Greater New Orleans · St. Bernard Parish
St. Bernard Parish FORTIFIED Roofs and the Fortify Homes Grant
St. Bernard Parish runs southeast of New Orleans, from Chalmette and the built-up river edge out toward the marsh and the Gulf. It is one of the most storm-exposed parishes in the state, low and open to the water, with the seat at Chalmette. Homes here sit close to the coast and close to the memory of what a major hurricane can do.
Why a FORTIFIED roof matters in St. Bernard Parish
St. Bernard learned the hard way that the roof is the first line of the house. When wind strips the deck, the rain and surge that follow have a way in. Rebuilding to the FORTIFIED standard, with a sealed and enhanced-nailed deck, gives a Chalmette home a roof that holds through the wind so the rest of the house has a chance.
Hurricane Katrina (2005) caused catastrophic damage across St. Bernard Parish.
Communities in St. Bernard Parish
The built-up part of St. Bernard runs in a line along the river below New Orleans. Arabi is first, right against the Orleans Parish line. Chalmette, the parish seat, comes next, then Meraux, and from there the parish keeps going downriver until the road gives out into marsh. Water is close on both sides the whole way, the river on one and the wetlands on the other.
- Chalmette (parish seat)
- Meraux
- Arabi
Everything on this page applies across the parish. For the other parishes, see FORTIFIED roofs by Louisiana parish and city.
Is St. Bernard Parish eligible
St. Bernard Parish is among the parishes the Louisiana Department of Insurance lists as eligible for the Fortify Homes grant, as of August 17, 2026. Eligibility is confirmed at the address level, and the list changes every round, so the official map is the only word on whether your specific home qualifies right now. Check your address on the live LDI Fortify Homes map, and apply through the state at ldi.la.gov/fortifyhomes, not on this site.
How the grant works for a St. Bernard Parish home
The Fortify Homes grant reimburses the cost of rebuilding your roof to the IBHS FORTIFIED standard, up to $10,000 per home. It is a cap on a reimbursement, not a flat check, and the money is paid to your contractor after IBHS issues the certificate. You gather bids from at least 3 approved contractors you choose, and once you are cleared the work must be finished within 90 days.
Do not start roof work before you are selected and the bid process is complete.
Approved contractors may not begin until you have the official notice that you are cleared to proceed. Starting early voids your eligibility, grant and all. Wait for the notice before anyone in Chalmette or anywhere else touches the roof.
For the full walkthrough, see the Fortify Homes grant guide and what the standard requires in the FORTIFIED Roof guide.
What a St. Bernard homeowner gets back
The roof is the start, not the end. A FORTIFIED designation earns a required cut on the wind portion of your home insurance in Louisiana, year after year, for as long as the designation stays in force. If you pay for the roof yourself, the same certificate still earns that discount and the state tax incentives apply too.
See how the mandated discount works in the insurance savings guide, and the state credit in the FORTIFIED roof tax credit guide.
By Louisiana Fortified HomesUpdated
See what a FORTIFIED roof is worth in St. Bernard Parish.
Get connected with a FORTIFIED-certified contractor near Chalmette. No cost, no obligation.
Or call now and talk to a roofer: (504) 520-4274