NEW ORLEANS – As the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches, Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple will join national resilience leaders in New Orleans to spotlight a growing movement aimed at reducing storm damage and stabilizing the state’s insurance market.
On Aug. 8, Temple will meet with Roy Wright, former FEMA official and current CEO of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), for a site visit to FORTIFIED re-roofing projects in New Orleans.
“My office is committed to using the Fortify Homes Program as proof of concept that FORTIFIED works. It works to protect your property, it works to get a discount on your insurance, and it works to give homeowners and their families peace of mind,” said Temple. “I appreciate the hard work of IBHS, Rebuilding Together, GAF and others across the state. I know we are collectively committed to making Louisiana a state where we can live, work and have fun long into the future.”
The initiative, coordinated by GAF Materials Corporation and Rebuilding Together New Orleans, is part of a broader effort to expand use of the FORTIFIED standard—a voluntary construction program designed to strengthen homes against hurricane-force winds.
The tour will include Fred Malik, managing director of the FORTIFIED program; Mike Thomas, director of external learning and development at GAF; and Olivia Parker, homeowner relations manager for Rebuilding Together New Orleans. The group will walk attendees through an active re-roofing project and speak with homeowners who have received grants through the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program.
“In response to a challenging insurance market, the state – led by the Louisiana Department of Insurance – is stepping up its investment in resilience measures that can change outcomes,” said Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety CEO Roy Wright. “By championing incentives and launching a groundbreaking grant program, the Department has fueled unprecedented adoption of FORTIFIED construction – strengthening communities against future storms and laying the foundation for a more stable insurance market.”
The event will highlight Louisiana’s record-setting adoption of the FORTIFIED standard, which a recent study found can reduce hurricane-related damage by up to 70%.
“At a record pace, Louisiana homeowners are choosing to make their homes better prepared for storms. The state will see FORTIFIED Home designations grow from 1,000 to 10,000 in just over a year, which is about 3 times faster than any other state,” said Managing Director of FORTIFIED Fred Malik. “As we saw in a recent University of Alabama study of Hurricane Sally claims, these FORTIFIED homes are proven to lower costs for homeowners and accelerate recovery following severe weather.”
Rebuilding Together New Orleans, with support from GAF, aims to re-roof 200 homes in 2025 using the FORTIFIED method.
“Since Hurricane Ida, Rebuilding Together New Orleans has provided 340 roof replacements, of which 178 were built to the FORTIFIED standard,” said Olivia Parker, Rebuilding Together New Orleans. “Despite this achievement, hundreds of families are still on our waitlist, and more are added every day. We are making our homes more resilient so our people don’t have to be. We are stronger together and grateful to our partners that make our work possible.”
State officials and partners say the program not only protects homeowners but also plays a critical role in stabilizing the state’s struggling property insurance market, which has faced mounting pressure from repeated natural disasters.
“At GAF, we are committed to helping communities, like New Orleans, build resiliency and protect what matters most to them,” said Mike Thomas, Director, Learning & Development Storm Restoration at GAF. “GAF’s expanded product offerings, newly-created training program, and industry-leading warranty will bring FORTIFIED roofs to even more homeowners across the country and help to build resilience against weather-related disasters.”
As Louisiana confronts the twin challenges of climate risk and insurance instability, initiatives like FORTIFIED are gaining momentum as practical, scalable solutions. With public-private partnerships driving adoption, and thousands of homeowners already opting in, stakeholders say the effort represents more than a construction standard—it’s an emerging blueprint for recovery, resilience, and long-term market stability.
