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Kokua Line
June Watanabe
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Hurricane grants can aid homeowners
Question: I am trying to get information about the government rebate program for homeowners who make improvements to their homes in case of hurricanes. Who do you get in touch with?
Answer: Call the state Insurance Division at 265-3703 or 265-4211 to get information about the state's Loss Mitigation Grant Program.
Information also is available online at hurricaneretrofits. hawaii.gov, or go to the Insurance Division Web site, hawaii.gov/dcca/areas/ins, and click on "hurricane retrofits" on the right.
A total of $6 million in grants is available to homeowners who have put wind-resistant devices in their homes, said Insurance Commissioner J.P. Schmidt.
It's "first come, first served" until the money runs out, he said.
Homeowners who provide required documentation will be able to receive 35 percent of the cost of hurricane retrofits, up to a maximum $2,100 each.
The wind-resistive devices must comply with "Wind Resistive Devices Technical Specifications."
"The first year of the grant fund will go to former policyholders of the (now defunct) HHRF -- the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund," he said. "They can get a grant if they have put wind-resistant devices in their homes from 2002 to the present date."
A key requirement for applicants is that they must have "an inspector or the contractor who installed the devices certify that they meet the criteria and specifications" for a grant, Schmidt said.
So far, "a few applications" have come in, he said.
However, some applications were returned because they did not have the required certification by a certified inspector, contractor or licensed structural engineer.
Schmidt said names of people certified to inspect homes for hurricane ties can be obtained from the city.
The city's Department of Planning and Permitting has a program to certify such inspectors as part of the building permit process, noted Timothy Hiu, acting chief of the department's Building Division.
The names of certified inspectors are available online at www.honoluludpp.org.
The Building Division is in the process of setting up an automated phone line for people to leave a message to obtain the names of certified inspectors, Hiu said.
Once up, the number will be 527-6072.
The Loss Mitigation Grant Program was set up with $6 million the state Legislature took out of the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund. Interest from the fund is taken out annually and deposited into the state's general fund.
"We have been encouraging people to improve their residences by making them more wind resistant because, even beyond the grants they might obtain through this program, they should be able to get discounts from their hurricane insurers," Schmidt said.
The wind-resistive devices must be installed and paid for before applying for a grant.
Got a question or complaint? Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered. E-mail to
kokualine@starbulletin.com.
See also: Useful phone numbers