FHLB Dallas FORTIFIED Fund Rental Program

The FHLB Dallas FORTIFIED Fund Rental Program is administered by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, a regional cooperative bank that supports housing and community development initiatives across its five-state district, including Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Texas. The program is designed to strengthen affordable rental housing by funding the upgrade of existing roofs to meet FORTIFIED standards, which are developed to increase resilience against severe weather events such as hurricanes, hailstorms, high winds, and other natural hazards. The initiative reflects a broader commitment to improving the durability and safety of housing for low- and moderate-income populations within disaster-prone regions. The primary objective of the program is to provide grant funding for the replacement or reinforcement of roofing systems on eligible affordable rental properties. These upgrades must meet the FORTIFIED Roof standards established through the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety certification process. The funding is structured to support projects that enhance long-term resilience and reduce maintenance and insurance costs associated with storm damage. Each project may receive up to one million dollars in funding, and total program funding for the 2026 cycle is ten million dollars. Eligibility for the program is restricted to state-chartered public housing authorities located within the FHLB Dallas district. These entities must act as the sponsoring organization and apply in partnership with a participating FHLB Dallas member institution. The public housing authority must own the property being improved or operate it through a controlled nonprofit entity. Additionally, all housing units within the property must be reserved for households earning at or below 80 percent of the area median income through at least the end of 2026 or longer, and the property must not include market-rate or commercial units except for standard leasing or management offices. Applications are submitted during a defined annual application window. For the 2026 funding round, applications are scheduled to open on September 1, 2026 and close on September 30, 2026. The public housing authority prepares the application and submits it through a member institution, which is responsible for reviewing and formally submitting the materials to FHLB Dallas along with all required supporting documentation. Applications are evaluated through a competitive scoring process, and funding is awarded based on ranking, with at least one top-scoring project selected from each eligible state and additional awards distributed until funds are exhausted. Once a project receives approval, the participating parties enter into a tri-party agreement governing the terms of the grant. The project must then proceed through the FORTIFIED certification process, which involves coordination with certified evaluators and submission of documentation for approval. Grant funds are disbursed to the member institution, which in turn provides funding to the public housing authority. Upon completion of the roofing work, the project must submit proof of FORTIFIED certification to confirm compliance before final project closure. The program includes several additional eligibility and compliance requirements. Properties must be located in counties identified as high-risk for severe weather events based on federal risk assessments. The sponsoring public housing authority must meet minimum performance standards and demonstrate that the roofing project is included in its formal planning documents. Furthermore, applicants are required to contribute at least 10 percent of the total project cost, ensuring local investment in the project’s success. Funding is awarded annually, indicating that the program operates on a recurring basis, with future application cycles expected to follow a similar structure.

Ensure the project meets FEMA risk eligibility and all documentation requirements, and coordinate closely with the member institution to strengthen the application score.