Commissioner reports state home-hardening grant disruption; residents, vendors left with unpaid work

Commissioner Adams reported at the Feb. 5 meeting that a state home-hardening program—intended to fund hurricane-impact doors and windows—has experienced administrative disruption after the chief staffer in the state Chief Financial Officer’s (CFO) office left the post to run for Congress. As a result, some Hallandale Beach residents who were approved for work are now being told they must pay, and at least one local vendor, identified as John and John Affordable Windows, reports difficulty collecting because some state checks were issued in homeowners’ names.

Adams said she spoke with the city’s lobbyist (Ballard) and asked colleagues to forward constituent cases to her so she could assemble information for the lobbyist and attempt to obtain assistance through the governor’s office. Adams described residents who were approved and who had work already started but who were later told by a hotline they had been disqualified; in other cases, the vendor received checks made out to homeowners that prevent the vendor from collecting.

The commissioner urged colleagues and staff to track constituent reports so the city lobbyist can pursue the matter with state officials. No formal action was taken at this meeting; the remarks were made during commissioner communications.