Louisiana Councilwoman Honored for Fortified Roof Gap Funding Program

Jefferson, Louisiana Parish Council Chairwoman Jennifer Van Vrancken was honored at the Louisiana Department of Insurance Annual Conference for initiating a gap fund program that helps residents secure funding to pay for Fortified roof improvements.

Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple presented Van Vrancken with the Leadership in Resilience Award at the conference on Wednesday.

Jefferson Parish developed a Roof Enhancement Lottery Incentive Fund (RELIF) program that offers up to $5,000 in “gap funds” to recipients of Louisiana Fortify Homes Program (LFHP) grants.

LFHP grants provide $10,000 for Fortified roof replacements, but the full cost of installing a new roof can cost $15,000 or more, making it unaffordable for some residents. The gap fund program leaves homeowners with fewer out-of-pocket expenses.

“Commissioner Temple and his team were perfect partners, willing to explore a new approach to help homeowners in Jefferson Parish. Our state is fortunate to have a dedicated team at LDI open to innovation and committed to cutting insurance costs,” said Council Chairwoman Van Vrancken

Following the launch of the RELIF gap fund program, the success rate of grant recipients completing the process in Jefferson Parish increased from 55% to 86%.