Photo: Missouri REALTORS®
On September 21, 2026, SCIPP Engagement Associate Trey Bell participated in a panel at the Region 9 REALTOR® Meeting in St. Louis, MO, focused on the physical and financial benefits of implementing hazard resilient construction practices to reduce the impact of weather and climate risks to homes across the region. The panel, titled “Flood, Fire, Hail, and Wind: The Hidden Deal Killers in your Market” was moderated by Former Oklahoma City Metropolitan Association of REALTORS® (OKCMAR) Board Member and Cityburb Homes Owner Jessica Thompson. Bell was joined by Jennifer Gardner, Industry Engagement Managing Director for the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS). The audience included REALTOR® representatives from Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Kansas.
During the discussion, Bell highlighted areas in the four-state region most vulnerable to tornadoes, wind, hail, and wildfire. Bell further detailed the growing number of annual billion-dollar natural disaster events and why advocating for beyond-code home construction standards, like those outlined in IBHS FORTIFIED, is an important strategy to reduce the impact of severe convective storms, which are by far the costliest and most frequent weather-related hazard in the central United States. The panel explored the role REALTORS® can play in increasing the visibility and adoption of IBHS FORTIFIED.
Bell’s participation in the Region 9 Meeting stemmed from relationships established during SCIPP’s Hazard Resilient Buildings Workshop in October 2025, where Thompson also participated as a speaker.
The Oklahoma Insurance Department Strengthen Oklahoma Homes Program began in 2025 and continues into 2027. Eligible homeowners may apply for grants up to $10,000 to upgrade their roofs to IBHS FORTIFIED construction standards. The program reached an important milestone in September 2026 with the completion of its 500th home. Read more about the Strengthen Oklahoma Homes Program at oid.ok.gov/okready. Read more about IBHS FORTIFIED standards at fortifiedhome.org.
More information about the Region 9 REALTORS® meeting can be found on the meeting’s website, here.
Read the full report from SCIPP’s Hazard Resilient Buildings Workshop, here.