Storm Protection Program

ARPA Overview

On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) into law. The $1.9 trillion Fiscal Recovery Funds package is intended to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, including public health and economic impacts. Of the entire $1.9 trillion bill, $350 billion was allocated to State and Local governments to enable them to address strategic economic and infrastructure investments and address governmental budget shortfalls. Dania Beach has received a total of $16.2 million to respond to the COVID-19 public health emergency and its economic impacts.

Mission/Guiding Principles

The mission of the City of Dania Beach is to utilize funding available through ARPA to continue making Dania Beach a city that residents love to live in. One of the programs that will utilize ARPA funding is the Storm Protection Program, which will provide residents with the resources necessary to strengthen their homes against hurricane-level winds. The goal is to create safer homes, mitigating the effects of future storms by providing increased levels of protection to homeowners. In order to strengthen its existing infrastructure, the City will assist homeowners by providing quality wind resistance construction and installations (that are to be completed in compliance with the Florida building codes and manufacturer’s specifications).

Storm Protection Program: An Infrastructure and Mitigation Project

The City of Dania Beach is launching the Storm Protection Program to assist its residents with reinforcing their homes in order to create safer infrastructure that provide protection against hurricane level winds. The assistance will come in the form of a reimbursement on behalf of homeowners for eligible work performed. Through this program, the City will provide up to $10,000 per applicant for eligible storm mitigation upgrades. Applicants who are 185% below the federal poverty level or have been approved for the My Florida Home Program are eligible to receive up to $15,000 with a waived match requirement. All applicants will be asked to provide a $5,000 match if they are not below the 185% federal poverty level or eligible for a match waiver.

In order to be considered for the SPP, the home subject to the reinforcements must meet the following criteria:

Must have no outstanding code violations, or liens against property
Must have current homeowners’ insurance
Must have flood insurance (if required by mortgage company)
Be up to date with first mortgage unless fully owned outright
Property cannot be in forbearance or foreclosure

For applicants, the following factors will dictate eligibility:

Residents are at or below the 300% income amount by household size according to federal poverty guidelines (see figure 1)

Residents live within a Qualified Census Tract (see figure 2)

Upon approval of applications, eligible applicants will receive a list of qualified contractors through which they can select to complete their reinforcements.

The applications for the Storm Protection Program will be accepted beginning Tuesday, August 15, 2023. Customer service representatives will assist applicants from Tuesday, August 15 through Friday, August 18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Dania Beach City Hall.

PLEASE NOTE THAT FUNDING IS LIMITED AND COMPLETED APPLICATIONS WITH REQUIRED DOCUMENTS WILL BE TAKEN ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS

Contractors

The City of Dania Beach will undergo an application process for qualified local contractors. If a vendor has been qualified as part of the My Florida Safe Home Program, the City will consider them qualified through the state’s solicitation process and engage with them to confirm their participation in the Storm Protection Program. The City is NOT responsible for costs or work performed outside of the agreed upon reimbursement amount.

FIGURE 1

2022 Federal Poverty Guidelines by the Department of Health and Human Services
Household Size	185%	300%
1	$26,973	$43,740
2	$36,482	$59,160
3	$45,991	$74,580
4	$55,500	$90,000
5	$65,009	$105420
6	$74,518	$120,840
7	$84,027	$136,260
8	$93,536	$151,680

PROTECT YOURSELF & YOUR INVESTMENT

AVOIDING CONTRACTOR FRAUD

Get more than one estimate.
Get everything in writing.
Never sign a contract with blanks. Unacceptable terms can be added later.
Make sure you review and understand all documents before signing them.
Demand contractor references and check them out.
Never pay a contractor in full or sign a completion certificate until the work is finished and ensure all work is up to code.
Never let a contractor pressure you into hiring them. Beware of contractors who claim to be the fastest or the cheapest.

HIRE LICENSED CONTRACTORS

It's Florida Law!

If the State of Florida requires a contractor's license, then a permit is also most likely needed to perform the work.

Construction trades requiring a State License:

Air-Conditioning
Building Contractor
Electrician
General Contractor
Home Inspection
Mold-related Services

Plumber
Pool/Spa
Residentia I Contractor
Roofer
Sheet Metal
Solar

TIPS FOR HIRING A CONTRACTOR

Before you hire a contractor, ask to see the state-issued license. Verify the license number with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) online at myfloridalicense.com or by calling 850-487-1395. Check for any complaints.
An occupational license does not qualify an individual to act as a contractor.
Make sure the estimate includes the work the contractor will do, the materials involved, the completion date, and the total cost.
Check with the City of Dania Beach Building Department for any local license requirements.
Never pay in full, or make a final payment prior to receiving a final inspection from the City of Dania Beach.

WARNING SIGNS A CONTRACTOR MAY NOT BE LICENSED

Unlicensed contractors often target the uninformed and inexperienced, as well as the elderly.
There is no license number in an advertisement or posting. By law, contractors licensed by DBPR must include their license number in all advertising.
They want all or most of the money up front and will only accept cash. They may also want you to write the check to them individually or to "cash."
They give a post office box address instead of a street address.
They show up in unmarked vehicles offering to do work and often have out-of-state tags.
They try to convince you a permit is not necessary or that it is cheaper if you obtain it yourself

Unlicensed activity occurs when an individual offers to perform or performs services that require a state license, and the individual does not hold the necessary license.

Report any suspected unlicensed activity to the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR):

Email: ULA@MyFloridaLicense.com
Unlicensed Activity Hotline: l-866-532-1440

IF YOU'RE BUYING A HOME

A step in the home buying process often missed by homeowners doing their due diligence is checking the property's permit history.

Generally, people who do not choose to get permits for the work on their property are trying to save money or get around doing things to code.

To avoid any surprises related to any permits on the home you're thinking of buying, please remember to:

Verify the seller's disclosures about work done on the house are accurate.
Make sure there aren't any outstanding permit fees due.
If you intend to remodel the home, you may have to redo things that were not permitted, which could add significant costs.

THE CITY OF DANIA BEACH IS HERE TO HELP YOU!

We provide quality service: Dania Beach Building Inspectors are also State licensed contractors.
All plans submitted are carefully reviewed by City inspectors for compliance with the Florida Building Code.
The City verifies licenses of all contractors and checks that liability and workman's compensation insurances are up to date.
City inspections are conducted throughout the project to ensure all materials used are code compliant and installed properly.