Texas residents are increasingly facing damaging storms that drive up home insurance rates and other housing costs. Ahead of the state's 2027 legislative session, consumer advocates and insurance industry representatives are urging lawmakers to consider affordability solutions.

What's happening: The average Texas home insurance premium—the amount paid to an insurance company—was $3,291 in 2024, according to the latest Texas Department of Insurance data. In total, premiums rose about 50% between 2022-24.

Texas’ high propensity for natural disasters has been “the No. 1 driver” behind recent rate increases, said Rich Johnson, a spokesperson for the Insurance Council of Texas.

Stay tuned: While Texas can't legislate itself out of weather risks, lawmakers have considered some policy changes to increase disaster resiliency and boost regulatory oversight of the insurance industry. Proposals range from creating grants to help residents weather-proof their homes to placing limits on future rate hikes.

Carroll ISD officials are amending the compensation plan for bus drivers and aides for fiscal year 2026-27.

Trustees unanimously approved a rate increase of $1 per hour for bus drivers and aides at the May 18 meeting.

What you need to know: The updated compensation plan will affect all employees, CISD Director of Transportation Jim Bennett said. Trustees previously approved a compensation plan that included guaranteeing 30 additional minutes of work for bus drivers and aides, but Bennett said it would not affect employees who staff the district’s longest routes equally.

What else: The $1 per hour increase comes in lieu of the guarantee of additional work hours, CISD officials said.

A combined Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma outlet is now welcoming customers at Grapevine Towne Center.

What they offer: The store sells products from both brands, including kitchen knives, pots and pans, bedding, and home furnishings.

One more thing: The new outlet takes over a space within the shopping center that was previously occupied by Bealls.

• 1270 W. SH 114, Ste. 112, Grapevine

Coury Hospitality, NewcrestImage and Dabu Group are behind the newly-renamed Ricardo Marriott DFW Westlake hotel.

Following nearly $7 million in renovations, the Metroport Chamber held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 30 for the former Marriott Hotel and its new restaurant, House of Toro Chophouse.

The hotel was rebranded and named after Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta, who designed the original property, according to a news release from Grapevine-based Coury Hospitality.

The background: Coury manages or operates hotels in Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, California, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, Florida, Rhode Island, New Jersey and Texas, including Hotel Vin.

A closer look: NewcrestImage and Dabu Group are the owners of the property, which features 293 rooms. According to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the renovations of the hotel rooms, bathrooms and corridors had an estimated cost of $6.4 million.

• 1301 Solana Blvd., Building 3, Westlake