Home Repair Grants & Homeowners’ Insurance
Having worked as a contractor for USDA, HUD, and several Housing Agencies, I know how much needed home repair funds are in the community. When homeowners consider paying $7000-$10000 for a leaking roof, CDBG, SHIP, USDA, and others can provide lifelines that may have otherwise been unavailable. As I have seen, time and time again, there is always a much greater need than there are funds. I have seen people wait for years to get funding. Sometimes you need repairs faster than that. Every month you pay for a homeowners insurance policy that is written to protect you against loss and help you make needed repairs. Homeowners’ insurance does not take the place of government grant and or loan repair funds, but it does work in conjunction with them. Sometimes a loss is not covered under the insurance contract that you have with your insurance company, but there are many grant and loan programs that are available for home repair.
Types of Home Repair Grants
Section 203(k) HUD Grants for Home Repair – Insures mortgages covering the purchase or refinancing and rehabilitation of a home that is at least a year old. A portion of the loan proceeds is used to pay the seller, or, if a refinance, to pay off the existing mortgage, and the remaining funds are placed in an escrow account and released as rehabilitation is completed. The cost of the rehabilitation must be at least $5,000, but the total value of the property must still fall within the FHA mortgage limit for the area. The value of the property is determined by either (1) the value of the property before rehabilitation plus the cost of rehabilitation, or (2) 110 percent of the appraised value of the property after rehabilitation, whichever is less-
Section 504 USDA Home Repair Grant – The main senior citizen home repair grant and loan program offered by the federal government is its Very Low-Income Housing Repair Program. Senior citizens living in eligible areas and meeting low-income requirements can receive federal loans and grants for needed home repairs. Federal home repair loans up to $20,000 and home repair grants up to $7,500 are available to senior citizens aged 62 or older. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development offices administer the Very Low-Income Housing Repair Program.
Weatherization Assistance Programs – The State of Florida has funding available through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program. The Weatherization Assistance Program offers grant-funded energy upgrades to housing for low-income families. The services, which can include caulking, attic insulation and repair of heating and cooling systems, are available to property owners that who the income guidelines for the state’s Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
Florida State Home Grants – These funds are administered by individual municipalities. The funds are allocated in a specific formula requiring participating jurisdictions to contribute. The method of administration differs from municipality to municipality. Check with your local county housing authority for specifics.
How a Public Adjuster Can Help
As a Public Adjuster, my job is to analyze your damages and your homeowners’ insurance policy and see if your repairs are covered under the policy. If they are, it is my job to get you the home repair money. You choose your own contractors and repair people.
Home Owners Insurance can provide repairs for:
- Roof Leaks – To address stains on the inside of ceilings and missing shingles from roofs
- Kitchen Floods – To replace damaged cabinets and flooring, even walls if necessary
- Kitchen Fires – To replace all fire damaged items and clean everything affected by smoke within the entire home
- Toilet Leaks – To clean up contaminated water and remediate if necessary
- Shower Leaks – Hidden seepage that makes walls and floors soft
- HVAC Leaks – to replace damaged walls, flooring
- Siding Leaks – Through wood, Hardie board, stucco
- Mold – To clean and sanitize
The process is simple. After contacting Public Loss Adjusters, we set up a no-cost inspection of your home using visual, thermal and moisture instruments. We then review your insurance policy for coverage. If we believe the loss to be covered under your policy, we will assist you through the claims process from beginning to end. We only get paid if we get you money. Fill out the form above or call us at 352.353.4556. While there is no way to know the outcome of a claim before it is filed, we will not file a claim that we don’t think can and should be paid out. Call today!