Homewood, Illinois, leaders are considering generator rebates as a storm-preparedness measure after tornado-related outages left residents without refrigeration, air conditioning or a way to charge phones.
Any rebate plan would be narrow in scope, with restrictions on who could apply, how much assistance they could get, and where the purchases could be made.
Here's what to know
The H-F Chronicle reported that Village manager Anne Mitchell presented the Generator Grant for Preparedness Program, or G2P2, to help residents better handle outages as severe weather becomes more common. At their Oct. 13 meeting, trustees told staff to come back with an ordinance creating the pilot.
The pilot would set aside $50,000 for rebates, awarded in the order applications are received, according to the paper. Under the draft plan, residents could get $250 for portable or temporary generators and $400 for permanent units.
Applicants would need to show they are Homewood homeowners, verify that they live there, and provide proof of purchase. The proposal would allow only one rebate per residence and would exclude trustees and village staff from eligibility, the H-F Chronicle reported.
More background
The idea emerged after a difficult summer in 2026, when severe weather caused widespread outages in Homewood. The publication reported that residents without generators saw food spoil, spent days without air conditioning, and struggled to find places to charge phones and other devices.
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"In 2026, Illinois got hit by over 200 tornadoes," Mitchell explained to the H-F Chronicle. "That is comparable to Texas and Oklahoma. We are now in what is called tornado alley."
She added that Homewood's first tornado hit in July 2024. She said two more tornadoes struck within two weeks during summer 2026, and both were followed by outages that lasted for days.
What's being done?
Rather than approving rebates immediately, trustees want staff to return with a formal ordinance establishing the pilot program.
If the board approves the plan, applications would be available at Village Hall, 2020 Chestnut Road, and on the website, homewoodil.gov. The program would run from Nov. 30, 2026, through April 1, 2027, unless the money runs out sooner.
Only generators bought from a Homewood business would qualify for reimbursement under the draft, including gas, diesel, and solar models. Examples cited by H-F Chronicle include Menards, Ace Hardware, and Home Depot.
Parts and maintenance would not be covered, as the rebate would apply only to the generator purchase itself.
"This is our new normal," Mitchell declared, according to the paper. "We know that these kinds of storms will continue to happen to us in the future. So we need to do our best to prepare for them."
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