SC Safe Home Grant 2026 for Myrtle Beach and Horry County Homeowners

No. On September 24, 2026, the state's application portal said: "The South Carolina Safe Home program is not accepting new applications." The portal opened three times in 2026: February 10, April 8 and July 13. The state has not announced the next opening. You can sign up for the state's funding alert on the portal.

No date has been announced. In 2026 the South Carolina Department of Insurance put out its press release one to six days before each opening: February 4 for February 10, April 7 for April 8, and July 8 for July 13. That leaves little time to gather documents after the news, so have them ready now.

Up to $7,500 for a Resilient project (SC Safe Home and IBHS FORTIFIED ROOF retrofits), up to $5,000 for a Sustainable project (SC Safe Home roof retrofits, window and door retrofits) and up to $3,000 for storm shutters. On the matching track the first two are up to $6,000 and $4,000. Your household income and the project cost set the award. If the project costs more than the grant, you pay the rest.

Yes. Horry and Georgetown are two of the 11 eligible counties. The others are Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Florence, Jasper, Marion and Williamsburg. In 2025 Horry County homes received 294 of the 673 grants awarded statewide, more than any other county.

No. The home must be your owner-occupied primary residence and a single-family home. Renters, duplexes, apartments, townhomes and multifamily buildings do not qualify. Site-built, manufactured and modular homes can qualify.

No. State law bars the program from paying for retrofits already done. You need the inspection and grant approval before any work starts.

No. The state tells homeowners not to schedule or pay for a wind inspection before applying. After your application is approved, you choose an inspector from the state's participating list. You pay a capped fee: up to $150 for homes up to 1,500 square feet, up to $200 for 1,501 to 2,000 square feet, and up to $250 above 2,000.

Your most recent IRS Form 1040 or other income tax return, your homeowner's insurance declaration pages and your county property tax assessment. The state's FAQ also says a retrofit estimate must be submitted with the application, and it encourages getting more than one from the participating list.

The approved improvements must be completed within three months of the date on your Grant Award Notification letter. Ask any contractor you consider how they would schedule the job inside that window.

Yes. Weather Shield LLC has been on the state's Participating Inspectors & Contractors List since March 28, 2025. Its approved retrofit type is Sustainable, the tier that covers SC Safe Home roof retrofits. You can check the listing on the state's website. The list shows each contractor's approved retrofit types, so for a Resilient (FORTIFIED ROOF) project, choose a contractor listed for Resilient work.

South Carolina has an income tax credit for hurricane-resistant retrofits of $1,000 or 25% of the cost, whichever is less. A bill, H.4817, would raise the $1,000 cap to $2,000. It passed the House, and a Senate committee reported it favorably, but it has not become law. Ask your tax preparer how the credit applies to your return.

SC Safe Home staff at the South Carolina Department of Insurance: (803) 737-6087 or scsafehome@doi.sc.gov. You can also check your application status by logging in to the SC Safe Home portal.