HB 911

I've never been one to fully understand politics and legislation. But right now, I'm scared. I'm scared because there is a bill called HB 911 that, if passed, could raise Windstorm insurance rates for coastal residents by 60% - and that's the conservative number I've heard. No one actually knows how much they could increase - do they? Does the bill include a "cap" on how high they can go?

While yes, that part affects me directly, I "think" we could handle it. Whether or not we'd ever be able to sell the house again is a totally different story.

But the SCARIEST part is the affect this thing could have on the ENTIRE TEXAS COAST. The bill would exclude all condominiums, apartments, multi-family units, rent houses and vacation homes. It would also cap commercial and government building coverage WAY lower than it is now (and residential would cap at $250,000 - that's way more than my humble little cottage is valued at, but come on, anything worth looking at in Galveston is close to or more than $250,000). One person said it was a death sentence for coastal economies. I'd have to agree.

No one will want to risk living here. No one will be able to afford it.

People FOR the bill say that we "choose to live here and should have to pay for it" - well, we made our decision largely based on where our jobs were. Why live 30 miles from where you work, only to commute back and forth, wasting time, polluting the environment, and possibly costing yourself more than the job is worth in gasoline, when you have the opportunity to live AND work local? I can't believe this is even an issue, just a week after UTMB announced it's plans to remain on the island. Will this change that decision?

More tales from the cottage by the sea... possibly one of the worst-timed investments in my life!