LTC 045-2025 Elevate Florida Residential Mitigation ProgramDocusign Envelope ID: 9F04576D-BC08-4CC2-9A7F-0E432F9DC599
MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
LTC#
TO:
FROM: a� Honorable Mayor Steven Meiner and
�
embers of he City Commission
Eric Carpenter, City Manager Lft<,G
DATE: January 29, 2025
SUBJECT: Elevate Florida: Residential Mitigation Program
The purpose of this Letter to Commission (L TC) is to transmit information regarding Elevate Florida, a developing statewide residential mitigation program. This new program, administered by
the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), is intended to speed up applying for and
completing mitigation projects compared to other federal programs. According to the program
webpage, Elevate Florida plans to provide funding for the following residential mitigation projects:
•Structure Elevation: Structure elevation activities generally involve physically raising anexisting structure utilizing a variety of methods. Utilities must also be properly elevated.Buildings proposed for elevation must be structurally sound and capable of being elevatedsafely.•Mitigation Reconstruction: The construction of an improved, elevated building on the
same site where an existing building and/or foundation has been partially or completely
demolished or destroyed.•Structure Acquisition: Generally, acquisition projects consist of a community purchasing
at-risk structures from voluntary sellers and either demolishing the structures or relocatingthe structures to a new site outside of the hazard-prone area. The purchased property isthen maintained, in perpetuity, for open-space purposes and to restore or conserve the
site's natural floodplain functions.
More information regarding eligibility will be announced soon. The program plans to utilize multiple funding sources to be accessible to a wide range of circumstances and homeowners. In general, an eligible participant must be over the age of 18, a U.S. citizen, the owner of the home, and a voluntary participant. Each project's budget will be assessed during the application's review period.
Each project must be found cost effective during the application review. Property owners who are
approved for a grant will be advised of their required cost share percentage and amount during the
pre-construction phase of the project. The Frequently Asked Questions (Attachment A) addresses
additional considerations for property owners.
Next Steps
Elevate Florida is in its final stages of program development and the application portal is expected to launch in the coming weeks. Developing information will be distributed though the city's
communication channels. Property owners may contact Residentia1Mitigation@em.myflorida.com to express interest and ask additional questions. This program may complement the city's Private
Property Adaptation Program, a competitive, reimbursement-based grant program to incentivize property owners to implement flood mitigation projects. For more information, please visit the Elevate Florida webpage https://www.floridadisaster.org/dem/mitigation/elevate-Florida/, or contact Amy Knowles, Chief Resilience Officer, at amyknowles@miamibeachfl.gov.
[;,H/A[;
Attachment A: Frequently Asked Questions
045-2025