An 85-year-old West Palm Beach homeowner says she lost her spot in the My Safe Florida Home program while she was recovering from a broken hip. Barbara Madewell said program staff told her the process was over because she had not responded to their emails.
Madewell said she had just completed her second home inspection after replacing her windows and roof when she fell in early September. She spent more than several weeks in two hospitals for surgery, followed by physical therapy. When she got home and tried to resume the process, she said, she texted and called the program and was told it was finished.
She had been counting on a $10,000 grant to help cover more than $60,000 in work. “It’s very frustrating to me, very frustrating,” she said. “I’m all by myself. I have no income other than my husband’s pension and Social Security.”
The state program has helped thousands of homeowners pay for storm-strengthening repairs that can lower insurance costs. Lawmakers changed it in the last two years to give priority to low-income and senior homeowners. The program can take months to complete and is known for strict deadlines, which require homeowners to watch their email and text messages closely.
The station said it has reached out to the state Department of Financial Services about Madewell’s case. The source story does not say whether the department has responded.
