Strengthen Arkansas Homes Program

How it works

The Strengthen Arkansas Homes Program was created within the Arkansas Insurance Department to provide financial grants for projects that mitigate losses to insurable dwellings from catastrophic wind events, including hail. The statute says the department may apply for grants, place money into the Strengthen Arkansas Homes Program Fund, and make grants or funding available to nonprofit entities for projects that construct or retrofit insurable dwellings to resist wind or hail damage.

What the money covers

The law ties eligible work to FORTIFIED Home construction standards from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) or a successor entity. The statute also says the owner of an insurable dwelling must use grant funds to retrofit the dwelling to resist loss due to a catastrophic wind event or hail.

Amounts and matching

The official statute I verified does not state a single statewide award amount, reimbursement percentage, or matching requirement. It also says the program does not create an entitlement and does not obligate the state to fund inspection, construction, or retrofitting.

How to apply

An applicant must file an application with the department in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner. The statute also says documents and other information submitted in support of an application are confidential if protected by law.

Timing and deadlines

The statute says mitigation projects under the program must be completed within three months of grant approval notice. I did not verify a current application window or deadline on an official program page.