NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The Fortify Homes Program is back online, focused on strengthening the roofs of Louisiana homeowners to better withstand hurricane-force winds. In 2023, the program ran on a first-come first-served basis. However, this year it will be a lottery system to determine who will be selected as a recipient. "Last time, they did it as first-come first-serve, and it was a train wreck. It was just horrid, but it worked out. There were 3,000 people that got grants, and most of them have fortified roofs at this point; but the lottery system is going to make this a lot less stressful," Compass Inspection Services Owner Ashley van der Meulen said. More than 500 Kenner homes flooded, officials seek financial aid If you are selected through this random lottery, you will have the opportunity to choose your home evaluator who will then do a pre-inspection. "The first thing we do is we want to go out and examine the house to make sure that it meets the basic requirements for a fortified roof," Asset Evaluation Services Owner Paul Pablovich said. If your home qualifies, the homeowner is then notified to select a roofer to install the fortified roof. Once it's done, the evaluator returns to the home to document if the roof met fortified standard. Federal aid available for Terrebonne Parish Hurricane Francine victims "Then the evaluator files for a certificate, and then when we get the certificate, we send it to the homeowner and to the state and the state pays the roofer $10,000," van der Meulen said. In total, 300 homeowners will be selected to receive a grant while 200 will be placed on a wait list. "I looked into this program because my roof was replaced for Hurricane Ida, so I'm coming up on, you know, three to four years, so you know I'm trying to stay ahead of the curve and apply for the program hopefully, so I can stay on top of my insurance. Keep that low for the time being," grant applicant Zach Mesman said. Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Posts St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office investigating threats circulating school campuses White dudes, Swifties and nerds: Pro-Harris groups build unity out of identity Plane door falls off after takeoff, lands in Myrtle Beach yard Drivers to meet fans at Food City locations before race weekend Government shutdown looms before Congress