Port St. Lucie has allocated $1 million to help eligible homeowners repair damage from this week's flooding, with pre-applications opening at 8 a.m. Thursday. The city's Disaster Relief Program offers up to $25,000 per eligible homeowner for critical repairs to primary residences. Assistance is limited to low- and moderate-income homeowners and will remain available only until the $1 million allocation is exhausted.
The city announced the allocation Wednesday. Assistance is offered through the State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) program, with funding from the Florida Housing Finance Corporation. Homeowners can receive a 0% interest deferred-payment loan with no monthly payments. The loans are forgiven over five years under program guidelines.
Applicants must meet the program's income requirements and must have owned and occupied their home within Port St. Lucie city limits for at least one year. The home's assessed value must be $560,154 or less. Homeowners also must be current on their mortgage and property tax payments.
The money may cover emergency repairs and other work needed to make a flood-damaged home safe and habitable. Eligible expenses include tree and debris removal needed to restore habitability, payment of homeowners insurance deductibles for eligible rehabilitation work, and temporary repairs to prevent further property damage. Those repairs may include roof repairs, weatherproofing, water extraction, removal of water-damaged materials, emergency plumbing or electrical work, and temporary structural stabilization.
Other reasonable and necessary actions to protect the home from additional damage may also qualify. All work must be directly connected to the declared disaster and approved by the city before assistance is provided.
The program excludes mold or mildew inspection, testing, removal and remediation. Homeowners whose properties require mold remediation must complete that work before other approved repairs can proceed. Manufactured homes, pools, hot tubs, and illegal or unpermitted work are also excluded.
Residents can submit pre-applications through the city's housing website beginning Thursday morning. Homeowners seeking help can contact Port St. Lucie's Neighborhood Services Department at 772-344-4084, email Housing@cityofpsl.com or visit City Hall at 121 SW Port St. Lucie Blvd.