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Magistrate gives homeowner with hurricane damage 120 days after city opens grant path
Summary
A Deltona special magistrate found Carmen A. Hernandez's property at 570 E. Normandy Blvd. in violation of property-maintenance codes but granted 120 days for repairs while the owner completes an owner-occupied repair grant application; the city recorded payment of overdue taxes and staff are assisting the application process.
A special magistrate on June 25 found the property at 570 East Normandy Boulevard in violation of Deltona's property maintenance code for exterior damage to soffit, trim and walls caused by 2024 hurricane-related tree impact, and ordered repairs to be completed by Oct. 23, 2025. The magistrate set a $25-per-day fine to begin after that date if repairs are not completed.
Why this matters: The property-owner family has applied to a city-run owner-occupied repair grant program to help pay hurricane-related repairs. Code staff and the community development department told the magistrate that the homeowner has paid overdue property taxes (clearing a barrier to grant eligibility) and is working to complete the multi-step application; the magistrate extended the compliance timeline to allow the process to move forward.
Code compliance officer Jo Samar Jimenez told the magistrate she first observed a blue tarp and exterior wall damage on Feb. 27, 2025, and gave a 60-day period for the homeowner to pursue insurance or FEMA remediation. The owner's son, Louis Hernandez, later told Jimenez the family had a FEMA check that proved insufficient for complete repairs; staff subsequently referred the family to the city's owner-occupied repair grant process.
Community development staff told the magistrate they emailed the family an application and that initial denial occurred because property taxes were unpaid and the application was incomplete. Jimenez reported the city had documentation that property taxes of $781 were paid on June 23, 2025, and staff were working with the homeowner to complete required documentation. The program is a grant intended to assist eligible elderly or low-income homeowners with hurricane-related repairs; the program requires proof of paid taxes and a complete application and assessment form before funds are approved.
The magistrate said the visible violations included damaged soffit, fascia, trim and eaves and that while the roof's condition was unclear from photos, the exposed wood and trim presented a maintenance violation. After hearing staff's description of the grant process and the city's confirmation of tax payment and ongoing assistance, the magistrate found the property in violation but extended the compliance deadline to Oct. 23, 2025 (120 days) to allow the homeowner to complete the application and repairs.
The order requires the respondent to contact the code inspector to verify compliance; if repairs are not completed by the deadline, fines will accrue at $25 per day. The magistrate noted concern about the upcoming hurricane season and urged the owner to expedite repairs where possible.
Speakers at the hearing included Jimenez and the homeowner's son, Luis (who spoke on behalf of his mother), and code and community-development managers who described program steps and tax-status requirements. The city admitted the case file and photographic exhibits.
Ending note: The extended timeline reflects the magistrate's effort to balance code enforcement with programmatic assistance for hurricane-impacted homeowners; the family must complete the city grant application and obtain permits as required so that repairs can be scheduled and verified.
