Home hardening money approved by the Florida Legislature

Window home repair by Niko_Cingaryuk via iStock for WMNF News.

A home-hardening grant program designed to help reduce property-insurance costs could get another $200 million from the state.

But a bill (SB 7028), which got final approval Thursday from the Senate, would prohibit the state Department of Financial Services from accepting applications or creating a waiting list for the My Safe Florida Home Program when the money runs out.

The department administers the program.

The bill is ready to go to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

The program offers up to $10,000 in grants to help residents upgrade homes and qualify for property-insurance discounts.

During a November special legislative session, lawmakers approved $176.17 million for the program, with the money expected to cover more than 17,600 already-submitted applications to the program.

That came on top of $215 million for grants after the program was relaunched in 2022 as lawmakers addressed the state’s property-insurance problems.

The program was initially created in 2006 but later became dormant.