NEW ORLEANS – Louisiana is putting $80 million behind efforts to strengthen homes and stabilize the state’s insurance market as registration opens June 1 for the next round of the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program, which will offer 3,000 grants to homeowners.
Gov. Jeff Landry signed HB 1187 by Rep. Paul Sawyer, allowing the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation to transfer $50 million in additional Katrina and Rita bond assessment funds to the program. Combined with $30 million generated through taxes and fees on insurance entities, the program will receive a total of $80 million this year.
Registration for the lottery opens at 8:00 a.m. on June 1 and will remain open for three weeks, closing at 5:00 p.m. on June 19.
Insurance Market Impact and Program Growth
The funding and program expansion come as Louisiana regulators move toward requiring insurers to provide premium discounts for homes built or upgraded to FORTIFIED standards beginning Jan. 1, 2027. State officials say the discounts are intended to reduce storm losses and improve the stability of Louisiana’s property insurance market, which has been strained by repeated hurricanes and rising reinsurance costs.
Louisiana now has roughly 11,000 to 12,000 FORTIFIED roofs statewide, including more than 4,100 installed through the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program. That growth has made Louisiana one of the fastest-growing markets in the country for fortified residential construction.
Adoption has been especially strong in Southeast Louisiana, where Jefferson, Orleans and St. Tammany parishes rank among the most active areas for FORTIFIED roof installations as homeowners look for ways to manage rising insurance costs.
"By lowering overall losses, we can reduce insurance and reinsurance costs, draw more insurers into the market, motivate existing companies to write additional policies and lower insurance premiums," said Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple. "That is exactly what the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program is designed to do."
Fortify Homes - Expanded Eligibility Across Louisiana
The list of coastal parishes eligible to participate is expanding to include Acadia, Jefferson Davis and Lafayette parishes. Additionally, homeowners in previously excluded portions of Ascension, Calcasieu, Iberia, Livingston, St. Martin, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Vermilion parishes are now eligible.
Local governments in the New Orleans region have also launched supplemental mitigation initiatives. Jefferson Parish created its Roof Enhancement Lottery Incentive Fund (R.E.L.I.F.) program to provide additional assistance for homeowners selected through the state lottery, while the City of New Orleans launched an owner-occupied fortified roof program using federal recovery funding.
"Louisiana is the fastest growing state in the country for Fortified roofs, and that growth is not by accident—it is the result of strong support from Governor Landry and legislators like Chairman Talbot, Chairman Firment and Representative Sawyer, targeted program design, and a clear recognition that strengthening homes is one of the most effective ways to reduce insurance losses," said Temple. "At the end of the day, this program is about more than just roofs. It is about protecting families, it is about strengthening communities, and it is about putting Louisiana in a stronger position—both physically and economically—to face the challenges ahead."
How to Apply to Fortify Homes
Homeowners must register during the June enrollment period to enter the lottery, including those who applied in previous rounds but were not selected. Officials said applications are weighted equally, meaning those who register later have the same chance of selection as early applicants.
Applicants will be required to upload documentation including a homestead exemption, an insurance policy declarations page with wind coverage and, if applicable, a flood insurance declarations page.
Participants must create a profile through the LFHP system before registering, though existing users may reuse prior accounts. Once registration closes, the program will randomly select 3,000 participants and begin notifying applicants by email starting June 22.
Costs, Savings and Grant Details - Fortify Homes
If selected, homeowners will be responsible for the cost of a FORTIFIED-certified evaluation as well as expenses related to roof upgrades, including permits, inspections and any construction costs exceeding the grant amount.
Industry groups and insurance agencies say homeowners with FORTIFIED roofs can see significant reductions in the wind and hail portion of their insurance premiums, with some Louisiana discounts ranging from roughly 15% to more than 50% depending on the insurer and location.
The Louisiana Fortify Homes Program provides grants of up to $10,000 for homeowners to upgrade their roofs to standards established by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, helping properties better withstand hurricane-force winds and reducing potential storm-related losses.
