# My Safe Florida Home: Who Qualifies for the Hurricane Grant and What It Can Pay For

> My Safe Florida Home is a state program that pairs a hurricane-mitigation inspection with matching grants for some homes. The statute sets who qualifies and what it can fund, and it ties the program to annual appropriations. Here is what the law says and what to check before you count on it.

- URL: https://maxliferealty.com/blog/my-safe-florida-home-grant-eligibility
- Author: Ryan Solberg, Florida real estate broker (BK3354351), MaxLife Realty
- Published: 2026-10-29
- Category: Homeowner Guides

## Key Takeaways

- The program is run by the Department of Financial Services and exists only to the extent the Legislature funds it each year (Fla. Stat. 215.5586, introductory text and (2)(i)).
- Inspection eligibility: a site-built, owner-occupied single-family home with a homestead exemption (215.5586(1)(a)).
- Grant eligibility adds an insured value of $700,000 or less, a home built before January 1, 2008, an inspection within the prior 24 months, and low or moderate income (215.5586(2)(a)).
- Standard grants need a $1 match for every $2 of state money, with a $10,000 state maximum; low-income applicants can receive up to $10,000 with no match (215.5586(2)(c), (2)(h)).
- Grants cover opening protection and roof improvements recommended by the inspection, and work must be finished within 18 months of approval (215.5586(2)(e)-(g), (2)(j)).

**My Safe Florida Home is a state program that inspects a house for hurricane weak points and, for eligible owners, matches grants for the fixes, but it exists only as far as the Legislature funds it each year.** The eligibility rules below are in Fla. Stat. [215.5586](http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0200-0299/0215/Sections/0215.5586.html), read October 29, 2026. Check the program's current status before you count on money from it.

## Who qualifies for the inspection

The home must be a single-family home on an individual parcel, either detached or attached and no more than three stories, site-built and owner-occupied, and it must have been granted a homestead exemption under chapter 196. A licensed inspector performs the initial inspection, and the report must include recommended improvements, a range of cost estimates and estimated insurance premium discounts. (215.5586(1)(a), (1)(d), (1)(e))

## Who qualifies for a grant

Inspection eligibility plus all of the following (215.5586(2)(a)):

- Insured value of $700,000 or less.
- An initial inspection completed within the 24 months before the application.
- A home built before January 1, 2008, according to the county property appraiser's website.
- Agreement to a final inspection and to share insurer-provided discount information.
- Low or moderate income as defined in s. 420.0004.

When money is limited, the statute puts low-income applicants aged 60 or older first, then other low-income applicants, then moderate-income applicants aged 60 or older, then other moderate-income applicants, then everyone else. (215.5586(2)(i))

## How much, and for what

A standard grant requires the applicant to put in $1 for every $2 of state funds, with a state maximum of $10,000 toward the actual project cost. Low-income applicants may receive up to $10,000 with no match. (215.5586(2)(c), (2)(h)) Eligible improvements must be recommended by the initial inspection and are limited to opening protection (exterior doors, garage doors, windows and skylights) and roof work (roof-to-wall connections, roof-deck attachment, secondary water resistance or replacing the roof covering). Work must follow local permits and inspections, use licensed contractors, and be finished with a final inspection requested within 18 months of approval or the application is deemed abandoned. (215.5586(2)(b), (2)(d)-(g), (2)(j))

## What the statute does not promise

It does not create an entitlement: implementation is subject to annual appropriations, applications may not exceed available funds, and applications open only when an appropriation takes effect. The text also shows that the 2026 amendments to several subsections expire July 1, 2027 unless the Legislature acts. The statute contains no rule about selling a home after an inspection or grant.

## If you are buying or selling an older home

Eligibility turns on an owner-occupied home with a homestead exemption, so the program is for owners, not for a house under contract; a buyer would look at it after closing and after homestead is granted ([how the exemption and its deadlines work](https://maxliferealty.com/blog/florida-homestead-exemption)). A wind mitigation form is a separate document that insurers use for windstorm discounts ([who can complete it](https://maxliferealty.com/blog/florida-wind-mitigation-inspection-who-can-do-it)), and insurance cost belongs in your numbers either way ([Florida homeowners insurance in 2026](https://maxliferealty.com/blog/florida-homeowners-insurance-2026), the [buyer's guide to the insurance crisis](https://maxliferealty.com/blog/florida-insurance-crisis-buyer-guide)). The [buyer net sheet](https://maxliferealty.com/tools/buyer-net-sheet) shows how a premium changes your monthly cost.

**Source (statute text read October 29, 2026):** [Fla. Stat. 215.5586](http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0200-0299/0215/Sections/0215.5586.html) (My Safe Florida Home Program).

*Ryan Solberg is the broker-owner of MaxLife Realty. This is general information, not legal or insurance advice; confirm eligibility and funding with the program before you apply.*

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Who qualifies for a My Safe Florida Home inspection?

Under Fla. Stat. 215.5586(1)(a), the home must be a single-family home on an individual parcel that is either detached or attached and no more than three stories, site-built, owner-occupied, and granted a homestead exemption under chapter 196. The statute text was read on October 29, 2026.

### Who qualifies for a My Safe Florida Home grant?

In addition to inspection eligibility, the statute requires an insured value of $700,000 or less, an initial inspection completed in the 24 months before the application, a home built before January 1, 2008, agreement to a final inspection and to share insurer discount information, and low or moderate income as defined in s. 420.0004 (Fla. Stat. 215.5586(2)(a)).

### How much can a My Safe Florida Home grant be?

A standard grant requires the applicant to match $1 for every $2 of state funds, with a maximum state contribution of $10,000 toward the actual project cost. Low-income applicants may receive up to $10,000 with no match (Fla. Stat. 215.5586(2)(c) and (2)(h)).

### Is My Safe Florida Home funding guaranteed?

No. The statute makes implementation subject to annual legislative appropriations, creates no entitlement, and says applications may not exceed available funds; acceptance of applications begins only when an appropriation takes effect. Check the program's current status before you plan around a grant.

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Source: "My Safe Florida Home: Who Qualifies for the Hurricane Grant and What It Can Pay For" by Ryan Solberg, Florida real estate broker (BK3354351), MaxLife Realty, https://maxliferealty.com/blog/my-safe-florida-home-grant-eligibility (last updated 2026-10-29). Content may be quoted with attribution to MaxLife Realty.