Homeowners who have thought about adding a storm shelter can now apply for help paying for one through Denton County.
The county's Office of Emergency Management opened applications for its Residential Safe Room Rebate Program on Oct. 12 and will keep the window open through April 2027, County Judge Andy Eads wrote in his Oct. 16 newsletter. The program pays back half of eligible costs, up to $3,000 per safe room. A $6,000 shelter, for example, would qualify for the full $3,000.
There is money for only 166 shelters, and the county says it will choose participants by random drawing rather than first come, first served. Applying does not guarantee a rebate.
Who can apply
The applicant must own a residential property, generally a single-family home, inside a participating part of the county. The county says those areas are the cities and towns covered by its hazard mitigation plan; the 2023 update of that plan lists the Town of Little Elm among 31 participating cities and towns.
Renters are not eligible, and emergency management staff will check ownership, location, floodplain status and other requirements.
A qualifying safe room can be above or below ground, inside the house, attached to it or freestanding, but it must meet FEMA and International Code Council standards and pass local permitting and inspection.
Order matters
The biggest catch is timing. Homeowners must get written approval from the county before buying, signing a contract for or installing a shelter, and rooms already in place do not qualify. Participants pay the full cost up front and are reimbursed after submitting their paperwork, a step the county warns can take several months.
