County commissioners in Hillsborough County recently voted to provide grants for Hillsborough County residents who were affected by sinkhole activity during the winter freeze of this past year. The grants may be worth up to $3,000 per individual homeowner. Though the sinkhole grant program is aimed at the freeze event causing sinkhole activity in Dover and Plant City, the money will be available to any county resident who had sinkhole damage in those specified months, as long as they prove the sinkhole opened during that time and provide a repair estimate from a licensed contractor.

Hillsborough County Sinkhole Grant Budget

Hillsborough County intends on budgeting $500,000 for the grants and once that money is paid out, the grants will no longer be available so homeowners are encouraged to keep close tabs on this program and apply as soon as it becomes officially available. As we all know, $3,000 is little conciliation for a homeowner who has suffered sinkhole damage.

Generally, sinkhole repairs will cost between $30,000 and $300,000 so this grant will do little to help homeowners repair the damage, but every little bit helps considering insurance benefits rarely take loss of value of the home, increased insurance premiums or time missed from work when issuing benefits.

Apply Before the Budget Runs Out

If you are a homeowner in Hillsborough County and believe you meet the criteria to qualify, it would probably behoove you to get your engineering reports confirming sinkhole activity and contractor estimates to repair the above and below ground damage together now to better ensure you can get in before the budget runs out.

If you have a situation requiring legal representation for a sinkhole damage claim, contact Morgan Barfield at Barfield Law Group, 813-251-1285.

Have a burning question you’d like to ask about sinkholes? Let us know.