Hurricanes Helene and Milton have left many homeowners grappling with challenges from flooding to extensive cleanups.

Now, a federal regulation may add to their financial woes. The FEMA 50% rule, a complex regulation, could cost affected homeowners hundreds of thousands of dollars, catching many off guard.

Homeowners in flood zones with substantial damage may not be permitted to make simple repairs. Instead, they might be required to demolish and rebuild their homes at a higher elevation.

Introducing “Elevate Florida,” a new state program designed to assist homeowners with elevation costs.

“Homeowners must apply through the Elevate Florida application portal,” said Lisa Miller, a disaster recovery insurance advisor. “If a property owner can cover up to 25% of the project’s total cost, including initial inspections, the program can cover between 75-100% of flood mitigation costs, depending on factors such as loss history.”

Last year’s hurricane season wreaked havoc on homes across Tampa Bay.

With a new hurricane season looming, homeowners are making tough and costly decisions to storm-proof their homes.

“The benefit is that I get to keep my house and use insurance money to fix it,” said Holly Young, a St. Pete Beach resident. “It will be elevated, and I hope to be safe from future storms.”

Elevate Florida is the state’s first elevation mitigation program. According to the Florida Division of Emergency Management, its goal is to boost community resilience by protecting private residences from natural hazards.

“We’re redirecting federal dollars that we already have access to into this specific resiliency program,” Miller explained. “Homeowners can also apply for a Small Business Administration loan to help cover additional costs, making it a win-win situation.”

Officials noted that when a structure isn’t sound enough to be elevated, mitigation reconstruction is the alternative, as determined during the application review.

Eligible projects include:

• Structure elevation
• Mitigation reconstruction
• Acquisition/demolition
• Wind mitigation

For more information or to apply for assistance, click here: Elevate Florida Application Portal.

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(Image credit: Elevate Florida website)