• HOME
  • BEST OF PARTY PHOTOS
  • FEATURES
    • Best Of Cover Shoot
    • Pet Owner’s Stories
    • People
    • Places
    • Issues
    • Remembering
    • Things
    • To Do
  • DEPARTMENTS
    • Finance / Real Estate
      • Financial Articles
      • Real Estate
        • Real Estate Experts
        • Top 10 Most Expensive Homes Sold
        • Articles
    • Around Town
    • Business
      • Belle Hall Shopping Center
      • Lowcountry Women in Business
      • MP Business
    • Dwellings
    • Entertainment
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Food & Drink
    • Giving Back
    • Health & Wellness
    • Love & Marriage
    • Pets
    • Relax & Retire
    • Sports & Fitness
  • Read Magazine
  • MORE MAGS
    • Charleston Women 👩‍🏫🏢
    • Lowcountry Cuisine 🧀🍷
    • Best of Mt Pleasant Mag 🏆🏆
    • MP Business Mag 🏢
    • MP Pets 🐶🐱
    • Charleston Independent School Directory 🏫
    • MP Senior Living 👴👵
    • More Mags
      • IOP Mag
      • SI Mag
      • MP Town Hall Magazine
  • DIRECTORIES
    • Attorney Directory
    • 2025 Charleston Wedding Venues
    • Pool Builders/Services Directory
    • Financial Planners
    • Mount Pleasant Area Hotel Directory
    • East Cooper Worship Guide
    • East Cooper Fitness Directory
    • Senior Living Directory
    • 2023 Local CPA Tax Directory
    • Mount Pleasant Apartment Directory
  • SUBSCRIBE

Mount Pleasant Magazine

Mount Pleasant Magazine is the premier lifestyle magazine for Mount Pleasant, SC. Read about local news, events, businesses, people, and more. Subscribe today or read our digital magazine online.

  • Best of Mount Pleasant
    • 2025 Best of Mount Pleasant Including Previous Years
    • Best of Mount Pleasant Winner Articles
    • Best Of Party Photos
  • Podcasts
    • Mount Pleasant Podcast
    • Carolina Real Estate Podcast
    • Georgetown the Podcast
    • Coastal Home Podcast Video Tour
    • Best of Mount Pleasant Podcast
    • Hammock Coast Podcast
    • More Podcasts
      • Charleston Women Podcast
      • Isle of Palms Podcast
      • Charleston Pet Podcast
      • Charleston Wedding Podcast
  • Top Ten Homes Sold
  • Advertise
    • Advertise With Us
    • Media Kit
    • Video Testimonials
  • About Our Team
  • MORE
    • Real Estate Experts
    • MP Town Hall
    • Attorney Directory
    • News
    • MP Neighborhoods
    • East Cooper Online Network
    • Contact

The Safe Home Program: Helping Homeowners Weather the Storm

Posted by MPM Leave a Comment

Coastal SC Home
Being able to live near the South Carolina coast is a dream come true for many homeowners. It’s a chance to enjoy the beach and a chance to connect with the outdoors while soaking in stunning sunsets and beautiful views. But it can come at a cost. And as many of us know, residing near the coast means sitting on the edge of our seats during the long hurricane season, waiting to see if our city will be the next one hit by a big storm.

That’s why being proactive and making sure that your home is hurricane-ready and in good condition before a storm hits is so important. South Carolina’s Department of Insurance has made it easier for folks to prepare for the worst.

The department’s Safe Home Program offers a grant that provides homeowners in coastal communities with the money they need to make their property more resilient to hurricanes and high winds. The funds are to be used to retrofit single-family homes so that the damage from an impending storm is less intense.

This grant will in turn result in fewer insurance claims and will ultimately lower insurance premiums for all South Carolina residents. It’s a win-win for the Department of Insurance and people who live in the Palmetto State.

Ray Farmer, the director of the Department of Insurance for South Carolina, said that in 2016, $1 billion was paid out to homeowners for damages to homes due to Hurricane Matthew.

“It was less with Hurricane Irma, but there was still some damage to homes along the coast during that storm, too,” he said.

Farmer pointed out that the program was first introduced in the state Legislature in 2007 and officially began later that same year.

“Since 2007, 5,200 grants have been awarded, equaling $22.7 million in funds to strengthen coastal community homes in South Carolina,” he said.

The money to fund the grant comes from a 1-percent levy on insurance premiums.

“We have about $2.4 million per year to award to homeowners to help them strengthen their homes for impending storms,” he said.

Farmer explained that the program will change a little in 2018.

“We used to award the money based primarily on home value and insured value, but, with the recent legislative changes now in place, awards will be based on the income of the applicant,” he said.

He said the changes, which went into effect on Dec. 1, 2017, will allow the program to help more families.

“We will have $2.4 million to award before 2018 is over,” Farmer said.

The program provides grants of no more than $5,000 for a retrofit project. Luckily, in many cases, the grant funds will cover the majority of the cost for a new roof. Any remaining funds needed to complete a project are the responsibility of the homeowner.

“The funding will vary based on the size of the roof and what kind of shingles are used,” he said.

Farmer said the program provides funds for other methods of protecting homes as well.

“If a homeowner needs to protect their windows, doors and garage doors in anticipation of storm season, we encourage them to apply,” he added.

For example, the grant can help cover the cost of storm shutters or to reinforce windows, doors and garage doors. Farmer said that it is important to make sure homeowners apply and complete the retrofits because, “once the envelope of a home is compromised from a bad storm it will need to be strengthened, no matter how safe the home was when the homeowner first bought it.”

Only homeowners in the following coastal counties are eligible to apply for a Safe Home grant: Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dillon, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Marion, Marlboro and Williamsburg.

Participating South Carolina Safe Home contractors and inspectors, licensed through the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, are listed on the Department of Insurance website. They will provide the estimates that must be submitted along with the completed grant application. More than one estimate is recommended.

Farmer said that once the money is awarded, homeowners have up to three months for the work to be completed, but “the time frame also depends on the contractor and their schedule.”

Homeowners can apply for the Safe Home grant online at www.doi.sc.gov.

“This program is an incentive to homeowners along the coast to get their homes hurricane-ready,” Farmer said. “It’s a great opportunity to take advantage of.”

Hurricanes by the Numbers

By Theresa Stratford

Sharing is Caring

Possibly Related:

A beautiful meal setup with scenic greenery by the table, which is set with dishes, fine tableware, candles and a floral centerpiece - by Curated Events.Fall into Fabulous: How to Style Autumn Events A home after Hurricane Hugo.Night of Wind and Water: Hurricane Hugo 35 Years Later Photo of teacher Mrs. Johnnie Williams of Carolina Park Elementary School with a broadly smiling MasonJumping Into Action: Teacher Saves Student from Choking

Filed Under: Real Estate Tagged With: Hurricanes

Advertisement

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search The Site

We're on Facebook We're on X (formerly Twitter) Mount Pleasant Magazine Youtube Channel We're on Pinterest Mount Pleasant Magazine Facebook Community We're on Instagram
Ad: South Carolina Federal Credit Union, enjoy life banking on the best.
Ad: Visit Woof Gang today!
Mount Pleasant Magazine Sep/Oct 2023 magazine coverREAD DIGITALLY
Read the digital magazine
now.
GRAB A COPY
Where can I pick up a copy of Mount Pleasant Magazine?
SUBSCRIBE
Get Mount Pleasant Magazine Delivered.
Ad: Premier Health and Wellness in Mount Pleasant, SC. Let’s Redesign Your Health & Wellness.
Read about the History of the Bridge Run
Visit Palmetto Christian Academy.org
Ad: 1st Choice AC, Heating, Plumbing and Gas, for the best AC Service for your home in Mount Pleasant, SC.
Pleasant Family Dentistry in Mount Pleasant, SC. Experience the BEST, and find out why we've been awarded 7 times in the BEST of MOUNT PLEASANT!
Ad: Visit Front Beach IOP and SHOP, DINE and DRINK in the SUNSHINE.
Ad: Get Carried Away - Real Food, Real Southern, Really Good!
Click for Stores & Services
on Coleman Boulevard
Coleman Blvd Merchant Alliance
Best of Mount Pleasant logo is a registered trademark
Ad: Every Day is a Good Dog Day at Michael's Barkery

Most Recent Posts

The Rotary’s Biggest Splash: 2025 Charleston Duck Race in the Wando!

The Charleston Duck Race is back on the Wando River! Tune in as Evan Murray, the 'Head Duck' Fundraising Chair, joins host Brian Cleary to reveal all the details about this highly anticipated … Continue Reading

Paved with Passion: Morales Pavers

Morales Pavers started with a simple mission: to transform outdoor spaces and convert them into something people could truly enjoy. But what makes this family-owned business stand out isn’t just the … Continue Reading

Style That Speaks: Megan Molten Design + Shop

Megan Molten, founder and chief creative officer of Megan Molten Design + Shop, has always had a passion for interior design. When Molten purchased her first home, she started sharing the “modern … Continue Reading

Front Street Georgetown

Opening Batch: Georgetown Crafts First Brewery

A craft beer fan and teacher from Cincinnati, Chase Runyan started brewing in his house by tinkering with kits and learning how to bottle the beer after fermentation. After making five or six batches … Continue Reading

Revolutionized: Georgetown’s Downtown Makeover

When the port city of Georgetown was laid out in 1729, merchant-oriented businesses and homes lined the land side of Front Street, originally called Bay Street, overlooking the sparkling Sampit River, … Continue Reading

Gold Standard: Georgetown’s Own Crowned Olympic Champion

When 23-year-old Nike athlete and Georgetown native Melissa Jefferson arrived at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in June, she was determined to secure her … Continue Reading

More Front Street Georgetown

SEARCH

Get Our Free Newsletter!
Mount Pleasant Apartments
Pleasant Family Dentistry
Water's Edge Dentistry
34 Waterway Island Drive

Copyright © 2025 · Mount Pleasant Magazine, All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy

▲