Grants Directly from the Department to Homeowners

DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES
Division of Consumer Services

RULE NO: RULE TITLE
69J-7.006: Grants Directly from the Department to Homeowners

NOTICE OF CHANGE

Notice is hereby given that the following changes have been made to the proposed rule in accordance with subparagraph 120.54(3)(d)1., F.S., published in Vol. 34 No. 25, June 20, 2008 issue of the Florida Administrative Weekly.

These changes are being made to address concerns expressed by the Joint Administrative Procedures Committee.

(1) through (2) No change.

(3) Eligibility for Grants.

(a) No change.

(b) “Wind-borne debris region.”

1. Section 215.5586(2)(a)4., Florida Statutes (2007), limits grants to “Wind-borne debris region as that term is defined in Section 1609.2, International Building Code (2006).” The preceding phrase, as implemented by the Department under Section 215.5586(2)(a)4., Florida Statutes, is the geographic area determined by the Florida Building Commission to be the State of Florida’s Wind-Borne Debris Region, depicted in figure 1609 and figure R301.2(4) of the Florida Building Code (2007 Supplement). Figure 1609 and figure R301.2(4) of the Florida Building Code (2007 supplement) are hereby adopted and incorporated by reference into this rule. The Florida  Building Code, including the cited figures, is available online at the website of the Florida Building Commission, at http://www2.iccsafe.org/states/2004_florida_codes.

2. through 4. No change.

(c) through (f) No change.

(4) Application for Grant.

(a) The following information must be supplied to the Department by a grant applicant:

1. through 4. No change.

5. Whether the applicant is applying as a low income homeowner. If the applicant indicates that they are applying as a low income homeowner, additional information is required, as specified by paragraph 69J-7.005(1)(a), F.A.C.

6. through 8. No change.

(b) Documentary materials required to be submitted by applicant for a grant.

1. through 4. No change.

(5) Processing of Grant Applications.

(a) Grant applications that are determined by the Department to be incomplete or irregular shall be held in abeyance by the Department until supplemented with information necessary to make the application complete. Incomplete applications will no longer be considered after grant funds have been expended. Notice will be provided to the applicant as set forth in this rule. A grant application is incomplete if it lacks any information required by the application, or if the Department has not received all documentation regarding homestead exemption and insured value, as required by this rule. A grant application is considered by the Department to be irregular if it contains information that is internally inconsistent or which is inconsistent with other information known or received by the Department, is apparently duplicative of another application on the same residence or by the same homeowner, contains nonsensical or illogical information, or if the Department has reason to believe that the application may be fraudulent.

(b) No change.

(6) Award of Grants.

(a) A grant is awarded when the Department prepares and sends the grant applicant a form DFS-I4-1806 (Matching Grant Award Packet). No grant is considered awarded until the Department actually places form DFS-14-1806 in the U.S. mail to the applicant, which is incorporated by reference into paragraph 69J-7.005(1)(b), F.A.C.

(b) through (c) No change.

(7) through (11) No change.

(12) After approval and the work is completed, an applicant must complete, sign, and return the reimbursement forms sent along with the grant approval letter. The reimbursement forms include a homeowner reimbursement form and a contractor verification form. The required forms are incorporated in subsection 69J-7.005(1), F.A.C., as parts of the grant award packets, forms DFS-I4-1806 and DFS-I4-1807.

(a) through (c) No change.

(13) A Homeowner will only be reimbursed one time for any or all improvements authorized by Section 215.5586(2), Florida Statutes, up to $5,000.

(14) through (17) No change.

The remainder of the rule reads as previously published.