A call to mandate tornado shelters has been on the horizon before. Now, it's blown through town again.
There I was watching the television when a local anchor said he thought tornado shelters should be mandated. Here we go I thought - more government mandates all in the name of safety.
I had one builder tell me he could absolutely build a house that could withstand a tornado, be burn proof and literally remain standing from an earthquake. The problem is NOBODY could afford it because it would be so expensive.
The housing industry is in the tank, our economy is anemic, jobs are difficult to come by and, if economists are correct, inflation is around the corner. What can we do to insure that things don't get better?
Add more mandates to the cost of building a home.
Please don't misunderstand me. I think shelters are prudent. But it should be a customer's choice where he or she spends his money. I've read reports that say the odds of your home being destroyed by a tornado are 1 in 1 Million over the life of your home. Should every new home be forced to have a shelter for the chance of that occurring?
If mandates increase the cost of new housing then logic says people will spend their hard-earned money elsewhere. And, since most people have a mortgage, that means the extra cost is tied up for the life of the loan.
So, tell me what you think. Do you want more mandates or would you rather decide for yourself what you want in your new home?
