket," Patronis said in part. "In some cases, it's going to have to be a business decision for that household."
"The program's goals right up front was to help people harden their homes. And I figured I'd start that was my first project was to do that. But I ran into this hiccup of a step where I can't get that money. Unless I do the whole house," Fay said. "You're asking me to put out $30,000 to get $10,000 and it might take me 10 months to get? It doesn't work for me."
ABC Action News emailed CFO Patronis' Office regarding Steve's denial of the grant funding. Devin Galetta, CFO's communications director, is now looking into his specific case:
"It is very common for homeowners to only complete openings that they can afford to do, and the program does not require you to do all of them at once. As it relates to garage doors, the program has reimbursed for these in the past as well," Galetta wrote in a statement. "This sounds like it may be a specific issue related to this homeowner."
Galetta also gave additional information in a follow up email.
The email this homeowner received is not a denial but a request for more information to process his reimbursement. Specifically, the program requires an email from your insurance agent or company confirming that you are or are not receiving a discount for the improvements made. This is a key step in the process, and once the program has this email, they can proceed with reimbursement, even if the homeowner is not receiving a discount.
