Gold FORTIFIED certified home in Habitat’s McNeill Village Community.
Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties is elevating the standard for affordable housing by building homes to Gold FORTIFIED and ENERGY STAR standards.
Developed by the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), FORTIFIED is a “Beyond Code” construction method proven to strengthen homes against hurricanes and severe weather.
“When looking for comprehensive resilience specifically tailored to severe weather like we face in Florida, FORTIFIED Gold stands alone,” Habitat’s Director of Real Estate and Land Development Ryan Richardson said. “Other certifications offer valuable components but do not match IBHS FORTIFIED’s depth of engineered, verified protection.”
FORTIFIED emerged in response to the lack of a national building code, coupled with inconsistent regulations across states. “IBHS researchers saw the vulnerabilities after high wind events such as hurricanes, and developed ways to strengthen and address these vulnerabilities so that you can be confident that you have a home to come back to after a storm,” IBHS Social Media and Digital Marketing Manager Courtney Schultz said.
Not only will Habitat homes be more resilient, but the construction upgrades come at a minimal cost, only about 1% more per home. The difference between our previous builds and these new methods is so marginal, it comes down to a few extra nails and pieces of wood, primarily in our nailing patterns and altered underlayment method.
While the changes are small, they are mighty. For homeowners, FORTIFIED brings peace of mind. Southwest Florida residents know the devastation storms can cause, especially after experiencing 2022’s Hurricane Ian, and last year’s Helene and Milton.
As the Gulf continues to reach record-breaking temperatures, stronger hurricanes will continue to be a threat to our region. That’s why Habitat ensures its homeowners aren’t just buying homes, but they’re investing in safety, stability and a future they can count on.
Storms in Southwest Florida also impact Florida’s ongoing insurance crisis. A 2025 report from Bankrate.com found Florida is the second most expensive state for homeowners’ insurance, with our annual premiums being $3,100 more than the national average. Although Florida is an above-average rate state for insurance, FORTIFIED can make a difference.
“In Florida, several insurers will write policies on a FORTIFIED home that they otherwise would not write if it does not have the designation,” Mary Uher said, who served as IBHS’s Director of Field Services when interviewed.
In states just north of Florida like Georgia and the Carolinas, homeowners have benefited from incentives like insurance discounts, grants and/or tax credits on their FORTIFIED homes. These states, along with others, have reported savings of up to 55% on insurance premiums thanks to their FORTIFIED designation.
For Habitat, going for gold means giving our homeowners the highest level of protection. A Gold FORTIFIED certification is also not a one and done solution. Throughout the build, the construction materials and process are meticulously documented. Then, a third-party evaluator, such as E3 Building Sciences, reviews this documentation and performs an on-site inspection to ensure compliance.
Once the evaluation is complete, certification forms are submitted to IBHS for approval. Additionally, homes must undergo a recertification process every five years to maintain their GOLD designation.
With fewer than 300 FORTIFIED homes in Florida at the time we implemented this new construction method, Habitat is proud to be a developer investing in stronger structures to build stronger communities.
All 54 Habitat homes built this fiscal year will be Gold FORTIFIED certified. By combining affordability with resiliency, Habitat is helping families weather storms for generations to come.
