Oklahoma homeowners may qualify for new severe weather protection grant
OKLAHOMA — The new Strengthen Oklahoma Homes program will use grants or federal funding to help Oklahomans retrofit or construct their homes with measures to reduce the losses from severe weather like tornados.
The bill creating the program will go into effect on November 1.
“We’re gonna do everything we can in our power to ensure that we have the same access to these products no matter where you live in Oklahoma,” said Ashley Scott, the Oklahoma Insurance Department’s Government and Community Affairs Director. “So that we as a state and as a whole can benefit from the products and from the processes that will take place and hopefully the rate reduction and premium reduction across the state.”
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Eligible homeowners include owner-occupied, single-family primary residences. It must also be an insurable property with a homestead exemption, to confirm the home as a single-family primary residence, and be in good condition, excluding damage from a catastrophic weather event.
The program is not available for mobile homes, condominiums, or commercial property.
Nonprofits can also apply to retrofit or construct their building to reduce the loss and damage from catastrophic weather events, provided it is allowed under the grant or funding rules, requirements, guidelines or criteria.
The applicants will be seen on a first-come first-serve manner within each income bracket. Priority will be given to lower income applicants and those who live in areas predisposed to a higher risk of disastrous weather events, like tornados.
“We want to make sure that it’s a very open and transparent process and everybody knows exactly where they fit and where they can apply,” Scott said.
The program will provide grants for the repair and improvement of weather damaged homes, the construction of new homes with preventive measures and the retrofits of already constructed homes.
Those improvements need to meet the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety’s (IBHS) FORTIFIED Roof, Silver or Gold standards including the hail supplement or similar standards approved by the Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner.
Homeowners must select an IBHS certified evaluator from a list provided to them and pay the evaluator’s fee out of pocket. Bids must be collected from at least three IBHS certified contractors. The grant funds will be distributed directly to the contractor to cover the cost of the project once the fortified standard is met and approved by the commissioner. Any costs relating to the project that exceed the grant awarded must be paid by the homeowner.
A fixed amount of funds per project has not been decided on, however, Scott said she expects it to be at least $3,000, based on average upgrade/retrofitting costs, but amounts will depend on the project.
“This is just another piece of that toolkit to highlight Oklahoma and bring in, hopefully, some more economic dollars and surround our people with the things that they need to protect themselves,” Scott said.
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