SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Images of flooded homes and streets are hard to forget, and we have seen our fair share of devastation across central Florida after storms like Hurricane Ian.
Our News 6 team visited homes near Lake Jessup on Wednesday, where some owners are still recovering more than two years later.
David Piotrowski has lived on Lake Street for nearly 20 years and says it’s an area that has flooded multiple times. He has been worried before that water would enter his home and says many of his neighbors share the same concern or have lost everything from floodwaters.
When asked by our News 6 crew what would happen if his home wasn’t elevated, Piotrowski replied, “Oh, it would be history.”
There are places near Lake Jessup, Lake Harney, the St. John’s River, and Little Wekiva River, among others in Seminole County, that are known for their flooding risk. For some families who have experienced flooding multiple times, the only option is to move out or up. But elevating a home is expensive, and it can take a long time to get assistance.
The county says there are currently 14 properties under evaluation to help with mitigation, acquisition/demolition, or elevation. Assistance is available through various programs, including the Flood Mitigation Assistance Grant (FMA), Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), Swiftcurrent Grant, etc.
But the county also recently shared information about a new state program that aims to help owners expedite the process and provide cost savings.
Elevate Florida is a first-of-its-kind, statewide residential mitigation program led by the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM). It’s designed to not only protect homes from future disasters but also lower insurance premiums and reduce claims for future storms.
Information about the program from FDEM is available below:
Who is eligible?
To become a potential participant of the Elevate Florida program, applicants must:
- 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 25% of the project’s total cost.
How do you apply?
Navigate to the Elevate Florida Portal to set up an account. Once registered, it will take approximately 20 minutes to fill out the application, assuming all the necessary information is available. Having the following information and documents on hand will expedite the submission review of your application:
- 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
What projects are eligible?
- Structure Elevation: Physically raising an existing structure.
- Mitigation Reconstruction: 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. These activities result in the construction of code-compliant and hazard-resistant structures. Mitigation Reconstruction is the alternative to Structure Elevation when the structure is not sturdy enough to elevate, as determined during application review.
- Acquisition/Demolition: A structure is purchased from voluntary sellers and demolished, to be maintained by the local community as open space. The local community must agree to participate in this project type.
- Wind Mitigation: Measures that reduce the risk of future wind damage to structures. This may include alterations to the roof, windows, doors, and other vulnerable components of structures. Wind mitigation is another alternative for homes that are not sturdy enough to elevate.
How much does it cost?
Federal grant funding will cover at least 75% of the project cost, meaning property owners only need to invest up to 25% — a significant savings. Property owners will be required to provide up to 25% of initial inspection costs prior to inspections being completed. Additionally, the total construction cost for each property will be determined during the initial review period based on factors such as project type, square footage of living space, foundation and construction type, and any necessary project activities. Approved property owners will receive a detailed breakdown of their construction cost-share and will have time to decide if they would like to move forward with the project’s next phase. The cost-share will also include relocation expenses during construction, meaning the program will pay at least 75 percent of these expenses.
Unfortunately, no assistance is available from the State of Florida to cover the property owner’s project cost (up to 25 percent) responsibilities for Elevate Florida. Residents may use funds from a loan from the Small Business Administration to cover the property owner cost-share.
The property owner must sign an agreement with FDEM that they accept and agree to the cost share requirement to fund initial inspections.