The Program will use data provided by your county’s Property Appraiser’s office to determine thestatus of your homestead exemption and your property’s Use Code. Your homestead exemption status is usually listed as an amount or as a “Y” on the Property Appraiser’s website for your county. Use Codes vary by county, but all properties with a Use Code that begins with “1” or “01” will be considered Single-family. Other Use Codes may also be considered eligible based on the criteria laid out in the Program Rule (available). If you would like to check this information yourself, please contact your county's Property Appraiser or Tax Collector Office website directly here Every Property Appraiser’s website is different, but all have a system through which you can search for your address and find information about your home.

Please visit the following link to locate each county's Property Appraiser or Tax Collector Office website directly: https://floridarevenue.com/property/Pages/LocalOfficials.aspx 

If an Applicant applies and is approved for a free MSFH Program Initial Inspection, a MSFH Program Inspector will be assigned to complete the Initial Inspection. The Applicant will receive an email from the MSFH Program, providing the name and contact information of the assigned Inspector. The Inspector will contact the Applicant within seven (7) days to schedule the Initial Inspection. Applicants are not able to choose the Inspector for the Hurricane Mitigation Inspection. 

Initial Inspection Reports  

Please thoroughly read your MSFH Program Inspection Reports.

Initial Inspection Report

The Initial Inspection Report will indicate which, if any, recommend Improvements are available to a Homeowner to strengthen their home against hurricane damage.

Each Initial Inspection Report will contain the following:

1. Introduction
2. Recommended Improvements
3. Improvement Cost Estimates
4. Summary of Form OIR-B1-1802
5. Attachments
   1. Form OIR-B1-1802 (Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form)
   2. Initial Inspection Photographs and Documents

 Example of My Safe FL Home Initial Inspection Report Cover Page: 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Initial Inspection Reports expire 24 months after they occur.

Recommended Improvements 

One of the key goals of the Initial Inspection Report is to indicate which, if any, Recommended Improvements are available to an Applicant to strengthen the home against hurricane damage. Insurance companies may offer discounts to Applicants for completing these Improvements. The sample image demonstrates what the summary may look like in the Initial Inspection Report. The Recommended Improvements will vary by home and depends on what the Inspector observes.  The Initial Inspection Report may not have all the recommendations listed on the sample image below.  

Sample Image of Recommended Improvements Section: 

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you receive an Opening Protection recommendation, please pay particular attention to the Opening Protection section on the following page. 

Opening Protection pertains to exterior doors, garage doors, windows, glass blocks, and skylights. Applicants will see the following chart in the Initial Inspection Report, which helps clarify the specific openings being recommended. If an opening is listed under the NOT eligible header, those openings are not recommended.  

Detailed information regarding the current rating of openings in the household can also be reviewed in the Initial Inspection Report in Section 7 of the "Uniform Mitigation Verification Inspection Form" or ‘1802’. Older Initial Inspection Reports may not contain the above chart; if you do not see it in your report, you must refer to the ‘1802’ to determine which openings are eligible. Please contact your WCE if you have further questions. Understanding Opening Protection on Initial Inspection Report 

Improvement Cost Estimates  

The estimated and rounded prices quoted below include a range of prices based on a typical 3 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom 2,600 square foot home with 400 square foot garage that is approximately 30 years old. The items below may not be applicable to your Wind Mitigation Inspection. This is just a reference guide for typical upgrade repairs on typical houses. Individual prices from contractors can vary substantially from these ranges due to availability and inflation. It is recommended that several bids be obtained on any work being considered. DO NOT RELY ON THESE PRICES ONLY AND GET FURTHER ESTIMATES FROM LICENSED PROFESSIONALS. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Items listed above may not be applicable to your Report. Please review your Initial Inspection Report to see what items listed above may be applicable. 

Summary of Form OIR-B1-1802  

This section of the Initial Inspection Report summarizes the existing Hurricane Resistant Features of the home.  

 The Form OIR-B1-1802 is intended to provide an at-a-glance summary of the findings from the Initial Inspection. The Inspector may make recommendations based on their findings after reviewing these features. 

IMPORTANT NOTE: To be eligible for Disbursement, you must not perform any work, sign with a Contractor, or purchase make any materials purchases prior to receiving an email from the MSFH Program informing you to proceed with work. Performing work, signing a contract with a Contractor, or purchasing materials before Grant approval will result in a denial.  

Request for Information (RFI): Inspection Application  

If the MSFH Program is unable to approve your Inspection Application, you will be sent a Request for Information (RFI). You will need to return to the Applicant Portal and submit additional information to satisfy the RFI. Please ensure you check your emails regularly in case an RFI is sent to you. RFIs must be responded to within 60 days. Closed cases cannot be reopened, so ensure you check your case and your email regularly.   

IMPORTANT NOTE: If you do not respond to this Request for Information (RFI) within 60 days, the MSFH Program Inspection Application will be deemed withdrawn and administratively closed.  

GRANT INDICATION OF INTEREST  

Applicants who receive no Recommended Improvements or are in Group 5 (Applicants of all ages who are above the Moderate-Income threshold) will not be eligible to proceed with the Grant Phase. 

These cases will be sorted into closed statuses prior to the choice to proceed to the Grant Phase.   Once Applicants have reviewed the Initial Inspection Report, they will have the opportunity to choose whether to proceed with a Grant Application. In the Grant Application, Applicants must be prepared to provide a current homeowner’s insurance declarations page, the Recommended Improvement(s) intended to be performed, and the name and license number of the Contractor intended to be used to complete the Recommended Improvement(s).   

IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not complete a Mitigation Project based on Recommended Improvement(s) prior to receiving approval on a Grant Application. Funding for projects completed prior to approval of a Grant Application WILL be denied.  

If choosing to proceed with a Grant Application, Applicants will be sorted into the group that corresponds to the Prioritization Questionnaire, and if funding is available, will be granted access to the Grant Application. If funding is not available, or if the group is not currently allowed to apply, Applicants will receive access to the Grant Application when or if it becomes available. 

  Grant Applications must be submitted within 24 months of receiving the Initial Inspection Report as Initial Inspection Reports expire 24 months after they occur. If an application is received prior to the expiration of an Initial Inspection Report, the Initial Inspection Report will remain active until the Grant Phase is complete.