The Oklahoma Insurance Department (OID) published a press release providing information on the pilot launch of the Strengthen Oklahoma Homes program.
The program will provide grants of up to $10,000 to construct and fortify homes, providing protection against tornadoes, windstorms, and hail. The grants will help homeowners meet the safety standards outlined by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS).
The initial launch of the program will provide 100 grants to applicants in eligible ZIP codes. The eligible ZIP codes include:
- 73049 Jones
- 73051 Lexington/Slaughterville
- 73065 Newcastle
- 73069 Norman
- 73111 East OKC
- 73127 West OKC
- 73129 Southeast OKC
- 73135 Southeast OKC/I-240
These ZIP codes were selected because they have been heavily impacted by past storms. The OID determined this after reviewing storm data, paid loss ratios, and the number of active insurance policies in the chosen ZIP codes. Additional rounds of the program will be launched throughout the year, with the goal of providing 1,000 grants. The online application portal for the pilot launch will open on Monday, March 3, 2025, at noon.
The press release can be found here.