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Agenda for the RCMP Advisory Council Meeting scheduled to begin at 9:30 am on Monday, February 21st in the Randall Kelly Training Center room 305 located at 2555 Shumard Oak Boulevard Tallahassee Florida 32399
Download the RCMP Notice of Funding Availabilty 2004-2006 (revised 12/17/04)
Download The Fiscal Year 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 Residential Construction Mitigation Program application package: PDF , MS Word (revised 12/17/04)
Access the Mitigation Incentives Database, the newest addition to our web site.
Reports:
Final Report (Version 2.2): Development of Loss Relativities for Wind-Resistive Features of Residential Structures
Final Report (Version 1.3): Development of Loss Relativities for Wind-Resistive Features of Residential Structures with 5 or More Units
Final Report: Loss Relativities for Wood Panel Shutters
Checklists:
Wind Resistance Checklist (pdf file)
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Resource Identification Strategy www.flris.org
Responding to an emergency and need to know potential sources for mitigation funds? The only database of its kind, the Resource Identification Strategy catalogs over 20,000 entries of funded projects and programs in easy to use searchable databases. |
Residential Construction Mitigation Program Description: Section 215.559, Florida Statutes, created the Hurricane Loss Mitigation Program which funds the Residential Construction Mitigation Program. Annually, the Legislature appropriates $7 million from the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund (see Section 215.555, Florida Statutes) to the Department of Community Affairs for the Residential Construction Mitigation Program. The program is developed in coordination with an advisory council consisting of representatives designated from the Department of Insurance, Florida Home Builders Association, Florida Insurance Council, Federation of Manufactured Home Owners, Florida Association of Counties, and Florida Manufactured Housing Association.
The following minutes are available for review:
To find out more about the Residential Construction Mitigation Program, please read this brief description. Also, read the Hurricane Loss Mitigation Program 2000/2001, 2001/2002, 2002/2003, 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 Annual Reports to the Legislature.
Residential Construction Mitigation Program Amended Budget 2003
Residential Construction Mitigation Program Advisory Council Roster
TYPE OF ASSISTANCE: Funds are used for programs to improve wind resistance of residences and mobile homes, including loans, subsidies, grants demonstration projects, and direct assistance; cooperative programs with local governments and the Federal Government; and other efforts to prevent or reduce losses or reduce the cost of rebuilding after a disaster. Listed below are the projects funded during the 1999 - 2002 state fiscal years.
Residential Construction Mitigation Program Components:
Florida International University Hurricane Research Program
Of moneys provided to the Department, ten percent is allocated to Florida International University to conduct research on the following issues: (1) elimination of state and local barriers to upgrading existing mobile homes and communities; (2) recycling of existing older mobile homes; and, (3) hurricane loss reduction devices and techniques for site-built residences. Read about current and prior year research activities. Also, read more about Florida International University Hurricane Research Program - Homeowners Incentive Team First Year Report.
Mobile Home Tie-Down Program
Forty-percent of the $7 million total ($2.8 million) appropriated by the Legislature shall be used to inspect and improve tie-downs for mobile homes. Section 215.559, Florida Statutes, authorizes the Department to contract with Tallahassee Community College to administer the mobile home tie-down program. Tallahassee Community College, while working with the advisory council, will develop a list of mobile home parks and counties that may be eligible to participate in the tie-down program.
The Mobile Home inspection Tie-Down Program is a pilot project designed to demonstrate, test and raise awareness of new techniques to enhance manufactured home wind resistance. The goal is to reduce property damage from high wind events. A tie-down system is designed to secure the manufactured homes to the ground. Traditional tie-down systems use the longitudinal ground anchors and straps which sometimes corrode and disintegrate. The new tie-down system include lateral foundation systems with longitudinal stabilizer devices or ground stabilizer plates wherever possible. Tie-down retrofit services provided through this program must comply with the Rules of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, Division of Motor Vehicles, Chapter 15C-1, General.
Development of Loss Relativities for Wind-Resistive Features of Residential Structures
Section 627.0629, Florida Statutes, requires insurance carriers in Florida to submit a rate filing, by December 31, 2002, to include actuarially reasonable discounts/credits for wind resistive construction techniques. Read the Read or request the Final Report (Version 2.2) addressing single family units, the Final Report (Version 1.3) addressing residential structures of five or more units, or the supplemental report addressing wood panel shutters from the Department of Community Affairs and the Department of Insurance.
Low to Moderate Income Retrofit Project
Grant funds are provided to local governments to retrofit homes using recommended mitigation techniques. The Low to Moderate Income Project leverages local housing rehabilitation dollars (SHIP, HOME, CDBG) by funding simultaneous mitigation retrofits on homes undergoing general rehabilitation. Low to Moderate Income funds support homeowners, who might not otherwise be able to benefit from insurance discounts for certain mitigation features. The project hopes to minimize insured loss exposure, promote the use of sound residential retrofitting, educate the homeowner to practical and affordable ways to strengthen homes, naples, fort myers, marco island home inspection, home inspector and increase public awareness. Detailed retrofit techniques can be found in the publication, Blueprint For Safety. The publication highlights roof, wall and floor and foundation systems. Florida Windstorm Underwriting Association policyholders currently receive premium discounts up to fifty-percent for certain lost-prevention improvements to their homes.
Florida Coastal Monitoring Program
The goal of the Florida Coastal Monitoring Program is to gather valuable research into the damage caused to Florida homes by hurricanes or other high wind events. The program offers the unique opportunity to document and assess damage that occurs to structures along Florida’s coast from hurricanes or other high wind events and the effectiveness of recommended retrofitting techniques. A list of the retrofitted homes to be monitored is available for review. This project will have a very significant impact on the current science and our knowledge of the behavior of wind. This real world project will make it possible to prevent future destruction from ever taking place through the application of proven mitigation techniques.
Homes in high risks areas of Florida’s coastline have been retrofitted using recommended mitigation techniques for wind resistance. To properly assess the benefits of retrofitting, monitoring equipment will be installed on the participating residences. The monitoring system includes pressure sensors, an uninterruptible power supply and video camera to capture how the home reacts to hurricane force winds and tracks any destruction that may occur. The resulting data will be compared to other homes in the same area that have not been retrofitted. All homes should be inspected by a home inspector that is a member of ASHI, or other qualified home inspector in Naples, Fort Myers, Marco Island, Cape Coral Florida.
Disaster Contractor Network
The Florida Home Builders Association in conjunction with the Florida Public Affairs Center and partner organizations contracted with the Department to develop a statewide Disaster Contractor Network. The Disaster Contractor Network will train local associations of major contractor organizations in Florida in disaster management; specifically, to coordinate with local emergency management officials to facilitate their members involvement in meeting the needs of victims impacted by disasters. The local associations include the Florida Home Builders Association, Associated Builders and Contractors, Association of General Contractors and Roofing, Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors.
The Disaster Contractor Network will provide a training program for executive officers of contractor organizations in a train the trainer format aimed at understanding the emergency management process and developing post-disaster strategies. The executive officers will train their membership in emergency management skills and techniques designed to ensure products and services meet customers needs more efficiently and effectively following a disaster. The key to recovering quickly from disasters is to have contractors that are educated about the programs, standards and incentives that are in place to encourage disaster resistant construction. A more informed contractor network coupled with homeowner awareness will hopefully create an environment that results in disaster resistant communities.
Florida Building Code Cost and Loss Reduction Benefit Comparison Study
(The Code Demo Report)
Under Section 110 of Chapter 2000-141, Laws of Florida, the Department of Community Affairs was directed to undertake a demonstration and education project to illustrate the true cost impact on residential single-family house building associated with the implementation of the Florida Building Inspection Code.
Ten categories of new requirements of the Florida Building Code were identified that would likely affect construction costs: wind loads, termites, concrete slabs, gable end-walls, screen enclosures, swimming pool, energy code, mechanical code, plumbing code, and general requirements that are not building specific. Considerations within the wind loads category are: wind speed, exposure classification, enclosure classification, walls, windows, sliding glass doors, wind borne debris protection, entrance and garage doors, roof covering, and roof structure. Cost impact estimates were made for each of the ten categories. Visit www.floridabuilding.org to download a free copy of the report in PDF format, or to purchase a copy which you will receive through the postal service.
Building Code Information System, www.floridabuilding.org/ The Department’s Building Inspector Code Information System web site provides access to public and secured electronic information associated with the Florida Building Code. The Building Code Information System provides information on the new statewide building code, building code core training, program updates, information on construction professional’s licensed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the Florida Board of Professional Engineers, and the building code mailing list.
Building A Safer Florida, Inc, www.buildingasaferflorida.com The Department has formed a partnership with Building A Safer Florida, Inc. (BASF) to promote compliance with the new Florida Building Code. BASF serves as a clearinghouse for Florida's trade and professional associations for architects, engineers, contractors, and building officials to provide accurate, uniform, and accessible information for all licensees who need to complete the course required for the new Florida's Unified Building Code. The new building code took effect on March 1, 2002. The Florida Law requires that licensees complete a four hour training course on the Unified Building Code by May 30, 2003. All Inspections should be done by qualified inspectors in the Naples, Fort Myers, Marco Island, Cape Coral, Lehigh Acres, Everglades City area. For further information licensees can contact the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). For the site for licensee search please go to www.myfloridalicense.com (this, also, is a division of the DBPR).
Citizens Property Insurance Corporation www.citizensfla.com The Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is now using a new method to determine premium rates. The goal is to make insured homes safer and to save the policy holder money. This discount program — the Citizens Property Insurance Corporation Wind Classification Plan — now provides some of the most substantial discounts in the marketplace to customers who make certain disaster-prevention improvements to their homes. If you make certain improvements that will strengthen your home against the destructive power of hurricane force winds, you could save as much as 50 percent on your Citizens Property Insurance Corporation policy premium. In fact, these home improvements may already exist on your home! View a summary of the Citizens Property Insurance Corporation insurance premium savings incurred by historical participants in the Department of Community Affairs' Residential Construction Mitigation Program.
Disaster Contractor Network, www.dcnonline.org See Residential Construction Mitigation Program Component write-up above.
Federal Alliance for Safe Homes - FLASH, Inc., www.flash.org The Department has formed a partnership with the non-profit FLASH to provide an on-going public outreach campaign. The FLASH mission is to help Floridians reduce the number of deaths, injuries, suffering, property damage and economic losses caused by hurricanes, lightning, tornadoes or wildfires. FLASH encourages Floridians to build, buy and use buildings that are safer from disaster; know the risks that natural hazards present and to understand ways of reducing these risks. The FLASH web site provides information on various programs and resources available to help communities become more disaster resistant, which includes the Blueprint for Safety project. The "Interactive Tools" component of Blueprint for Safety provides handy tools that offer life-saving information regarding wildfire risk and windstorm protective devices. A 24/7 toll-free consumer hotline (1-877-221-SAFE) has been established for public use, both in English and Spanish.
Federation of Manufactured Homeowners of Florida, Inc., www.fmo.org The Federation of Manufactured Homeowners, a non-profit consumer advocacy organization, was founded to promote the general welfare and protect the rights and interests of manufactured/mobile home owners.
Florida Interfaith Networking in Disasters, Inc., www.floridadisasters.org The Department has formed a partnership with the Florida Interfaith Networking in Disasters, Inc. (FIND). FIND is a coalition of faith-based organizations, partnered with allied agencies, to promote networking to prepare Florida’s communities for the effects of disaster and recovery. FIND works with major faith-based recovery/rebuild organizational leadership to address mitigation needs and resources throughout the State of Florida home inspection home inspector to encourage and facilitate the development of Community Interfaith/Interagency Networks (CIINs). The CIINs prepare to respond when disaster strikes. They pro-actively work with government and other local mitigation strategy participants to identify mitigation opportunities and then make mitigation happen.
Department of Community Affairs
Division of Emergency Management
Residential Construction Mitigation Program
2555 Shumard Oak Boulevard
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2100
Charles McCool
charles.mccool@dca.state.fl.us
Voice: (850) 488-3141
Fax: (850) 413-9857
http://www.ableinspector.com
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