Solano Real Estate Scene: Rebuilding Santa Rosa

Santa Rosa’s Coffey Park neighborhood is just 45 miles away as the crow flies from Fairfield. Prior to my Mom and Dad moving down in 2010 to a one-story home in Oakmont, a senior community in Santa Rosa, they lived at 3465 San Sonita Drive for 18 years right in the middle of Coffey Park. Google still has the picture of my parents’ former two-story custom home, which burned to the ground Oct. 9, along with 1,500 other homes in this small neighborhood. Coffey Park was a subdivision with a mix of tract homes and modest custom homes built in the 1980s, about two or three miles west of Highway 101. The two or three miles between the freeway and the neighborhood was made up of commercial and retail businesses, along with some residential apartment buildings and a mobile home park along with the city bus station. The firestorm hurricane somehow became airborne and flew over the freeway from Fountain Grove and pretty much landed on these 1,500 family homes. What happened is impossible or at least something that could never happen in a million years or at least that is how you will feel if you ever visit this once-awesome blue-collar neighborhood. It doesn’t border a forest or grassy farmland to the east. None of the homeowners forgot to clear their property of dry tall grass that might fuel a fire by the recommended 50 feet from their home. Coffey Park isn’t rural, it’s in town just like Laurel Creek or Woodcreek in Fairfield. As of today, a little less than 250 homes are under construction in Coffey Park as homeowners ponder their options and while some battle insurance companies. One thing for sure, we should review our auto, home and life insurance policies with an expert once every couple years to make sure we have appropriate coverage to protect our assets and our family.