Landry signs bill reallocating excess funds to expand Fortify Homes Program as hurricane season approaches

The demand for the program, Landry added, has only grown. More than 3,800 homeowners have applied to participate in the program, he noted. 

"For far too long, families across the state have been trapped in a cycle of storm damage, rising insurance costs and uncertainty of whether they can afford their home," Landry said. 

Just days before hurricane season starts on June 1, Landry signed HB 1187, sponsored by Rep. Paul Sawyer, into law. The law, which made it through the legislature with no amendments, allows excess funding from the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation to be used to expand the Fortify program. 

The Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation faced "catastrophic claims losses" after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Sawyer said. As a result, the corporation issued bonds to cover the $1 billion loss that Louisiana policyholders have been paying to service ever since.

In the 20 years since the losses, Sawyer said that $64 million in excess funds from the renegotiation of these bonds were made available and can be used to fund the Fortify program after Landry signed his bill into law.

Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple says that the program is also expanding its eligibility past coastal areas into areas in the 130 mph wind zone. A full list of eligible areas can be found on the program's website.

Temple added that funding for the program will also come directly to the insurance industry in taxes, with an estimated $30 million in funds available for the upcoming fiscal year, in addition to $50 million in one-time funding. 

Landry, Temple and Sawyer all said that the Fortify roof program will, in the long run, help lower insurance costs, a day one priority for the Landry administration.

"This program is about more than just roofs. It's about protecting families, strengthening communities and putting Louisiana in a stronger position physically and economically to face the challenges ahead," Temple said, noting that fewer claims come when roofs are fortified and prevent losses, and fewer claims mean decreased insurance rates for the citizens of Louisiana. 

Registration for this year's round of grants goes live Monday, June 1, and will remain open through June 19. Temple says that they hope to bring an additional 3,000 grants to homeowners.