Strengthen Alabama Homes is a state grant program that pays 100% of the cost of residential wind mitigation, up to $10,000, to bring an existing, owner-occupied single-family home up to the FORTIFIED Roof standard. The homeowner covers any cost above the $10,000 grant.
Who runs and funds Strengthen Alabama Homes?
The program is administered by the Alabama Department of Insurance's Office of Risk and Resilience and funded by Alabama's insurance industry, not the state general budget or a federal program.
Who is eligible?
The program is for owner-occupied, single-family homes only; it excludes rentals, townhomes, condos, and mobile homes. Availability is also county-limited. Mobile and Baldwin counties have been funded since the program began in 2015, and eligibility expanded to include Jefferson, Tuscaloosa, and Escambia counties beginning November 4, 2025. Whether a specific county is currently funded should be confirmed directly with the program, since the eligible-county list has changed before and can change again.
What is the payoff for a FORTIFIED roof?
Beyond fewer storm-damage claims, a FORTIFIED roof commonly earns a wind-insurance premium or deductible credit with many insurers, and research indicates FORTIFIED homes sell for nearly 7% more than non-FORTIFIED homes.
For example, a Baldwin County homeowner whose roof is due for replacement may be able to use a Strengthen Alabama Homes grant to cover the wind-mitigation retrofit, come out with a FORTIFIED roof, and then carry that roof into a conversation with an insurer about a wind credit.
A free coverage review can help confirm whether an Alabama home currently qualifies and what a FORTIFIED upgrade could mean for premium.
Sources
Alabama Department of Insurance, Strengthen Alabama Homes program page.