SHIP program opens helping Cape Coral residents cover insurance deductibles

Cape Coral residents were lining up on Monday just for the chance to apply for the SHIP program to help residents rebuild after Ian, but only if they meet a few requirements.

A new program, known as SHIP, can help people living in Cape Coral recover from Hurricane Ian’s damage.

The program is designed to help homeowners struggling to cover their insurance deductibles.

Kaitlyn Pearson, the public information officer for the city of Cape Coral, spoke with WINK News about the program.

“There’s not a single person in the City of Cape Coral that hasn’t gone through some sort of hardship due to the hurricane,” Pearson said.

To qualify for the SHIP program, you must meet specific income requirements. For example, a single person cannot make more than $45,050, while a couple can’t make more than $51,450.

“The funding is not given out based on first come, first serve basis. It’s dependent on the income level. And the other factor they also look at is whether there’s a documented Special Needs member in the household,” Pearson said.

Hernan and Silvia Perez said they need the kind of help the program offers.

They live on a fixed income and cannot cover their almost $7,000 insurance deductible.

“Both of us are retired. What we earn is only our retirement,” Hernan said. “We don’t get anything else because we live on fixed income.”

The couple recently hired an appraiser to see if they’d have to rebuild due to FEMA’s 50% rule.

Just paying that appraiser nearly wiped Hernan and Silvia out.

They explained to WINK News they don’t have much time left to make the necessary repairs.

“To get that money would be a huge help for us because we can’t fix the house without it. The insurance deductible isn’t easy, and we can’t fix it on our own, so it’d be a huge help,” Hernan said.

The zoning counter is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday and closes from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

The city told WINK News if you plan to come by on Tuesday, be sure to bring copies of your bank statements and proof of income to help expedite the process.