Hurricane Loss Mitigation Program
Hurricane Loss Mitigation Program
The Florida’s Division of Emergency Management created the Hurricane Loss Mitigation Program to act as a specialized, state-funded mitigation program aimed at minimizing damages caused by hurricanes. The program began as an active response to the devastation brought by Hurricane Andrew, specifically to the insurance Market in the State of Florida. With an annual budget of $7 million, provided by the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Trust Fund, the program is funding activities that promote property resiliency through retrofits made to residential, commercial, and mobile home properties, the promotion of public education and public information, and through hurricane research activities.
Up to $3.4 million is to be used on improving community resiliency through the Hurricane Loss Mitigation Program Grant. Through partnering with local housing authorities and non-profit organizations, the Division has been able to promote wind and flood mitigation and provide hazard mitigation retrofitting to residential and commercial properties. Funded activities include retrofits, inspections, and construction or modification of building components designed to increase a structure’s ability to withstand hurricane-force winds and flooding. The Retrofit Program utilizes the Florida Building Code as its standard for all retrofitting. The $194,000 reimbursement grant may also be used for Local Mitigation Strategy projects.
Grant funds awarded under the HLMP qualify as state financial assistance under the Florida Single Audit Act. See Section 215.971, Florida Statutes. The Catalog of State Financial Assistance number (CSFA#) for HLMP is 31.066. Eligible proposers under this RFP include governmental entities and nonprofit organizations; individual homeowners are ineligible to apply.
A Call for Applications will be issued via GovDelivery and the HLMP Contact Distribution List and applications posted to the HLMP website. This process is a procedural change from previous years utilizing the Request for Proposals process. Applicants may submit one application totaling no more than $250,000.00
For Fiscal Year 2024-2025, the Application Period will be open from June 24, 2024 to July 17, 2024 at 5:00 PM (EDT). Questions and application submissions can be sent to HLMP@em.myflorida.com.
Contracts and grants can begin at any time during the fiscal year, but must all be terminated by June 30 of the same fiscal year. The state fiscal year is July 1 through June 30.
Of moneys provided to the Division, ten percent is allocated to Florida International University to be applied to research and outreach conducted by the International Hurricane Research Center. The IHRC is a multi-disciplinary research and education organization focused on a single mission: to reduce hurricane damage and loss of life through more effective mitigation. As a University entity, the IHRC conducts both basic and applied research. The IHRC research tries to answer fundamental questions in order to reduce the hurricane threat. The Center’s current studies involve such areas as: household mitigation and evacuation; storm hazard and vulnerability mapping, long-term community recovery; and economic loss modeling.
Forty-percent of the $7 million total ($2.8 million) appropriated by the Legislature shall be used to inspect and improve tie-downs for mobile homes. Section 215.559, Florida Statutes, authorizes the Division to contract with Gulf Coast State College to administer the mobile home tie-down program.
The Mobile Home Tie-Down Program is a pilot project designed to demonstrate, test and raise awareness of new techniques to enhance manufactured home wind resistance. The goal is to reduce property damage from high wind events. A tie-down system is designed to secure the manufactured homes to the ground. Traditional tie-down systems use the longitudinal ground anchors and straps which sometimes corrode and disintegrate. The new tie-down system include lateral foundation systems with longitudinal stabilizer devices or ground stabilizer plates wherever possible. Tie-down retrofit services provided through this program must comply with the Rules of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Division of Motor Vehicles, Chapter 15C-1, General.
- For more information concerning the Mobile Home Tie-Down Program, contact Gulf Coast State College at 448-201-6882 or email tiedownprogram@gulfcoast.edu
- www.gulfcoast.edu/tiedownprogram
