Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Flood Risk May Surpass Wildfire Risk in California By 2025, Adding To Home Insurance Costs
Recent wildfires in California have devastated vegetation, increasing the risk of floods and mudflows. By 2050, homes in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco will face a higher flood risk than wildfire risk, with over a million homes seeing a significant increase in flood risk levels. Homeowners may need costly flood insurance, as even…
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Can California Maintain a Balanced Budget?
California proposed a balanced budget after two years of deficits to improve financial stability. Rising tax collections have stabilized the state's fiscal outlook, strengthening revenue streams.
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California: AB 238 Offers Mortgage Forbearance Relief
AB 238 (Mortgage Deferment Act) provides financial relief to California wildfire victims through mortgage forbearance. Borrowers can request forbearance for up to 360 days, split into two 180-day periods.
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How California’s Climate Chaos Hikes Property Taxes
California faces rising property taxes as wildfires increase, leading to costly reassessments. Rebuilding after wildfires restores pre-damage property tax assessments, leading to higher taxes once homes are reconstructed.
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Pro-housing Advocates Say California Housing Incentives Aren’t Working
Recent California laws aimed at increasing housing supply, such as SB 9 and AB 2011, have had minimal impact, according to a report by YIMBY Law. Despite efforts to eliminate barriers for apartment construction, only a few permits were issued under these laws. Factors hindering progress include strict labor requirements, affordability mandates, and local government…
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Bay Area Housing Market: Prices, Trends, Forecast 2025
The Bay Area housing market is currently experiencing mixed trends. As of January 2025, the median home price is $1,125,000, up 2.3% year-over-year, but sales have declined significantly due to affordability issues and high mortgage rates. Marin County saw the largest price drop, while Santa Clara County experienced the highest gain. Factors influencing the market…
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Happy Women’s Day
International Women's Day, also known as IWD for short, grew out of the labour movement to become a recognized annual event by the UN.It all started in 1908 when 15K women marched through NYC demanding shorter working hours, better pay and the right to vote. Things were made official in 1975 when the United Nations…
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What Home Improvements Defend Against Wildfires?
Retrofitting your home for fire safety can cost between $2,000 and $15,000, but it's worth the investment. Invest in dual-pane, tempered windows and ensure frames are metal or fiberglass for added fire resistance
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What Drives California’s 3% Home Price Jump by 2030?
The "Great Reshuffling" Remote work has caused a significant population shift, stressing housing supply and increasing prices. Home prices in California are projected to rise modestly by 2.97% due to market shifts by 2030.
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California Rent Increase Laws 2025: What Tenants Should Know
California's rent increase laws for 2025 maintain statewide protections while introducing new tenant rights. The maximum allowable increase is 5% plus the local CPI or 10%, whichever is lower. Local caps vary: Los Angeles County limits increases to 3% for older multifamily units, while San Francisco caps rent-controlled units at 1.4%. New regulations include credit…
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