The State of Florida has started the Elevate Florida Residential Mitigation Program to cost-share and provide construction services for residential mitigation projects that are designed to protect homes and communities by reducing damage caused by natural disasters like hurricanes and floods. The program claims to be a first-of-its-kind statewide mitigation program aimed at helping homeowners make their property more flood resistant.
Elevating residential properties offers a multitude of advantages for individual property owners, neighborhoods, communities and the entire State of Florida. This proactive approach enhances the safety and value of individual properties while contributing to overall resilience and sustainability.
The eligibility criteria is pretty straight forward requiring the following:
- Be over the age of 18,
- Be a U.S. citizen,
- Be the legal property owner of a residential property in the State of Florida, and
- Be able to contribute up to twenty-five percent (25%) of the project's total cost.
The program's website also has the following to say regarding eligibility as it appears that it is open to more than just single-family homeowners.
Multi-family real estate such as duplexes, triplexes, condos, townhomes, semi-detached homes, apartments and manufactured homes may be eligible. The property does not need to have experienced flooding or damage in the past to be considered. However, applications may be prioritized based on history of loss.
Program options include: physically raising an existing structure, Mitigation Reconstruction which includes the construction of an improved, elevated building on the same site where an existing building and/or foundation has been partially or completely demolished or destroyed, Acquisition/Demolition where a structure is demolished and then maintained by the local community as open space, or Wind Mitigation which includes improvements to an existing structure to make it more resilient to flooding or storm events.
Elevating residential properties offers a multitude of advantages for individual property owners, neighborhoods, communities and the entire State of Florida. This proactive approach enhances the safety and value of individual properties while contributing to overall resilience and sustainability. The Elevate Florida Program claims to offer the following benefits to property owners:
- Significant Cost Savings – Homeowners can save 75–100 percent on the cost of protecting their property from future flood damage...
- Lower Insurance Premiums – Reduce flood insurance costs with improved property resilience.
- Increased Property Value – Strengthen your home’s value with long-term flood protection.
- Comprehensive Support – Enjoy end-to-end assistance, from application to construction, including contractor services, temporary housing support, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodations.
Property owners are encouraged to apply online at the Elevate Florida Portal where property owners can submit documentation to support the application including the following:
- Photos of the structure (all four sides including front, rear, and both sides)
- Insurance Declaration pages (if available)
- Elevation Certificates (if applicable)
- Geotechnical Reports (Soil Studies) (if applicable)
- Flooding photos/high water mark photos
- Insurance claim information
- Substantial Damage Determination letters received from local government (if applicable)
- Combined income as reflected on the most recent federal tax return
To learn more about the program, please visit the State of Florida's website for additional information at the link below.