PRPC Panhandle Safe Room Rebate

The Panhandle Regional Planning Commission runs the Panhandle Regional Safe Room Rebate, which reimburses Texas Panhandle homeowners for a portion of the cost of installing a FEMA-compliant storm shelter. The program is active for 2026. This page walks through who qualifies, how much the rebate covers, how the application works, and what documentation the homeowner needs.

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Program basics

• Coverage: 50% of installed cost of a FEMA P-320-compliant storm shelter.
• Cap: $3,000 per rebate.
• Eligibility: homeowner-occupied residence, FEMA-compliant construction, property not inside a mapped flood hazard area.
• Geography: all 26 Panhandle counties (see below).
• Structure: first-come, first-served, subject to annual fund availability.
• Administered by: Panhandle Regional Planning Commission (PRPC), 415 SW 8th Ave, Amarillo TX 79105. Phone: 806.372.3381.

The 2026 program year is currently accepting applications. In prior program years the fund allocation has been drawn down by mid-summer, so applications filed earlier in the calendar have a materially higher probability of reimbursement.

Counties covered

The rebate applies to owner-occupied homes in all 26 counties of the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission service area:

Armstrong, Briscoe, Carson, Castro, Childress, Collingsworth, Dallam, Deaf Smith, Donley, Gray, Hall, Hansford, Hartley, Hemphill, Hutchinson, Lipscomb, Moore, Ochiltree, Oldham, Parmer, Potter, Randall, Roberts, Sherman, Swisher, and Wheeler.

If you're in Potter or Randall County (the two Amarillo counties), or in Armstrong (Claude), Carson (Panhandle, TX), Ochiltree (Perryton), or any of the other 22 counties in the list, you're inside the program area.

Who qualifies

Four qualifying conditions have to all be true at the time of application:

1. Homeowner-occupied. The property must be the owner's primary residence. Rentals, second homes, and investment properties are not eligible for this program. Proof is typically a deed, tax record, or driver's license address.
2. FEMA-compliant construction. The shelter must meet FEMA P-320 (6th edition, April 2025). The manufacturer compliance letter and the installer certification satisfy this requirement. See the FEMA compliance page for what those documents look like.
3. Not in a flood hazard area. Properties inside a mapped FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) are not eligible. Most Panhandle properties are not in a SFHA; homes near Palo Duro Creek and portions of the canyon rim may need to be checked against the current FEMA flood map.
4. Within program funding. The program is first-come first-served. Applications filed after fund exhaustion are held for the next program cycle if PRPC continues the program.

How much the rebate is worth

The rebate is 50% of installed cost, capped at $3,000. Two examples:

• $5,500 install. 50% is $2,750 (under cap). Rebate pays $2,750.
• $9,000 install. 50% is $4,500 (over cap). Rebate pays the $3,000 max; $6,000 out-of-pocket.

For above-ground shelters in the typical $4,000 to $8,000 range, the rebate covers one-third to one-half of total. For in-ground shelters in the $6,000 to $15,000 range, the rebate offsets a fixed $3,000.

How to apply

There are two paths, and both work. Most homeowners let the installer handle the paperwork.

Path 1: Installer files on your behalf. Most FEMA-P-320-compliant installers in the Panhandle are familiar with the PRPC paperwork and file the application as part of the standard install closeout. The homeowner signs the application; the installer assembles the compliance packet and submits it.

Path 2: Homeowner files directly with PRPC. Call PRPC at 806.372.3381 or visit their office at 415 SW 8th Ave, Amarillo TX 79105. PRPC will provide the current application form and the required documentation checklist.

Timing note. The typical structure is a reimbursement after installation — the homeowner pays the installer, then submits the rebate application, then PRPC reimburses up to $3,000. Some homeowners contact PRPC before scheduling install to confirm program status and reserve their place in the queue. Ask the installer or call PRPC about current-year pre-application procedures.

Documentation the homeowner needs

The rebate application submission typically includes:

• Proof of homeowner-occupancy at the property address (deed, tax record, or driver's license address).
• Signed installation invoice showing the installed cost of the shelter.
• FEMA P-320 compliance letter from the shelter manufacturer.
• Installer certification attesting the shelter was installed per the engineered anchor specification.
• Flood hazard attestation — a signed statement that the property is not inside a mapped SFHA.
• Photographs of the installed shelter as required by PRPC (typically an exterior view and an interior view with the door open).

The installer's compliance packet is designed to include most of this documentation. The homeowner supplies the occupancy proof and signs the application.

Reimbursement timing

Historic turnaround from complete application submission to rebate payment has run four to twelve weeks depending on fund cycle and application volume. Peak-spring submissions typically take longer than fall submissions.

The SPAG program (for South Plains readers)

Homeowners in the South Plains region south of the Panhandle — centered on Lubbock and covering fifteen counties — are outside the PRPC service area but have their own parallel program:

• SPAG Safe Room Rebate Program.
• Administered by the South Plains Association of Governments (SPAG).
• Program active through December 31, 2026.
• 50% of installed cost, capped at $3,000 — same structure as the PRPC program.
• 15 South Plains counties centered on Lubbock.
• Application URL: spag.org/safe-room-rebate-program-form/

If your property is in the SPAG service area rather than PRPC's, the application path is through SPAG rather than PRPC. Installers who work across both regions know the difference.

Stacking with the insurance discount

The rebate is not the only cost offset. Sending the FEMA compliance letter to your homeowners carrier typically produces a discount of $100 to $250 per year, or up to 20% off the wind-and-hail portion of your premium. Over the life of the shelter, that adds up to another meaningful share of the install cost.