S. C. Insurance Department Announces 4th Round of Safe Home Grants
Scott H. Richardson, director of the South Carolina Department of Insurance and chairman of the advisory committee for the South Carolina Building Codes Council, announced the fourth round of awards for the S.C. Safe Home Grant Program.
The advisory committee awarded 81 grants totaling approximately $405,000 to homeowners in coastal communities, according to Richardson.
Grants for up to $5,000 each were awarded to qualifying applicants to help them strengthen their homes against the high winds associated with hurricanes and other natural disasters. During this round, grants were awarded to homeowners living in Beaufort, Jasper, Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester, Georgetown, and Horry Counties.
The SC Safe Home Grant Program was established last June as a part of the Omnibus Coastal Property Insurance Reform Act of 2007.
The program, administered by the South Carolina Department of Insurance, provides opportunities for families to increase the safety of their homes against the high winds associated with hurricanes and severe storms.
Homeowners can apply to the program for funds to make specific mitigation improvements as recommended by a S.C. Safe Home Certified Wind Inspector following an in-depth inspection and assessment of the structure. During the pilot phase, the S.C. Safe Home Grant Program is focusing on those areas that are most vulnerable to the effects of hurricane damaging winds.
Source: South Carolina Department of Insurance