Patience seemed to be the key for applicants at My Safe Florida Home (MSFH) on Monday.

“I feel like I got lucky and won the lottery, you know? Like, 'Oh, it worked out,'” said Teresa O'Neil, who waited two hours to apply for MSFH. “It got blocked at the beginning, so you just keep at it.”

O'Neil and her husband are retired and live on a fixed income in Boca Raton.

“So what do you need help with?” asked WPTV reporter Joel Lopez.

“Our roof is falling apart. It's starting to leak in some places, and even though we've patched it, it's not going to last forever in the hot Florida sun,” O'Neil said.

She said her family is low-income and a grant from MSFH would provide her with financial and safety relief, as well as peace of mind about her health from potential mold. A new roof, she said, is not in her budget.

They say their premiums have increased by $3,200 per year, to $6,500, and their mortgage payment has increased by $500 because of the coverage collapse.

“It's ruined our annual budget,” O'Neil said. “We've had to cut back, we're not going out, we're shopping at the supermarket, we're budgeting well, we're eating at home, we're cooking at home, we're doing free activities.”

She said she wanted to replace her roof with a metal roof, but that it would cost between $20,000 and $40,000.

“$10,000 towards a new roof is definitely worth two hours of my time, for sure,” O'Neil said.

As of Monday evening, there was no response as to whether her application had been accepted.

“Even if I get accepted, there are only so many people and only so many tasks, and according to the news, there are still people waiting in line,” O'Neil said.

Her neighbor Melissa Sequete said it took up to five months from the time she applied to MSFH to the time she was accepted.

“Oh yeah, I tell my friends about it all the time. If you need it, get it, it helps with windows, doors, roofs,” Sequete said. “Now we have a brand new metal roof and it's fantastic and I don't have to worry about leaks and my insurance premiums have gone down.”

She said her insurance amount had dropped by $3,000.

“So, I have two kids, one drives a car, one is just starting to drive, so I'm just switching to car insurance now instead of home insurance,” Sequete said.

Although MSFH helped her get a new roof, she said she's worried about how long she'll have that roof over her head, given the collapse in insurance benefits and rising premiums.

“You wonder what will happen if all the insurance companies continue to pull out of Florida and it gets to the point where we can no longer afford to live here,” she said.

According to the MSFH website, applying for a grant is a two-step process. You will also need to have your home inspected.

The website states that once approved, you will receive a refund check in the mail within 5-10 business days.

Scripps Content Only 2024