NEW ORLEANS — Today, the City of New Orleans Office of Housing Policy and Community Development (OCD) partnered with Rebuilding Together New Orleans (RTNO) to launch the Pilot FORTIFIED Roof Program. This program will provide no cost roof replacements built to the FORTIFIED standard for eligible homeowners in Orleans Parish. The program is set to launch June 1.
“Today, we are presenting a unified force that is focused on quality of life and safety for our residents and homeowners as it relates to solid and sounds roofs over their heads,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “I’m so excited to officially launch our Pilot FORTIFIED Roof Program in the beautiful Bywater with our partner Rebuilding Together New Orleans. RTNO has been a reliable partner for over three decades. FORTIFIED roofs are exactly as the name suggests – built to be stronger and stand up against even the most severe weather. Through this program, residents will have the opportunity to make their homes more resilient, which is especially important with our changing climate and rising insurance costs.”
The FORTIFIED Roof Program is an innovative initiative that aims to enhance the community’s resilience and alleviate the financial burden on homeowners by offering roof replacements built to a higher standard to mitigate against future disasters. As hurricane season approaches and insurance rates continue to rise, the City understands that replacing roofs with new FORTIFIED roofs can help make residents more resilient and preserve affordability by staving off increasing insurance costs.
“It’s a pleasure to launch the City of New Orleans FORTIFIED Roof Program,” said OCD Director Tyra Johnson Brown. “Today is about protecting our citizens and the city we all love. Since 2019, Louisiana has experienced 29 federally declared billion-dollar disasters, and New Orleans is one of the most hurricane-prone cities in the U.S. This program is a grant that will allow Orleans Parish homeowners to upgrade their roof to standards set by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. The program is designed to strengthen homes against severe weather, which should lower the risk of insurance claims. As we approach the start of the 2024 hurricane season, this is a win for the City of New Orleans as we continue to assist our citizens in strengthening their homes.”
In partnership with RTNO, OCD will administer grants to eligible residents. The City has allocated $500,000 to the program, which is anticipated to assist at least 35 households. This program is on a first come, first serve basis, and residents are encouraged to reach out to Rebuilding Together New Orleans in order to begin the application process.
This program is only available to Orleans Parish residents who own and occupy the house requesting a FORTIFIED Roof, and this must be the only home owned and occupied by the resident. Other requirements include:
- Single family houses (less than 4 dwellings)
- Applicants must be an individual and prove ownership of the property
- Homes must meet the building requirements of the FORTIFIED program; this includes non-roof elements like foundations, etc.
- Homeowners whose household income is less than 80 percent of the area median income as defined by Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- Meet all other eligibility requirements of RTNO and OCD’s Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation program.
FORTIFIED roofs meet standards above building codes and have stronger edges, a sealed roof deck, better roof deck attachment systems and impact-resistant shingles to protect homes from some of the most severe weather. FORTIFIED roofs also typically come with significant discounts for homeowners with insurance or, at minimum, allow homeowners to get a policy outside of the insurer of last resort. FORTIFIED roofs also create additional layers of protection that reduce the risk or roof failures in wind events and result in lower cost claims if damage does occur.
“This new FORTIFIED Roof Program makes our community more resilient,” said RTNO Director William Stoudt. “Together with the City, we will bring critically needed roof replacements to our neighbors and provide dozens of families what they need most, a dry and secure roof over their head.”
The FORTIFIED Roof Program is an extension of OCD’s Owner-Occupied Rehab (OOR) Program, to which the City allocated $1 million. This program aims to address health and safety needs for low- and moderate-income households, allowing residents to remain in their communities.
“This means so much to me and my family,” said local homeowner Wanda Brooks Berniard. “All the work they have done has made it safer for us, especially with hurricane season starting tomorrow. I want to just say thank you to everyone involved.”
ABOUT REBUILDING TOGETHER NEW ORLEANS
Rebuilding Together is a leading nonprofit in safe and healthy housing that provides low-income neighbors with critical home repairs and revitalizes the communities in which we live. Rebuilding Together New Orleans (RTNO), a local affiliate has restored and revitalized more than 2,100 homes over the past 36 years in the New Orleans area. Utilizing volunteer labor, Rebuilding Together New Orleans allows low-income families in communities across the city to live in comfort, safety, and dignity.
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