Many in South MS ineligible for $10,000 roof grants. Here’s what you need to know
Mississippi’s new Strengthen Mississippi Homes program will offer grants of up to $10,000 for wind-resistant roofs starting July 1, funded by $15 million a year in insurance company fees. However, as regulations are currently written, most South Mississippi homeowners won’t qualify — though rules are still being finalized.
FULL STORY: $10,000 roof grants coming to MS. Rules exclude some South MS cities, counties
Here are key takeaways:
• Who qualifies: Homeowners in localities using the 2024 International Residential Code will be eligible. All four Jackson County cities, D’Iberville, Gulfport and all three Coast counties currently use the 2018 code and are ineligible.
• How many grants: The program will fund about 1,200 grants, though fewer may be awarded as it ramps up. “We do not want to get in a situation where we oversell this and can’t deliver,” Commissioner Mike Chaney said.
• Why it matters for insurance: Sen. Scott Delano of Biloxi said stronger building codes are the only way to get major property insurers back to the Coast after they began pulling out following Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
• Local action underway: Gulfport Mayor Hugh Keating said his administration is working on adopting IRC 2024 provisions to qualify residents for the program.
• Roof standards: Grants fund FORTIFIED roofs, which require sealed roof decks, stronger edges and stronger attachments to resist high winds and rain.
• Public comment deadline: The Mississippi Insurance Department is accepting written comments on proposed regulations until 4 p.m. April 28, 2026.
The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The full story in the link at top was reported, written and edited entirely by journalists.
This story was originally published April 13, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
