North Lauderdale Launches Home Resilience Program to Help Residents Withstand Extreme Weather

The City of North Lauderdale, Florida has rolled out a first-of-its-kind home hardening grant program aimed at helping working-class homeowners protect their properties from hurricanes and other extreme weather events. The initiative, announced in late November 2023 and opened for applications on December 4, 2023, uses more than $22 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to cover the full cost of qualifying resilience upgrades.

How the Program Works

Eligible homeowners can receive up to $30,000 per household to pay for:

• New roofs
• Impact-rated windows
• Impact-rated exterior doors

City officials estimate that at least 200 homeowners will benefit, with more possible depending on the scope of individual projects. Crucially, the program is structured so that participating residents pay nothing out of pocket. After a homeowner applies, a city evaluator inspects the property to verify the scope of work, contractors submit quotes directly to the city, and the city contracts with and pays the contractors itself. The homeowner's only obligation is to cooperate with scheduling and property access.

City Manager Michael Sargis described the program as "a first of its kind, probably not only in Broward County, but in the State of Florida," noting that the city commission and mayor pushed to direct a large share of North Lauderdale's ARPA allocation toward residents rather than solely toward municipal projects.

Who Qualifies

To be eligible, applicants must:

• Own and occupy the home as their primary residence (single-family, owner-occupied only)
• Be current on 2022 property taxes
• Have no open code violations on the property
• Carry homeowner's insurance if the property is mortgaged

How to Apply

Homeowners can apply online through the city's website at northlauderdale.org, or in person at North Lauderdale City Hall. In-person applications opened December 4, 2023 at 10 a.m.

Complementary Program: Hurricane Loss Mitigation Program (HLMP)

Separate from the ARPA-funded grant, North Lauderdale also participates in Florida's state-funded Hurricane Loss Mitigation Program (HLMP), administered through the Florida Division of Emergency Management. HLMP covers retrofits such as roof covering replacement, opening protection for windows and doors, hurricane straps, and secondary water barriers for owner-occupied single-family homes. Residents interested in HLMP can contact North Lauderdale's Grant Department at (954) 597-4743.

Why It Matters

North Lauderdale is a predominantly working-class community in Broward County, and officials said many residents cannot afford the upfront cost of hurricane-resistant upgrades even though South Florida is one of the most hurricane-exposed regions in the United States. By fronting the full cost of roofs, impact windows, and impact doors, the city is removing the most common financial barrier to hardening older housing stock and, in the process, reducing long-term insurance exposure and storm damage risk for hundreds of families.