Louisiana Fortify Homes Program Round 3 Opens November 6

Louisiana REALTORS® • November 2, 2023

Applicants Strongly Encouraged to Review Eligibility Information Before Applying

Commissioner Jim Donelon announced November 1, 2023, that the Louisiana Fortify Homes Program (LFHP) will open its third round of grants at noon on November 6. There are 750 grants available in the third round, and grants will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. This round of grants is open to all homeowners whose home meets the criteria required for upgrading to the FORTIFIED Roof™ standard.


The LFHP provides grants of up to $10,000 for homeowners to repair or replace their roofs to the FORTIFIED Roof™ standard of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). More information is available at www.ldi.la.gov/fortifyhomes. Those interested in the program are encouraged to review eligibility information and frequently asked questions on the LFHP website cited above to determine whether their home meets the requirements for the program.


Homeowners are required to create a profile in the LFHP system before applying for a grant and may do so by visiting www.ldi.la.gov/fortifyhomes. LFHP staff urge homeowners who are interested in the program to create a profile before the grant application period opens, as homeowners will need to log in to their profile before applying on November 6. Eligible homeowners should attempt to apply as quickly as possible once the application window goes live at noon.


The LFHP began with enough funding to award approximately 3,000 grants. The first half of those grants were limited to Citizens policyholders, and the remaining grants will be available to all homeowners across the state.


The grant will cover the cost of reinforcing a roof using methods that meet or exceed the FORTIFIED Roof™ standard, which includes strengthening a building against severe storms, high winds and wind driven rain. Homeowners must meet eligibility requirements and pay all costs for the roof upgrade including permits, inspections and construction costs beyond the amount of the grant.


Eligibility Requirements:

  • Homeowners are only eligible for their primary residence and must verify they have a homestead exemption on the property if selected for a grant. 
  • Homeowners must provide proof of an active residential insurance policy with wind coverage if selected for a grant. If they live in a Special Flood Hazard Area as designated by FEMA, they must also provide proof of a flood insurance policy. Contact your agent if you are unsure whether you have these coverages. 
  • New construction homes, condominiums and mobile homes do not qualify. 
  • Homes on a foundation constructed of unrestrained stacked masonry or stone (dry-stack foundation) are not eligible without an approved retrofit of the foundation. 
  • Homes must be in good repair as determined by a FORTIFIED™ Evaluator. Homeowners are responsible for hiring and paying the evaluation fee, which is typically between $300 and $500. 
  • Grant funds are paid directly to contractors. Homeowners are financially responsible for all costs beyond the full grant amount. Grant funding is limited to construction costs. 
  • These and all other eligibility requirements and program details may be reviewed at www.ldi.la.gov/fortifyhomes.

2026 Legislative Session Scoop - Week 4 Recap

By Louisiana REALTORS® • April 3, 2026
This week, the Legislature remained in high gear, and several items relevant to Louisiana’s real estate market moved into focus. The biggest headline for our industry this week was HB 468 by Rep. Troy Hebert , our wholesaling/consumer-protection bill, was slated to be heard on the House floor, however was bumped due to floor congestion and out-of-order bills. It is now expected to be reset for next Tuesday. This bill remains one of the clearest “market integrity” efforts on the board with clearer rules for non-traditional transactions, stronger transparency and better consumer protections. We also continued substantive policy work behind the scenes. We are actively engaging with Rep. Carver on a vacant land disclosure bill he has authored, and we appreciate that he is welcoming our input and guidance as the language is refined. Our goal is straightforward: ensure any vacant land disclosure framework is practical, reduces confusion and avoids unintentionally shifting liability or enforcement burdens onto real estate professionals. In addition, we were pleased to deepen our relationships at the Capitol this week. We had the privilege of hosting a lunch for the Governor’s Office, enjoyed meeting Governor Landry’s team, and look forward to working with them in a constructive, solutions-oriented manner as the session continues. Finally, Rep. Hebert also filed an additional measure that aligns with our legislative agenda and speaks directly to transaction risk management: HB 1027 , which would limit liability for licensed real estate appraisers in situations involving smoke and carbon monoxide detector compliance. The current law already provides that real estate agents are not liable for a seller’s failure to comply with Louisiana’s detector requirements in one- or two-family dwellings. HB 1027 would extend that same liability protection to licensed appraisers by amending R.S. 40:1581(F). This is a clean, common-sense clarification that helps prevent appraisers from being pulled into compliance disputes that properly belong with the seller’s statutory obligations. Next week, committees are scheduled to hear multiple bills relevant to real estate, including measures involving construction and roofing standards (often tied to insurance and mitigation), property rights/expropriation, and property tax and adjudicated property issues that can influence housing supply and neighborhood reinvestment. We will stay closely engaged and will flag any bills or amendments that materially affect transactions, homeownership costs or private property rights. Please view the weekly bill tracking report provided by our lobbying team over at Harris, DeVille and Associates.

Cookbook for the REALTORS® Relief Foundation!

By Louisiana REALTORS® • April 2, 2026
Louisiana REALTORS® is compiling a cookbook of Louisiana flavor with a REALTOR® heart in support of the REALTORS® Relief Foundation . And we have two ways for you to get involved:  Join us in contributing your favorite recipe using this online form. If you want to include a picture with your recipe, send to info@larealtors.org and reference recipe title in email subject. Or share your creativity by designing the cover artwork for the cookbook. A small committee will review all entries and choose one to print on the cover. Stay tuned for more details on when you can grab your own copy of the cookbook! Cover artwork and recipes are due by April 17th.

2026 Legislative Session Scoop - Week 3 Recap

By Louisiana REALTORS® • March 27, 2026
Week three of the Regular Session kept real estate issues in the conversation, even as lawmakers continued to focus heavily on workforce, tax and insurance policy. On the property tax front, measures to reshape assessments and exemptions, including proposals for a new blight rehabilitation exemption and additional relief for seniors, remain parked in the House Ways and Means Committee as stakeholders work through fiscal and local government concerns. These bills matter because they will influence long-term carrying costs, redevelopment incentives and how tax burdens are shared across residential and commercial property. Homestead related legislation, including parish level authority to increase the exemption amount, is also in the queue, signaling that the broader structure of Louisiana’s homestead system is officially on the table, not just the dollar figure. For homeowners and buyers, this debate goes directly to affordability. For local governments, it raises revenue stability and service delivery questions. There also has been movement on several identical pieces of legislation that would instruct parish assessors to develop a process for homeowners to permanently register for the homestead exemption for the duration that they own and live on the property. We are actively tracking legislation that will directly shape how investor activity and non-traditional transactions are recognized and regulated in Louisiana’s real estate market. This includes HB 468 by Troy Hebert , a key component of the Louisiana REALTORS® legislative package that targets the wholesale of residential real estate, which was heard in the House Commerce Committee on Monday. The bill is currently positioned for a floor vote early next week. As drafted, HB 468 represents a major step in the right direction for consumer protection in Louisiana, advancing needed guardrails through potential disclosure, registration, and practice standards that could redefine how assignment contracts and “off-market” transactions intersect with licensed brokerage activity. In parallel, HB 292 by Delisha Boyd passed the House on final reading, 86-3, and is on its way to the Senate. Together, these measures represent a coordinated policy effort to bring greater structure and transparency to emerging transaction models, while preserving the integrity of the traditional brokerage framework. Finally, the broader policy backdrop remains important: the Governor continues to push income tax changes and cost of living relief, while business and industry groups are prioritizing insurance, workforce and energy — each a key driver of long run housing demand and investment. As these debates evolve, we’ll keep you updated on what moves, what stalls and what it all means for your clients, your pipeline and private property rights across Louisiana. Please view the weekly bill tracking report provided by our lobbying team over at Harris, DeVille and Associates.
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