The Florida Division of Emergency Management or FDEM proudly introduces Florida’s inaugural Statewide Residential Mitigation Program, Elevate Florida. This initiative aims to bolster community resilience by protecting private residences from natural hazards.

Eligible Project Types

The following project types are eligible under the Statewide Residential Mitigation Program:

• Structure Elevation: This involves lifting an existing building using various methods. Essential utilities must also be raised. Buildings intended for elevation should be structurally sound and safe to elevate.
• Mitigation Reconstruction: This involves building a new, elevated structure on the same plot where an existing building or foundation has been partially or fully demolished.
• Structure Acquisition: These projects involve the community buying at-risk properties from willing sellers, then demolishing the structures to convert the land into open space, preserving its natural floodplain functions permanently.

Next Steps

Details on how and when to apply will be available soon. To stay informed, subscribe for updates by selecting Residential Mitigation Communications at https://www.FloridaDisaster.org/Subscription-Topics/.

To prepare for the application, gather the following:

• Photos of any indoor or outdoor flooding at your home (if available)
• Photos of high-water marks including measurements
• Documentation of insurance claims or assistance received (if available)
• Receipts or estimates for repairs from past events
• A list of aesthetic home modifications, including the year they were done (if the home is over 45 years old):
  • Window/door replacements
  • Roof replacements
  • Remodeling
  • Painting or re-siding
  • Additions, decks, landings, or garages
  • Historical uses of the structure

Contact

If you’re a Florida resident curious about mitigation grant opportunities for your property, email ResidentialMitigation@em.myflorida.com with your name, city, and your specific inquiry or situation.

To get future updates about this program, subscribe to FDEM Residential Mitigation Communications at https://www.floridadisaster.org/subscription-topics/.

(Information courtesy of the City of Madeira Beach)

Want to win a $25 Amazon gift card? 

To enter, simply follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, or X between now and Tuesday, December 24th. (Psst… You can enter up to 4x by following us on all four! But sorry, U.S. residents only.)

(Image credit: Insurance Journal)