{"id":645,"date":"2025-09-05T21:19:43","date_gmt":"2025-09-05T21:19:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cohencommercial.com\/wordpress\/?p=645"},"modified":"2025-09-05T21:19:43","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T21:19:43","slug":"preparing-commercial-properties-for-floridas-hurricane-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cohencommercial.com\/wordpress\/?p=645","title":{"rendered":"Preparing Commercial Properties for Florida\u2019s Hurricane Season"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Florida\u2019s hurricane season\u2014June 1 to November 30, 2025\u2014is underway. This period poses significant challenges for commercial real estate managers across the state. Drawing from guidance by Advanced Collection Bureau and Florida Realtors\u00ae, here\u2019s a streamlined playbook for protecting your investments and ensuring business continuity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a><strong>1. Conduct a Targeted Risk Assessment<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Start with a comprehensive risk audit of your commercial assets:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Evaluate structural vulnerabilities<\/strong>\u2014inspect roofs, fa\u00e7ades, doors, windows, drainage systems, and any exterior attachments.<br><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Upgrade proactively<\/strong>\u2014consider hurricane-rated windows, reinforced loading docks, and wind-resilient roofing materials, especially for properties in high-risk coastal zones.<br><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Minimize debris risk<\/strong>\u2014trim trees, secure signage and exterior fixtures, and eliminate potential projectiles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a><strong>2. Optimize Insurance &amp; Mitigation Coverage<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For commercial properties, the potential financial exposure can be substantial:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Review insurance carefully<\/strong>\u2014ensure policies cover both wind and flood damage; typical commercial insurance may leave gaps.<br><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Explore mitigation programs<\/strong>\u2014resources like <em>My Safe Florida Home<\/em> may offer inspections or retrofitting incentives that reduce long-term repair costs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a><strong>3. Establish Clear Communication Protocols<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Pre-season planning<\/strong>\u2014create and share emergency preparedness guides with commercial tenants, including evacuation instructions, emergency contacts, and steps to take pre-storm.<br><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Multi-channel alerts<\/strong>\u2014utilize email, property management platforms, SMS, or signage systems to disseminate real-time updates before, during, and after storms.<br><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tenant support<\/strong>\u2014encourage tenant confirmation of business insurance, especially regarding flood coverage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a><strong>4. Stock and Deploy Emergency Supplies<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Have essential preparedness tools in place, adjustable for commercial use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Common-area readiness<\/strong>\u2014ensure shared spaces have accessible items like sandbags, tarps, flashlights, battery packs, and first-aid kits.<br><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Backup power strategies<\/strong>\u2014generators are often invaluable for preserving critical systems and minimizing business disruption.<br><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Service agreements<\/strong>\u2014secure contracts with trusted roofers, electricians, water damage specialists, and general contractors ahead of time for rapid response.<br><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Tax incentives<\/strong>\u2014take advantage of Florida\u2019s disaster sales tax holiday (June 1\u201314), when hurricane essentials like generators, tarps, and flashlights may be tax-exempt.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a><strong>5. Coordinate Post-Storm Recovery Efforts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Swift, well-documented action after a storm can protect assets and livelihoods:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Document thoroughly<\/strong>\u2014capture photos and video of all damage for insurance claims and internal review.<br><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Communicate transparently<\/strong>\u2014inform tenants about inspection outcomes, repair timelines, and any necessary temporary access restrictions.<br><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Restore services efficiently<\/strong>\u2014prioritize restoring crucial building systems: power, HVAC, elevators, and security. Fast action helps tenants resume operations quickly.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a><\/a><strong>6. Strengthen Resilience and Business Continuity<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Emergency plans for special needs<\/strong>\u2014coordinate with local authorities for tenants needing assistance, and ensure plans include visitors or staff with mobility or medical needs.<br><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Avoid hazard zones<\/strong>\u2014if your portfolio includes EV charging stations or electric vehicle access, ensure they are placed outside of saltwater flood zones to reduce risk of damage or battery hazards.<br><br><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Encourage tenant readiness<\/strong>\u2014encourage commercial tenants to have their own emergency kits, evacuation strategies, and document protection plans (for inventory, equipment, and leases).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Sources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.advancedcb.com\/post\/how-property-managers-can-prepare-for-hurricane-season-in-florida\">https:\/\/www.advancedcb.com\/post\/how-property-managers-can-prepare-for-hurricane-season-in-florida<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.floridarealtors.org\/newsroom\/Florida-Realtors-Prepare-for-Hurricane-Season\">https:\/\/www.floridarealtors.org\/newsroom\/Florida-Realtors-Prepare-for-Hurricane-Season<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Florida\u2019s hurricane season\u2014June 1 to November 30, 2025\u2014is underway. This period poses significant challenges for commercial real estate managers across the state. Drawing from guidance by Advanced Collection Bureau and Florida Realtors\u00ae, here\u2019s a streamlined playbook for protecting your investments and ensuring business continuity. 1. Conduct a Targeted Risk Assessment Start with a comprehensive risk &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/cohencommercial.com\/wordpress\/?p=645\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Preparing Commercial Properties for Florida\u2019s Hurricane Season&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":646,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[28,9,27,36],"class_list":["post-645","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-commercial-real-estate","tag-hurricane","tag-south-florida","tag-south-florida-economy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cohencommercial.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/645","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cohencommercial.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cohencommercial.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cohencommercial.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cohencommercial.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=645"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cohencommercial.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/645\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":647,"href":"https:\/\/cohencommercial.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/645\/revisions\/647"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cohencommercial.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/646"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cohencommercial.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cohencommercial.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cohencommercial.com\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}