Protecting Good Program brings fortified roofs to historic Birmingham neighborhoods

Contact: Jennifer Bowen
(334) 269-3550

2/2/2023

Homeowners in some of Birmingham’s most historic neighborhoods are better prepared for severe weather thanks to new Fortified roofs provided through the Protecting Good Program.

More than 65 homes in the Northside area have been retrofitted to the Fortified standard, the result of a public-private partnership between the City of Birmingham, The Alabama Department of Insurance, Protective Life Corporation and the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. Fortified roofs are designed to reduce damage sustained from winds up to 130 miles per hour from tornadoes, hurricanes and other windstorms.

On Wednesday, Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin, Alabama Insurance Commissioner Mark Fowler, Protective Life CEO Rich Bielen, IBHS CEO Roy Wright, Charles Moore from Habitat for Humanity of Greater Birmingham and area community leaders toured many of the homes.

Funding comes from the Alabama Department of Insurance’s Strengthen Alabama Homes program and the City of Birmingham’s Community Development Block Grant with seed money from Protective Life Corporation.

“Through the Strengthen Alabama Homes program, we have been successful in making a difference in the lives of Alabamians who are most vulnerable to catastrophic storms,” Fowler said. “Fortifying homes not only protects the lives of families and their most valuable investment, their home, but it also helps reduce the risk of loss to insurance companies. This helps create a healthy and sustainable insurance market. Ultimately, efforts like the Protecting Good Initiative create a more resilient Alabama.”

“Local leaders know what their citizens need better than anyone and can prioritize response of those needs. Bringing local resources to bear and combining resources provided from the state increases the impact on projects,” said Brian Powell, director of the Strengthen Alabama Homes program. “Public-private partnerships like the Protecting Good Program help build resiliency of homes, neighborhoods, communities and ultimately the state. We want Alabama to be the most resilient state in the nation and our citizens deserve nothing less.” 

Around 100 more homes are scheduled to receive new roofs in 2023.

Homeowners in the Central City, Druid Hills, Evergreen, Fountain Heights and Norwood neighborhoods are eligible for the program. For more information, call 205-996-0884.

For more information about how the Protecting Good Program is building stronger homes in Birmingham, click here. 

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