Project Impact seeks a way to change the way America deals with natural disasters. Its goal is to reduce the personal and economic costs of disasters by bringing together community leaders, citizens and businesses to prepare and protect themselves. Hillsborough County, along with the other Tampa Bay region counties, was declared a Project Impact community in 1999.

Homeowners will be able to acquire low-interest Project Impact Prevention loans to make disaster-resistant improvements. Unsecured, fixed-rate loans of up to $15,000 are available for a ten-year period. The program has a quick approval process and ensures work is performed by certified contractors who are qualified to make disaster-resistant improvements.

The type of improvements that could be carried out include:

• Retrofit/strengthen roofs, doors, windows
• Reinforce/replace garage doors
• Elevate structures
• Floodproof lower openings
• Create a “safe room”
• More information about Project Impact is available from the Hillsborough County Mitigation Officer at (813) 307-4541, or visit http://www.fema.gov/impact.