According to reports, Tina Knowles, mother of Beyoncé, is the owner of a beach house in Galveston that has become a source of nuisance for the neighbors. The reason behind this issue is yet to be disclosed.
Beyoncé’s mother hails from Galveston Island, and according to Galveston County Appraisal District, she owns a beach house with a market value of $1.4 million. However, the property suffered significant damage from Hurricane Ike almost 16 years ago.
Residents of Pirates Beach and officials from the City of Galveston are reporting that despite being patched up, the storm-ravaged residence has continued to deteriorate after being relocated from its original beachfront location to the beach.
Richard D’Antoni, a resident of Pirate’s Beach since 1983, notes that all of the front row houses in the development have been removed except for this one.
According to Marie Robb, a Galveston City Council member and a resident in the neighborhood, the state of the home has been a concern for quite some time now. Since Hurricane Ike, the property has been in disrepair, and as a result, the city is taking steps to issue a demolition order.
James Munoz, a resident of Pirates Beach, points out the pilings that are visible through the fallen slab. According to him, the slab has deteriorated further due to the recent storm that occurred just last week.
According to D’Antoni, the sight is quite unappealing, and it could be considered an eyesore by many, if not all.
Robb expresses concern that the situation is a matter of public safety and health. He fears that it could potentially result in falling into the sea.
Munoz explains that although the current tide is low, the situation would have been much worse during high tide. “The tide usually rises to a level where it covers the bottom of the house,” he adds.
Is there a looming sense of fear among residents that their homes might eventually deteriorate just like the ones they see around them?
D’Antoni reflects on their long stay in this place since 1983 and feels grateful for the family time they have spent here. Munoz agrees with D’Antoni’s sentiment and adds that they are aware of the possibility of something like this happening in the future – it’s just one of the risks that come with the territory. Despite the sadness that comes with leaving, they have cherished their time here.
Once a beachfront property is submerged in water, what options do homeowners have?
Robb explains that during a state of emergency like Hurricane Ike, residents were given the option to take a buyout offer of approximately $450,000. However, they ultimately decided not to accept it.
Residents of Galveston used to take pride in having Beyoncé’s mother as their neighbor. According to Munoz, it was a cool thing to have someone related to Beyoncé living nearby. He adds that he witnessed the recent online exchange between Charles Barkley and Tina Knowles, where Barkley made negative comments about Galveston, and Knowles defended her hometown. Munoz smiles as he talks about it, acknowledging that it’s not every day that your town gets mentioned in a conversation between famous personalities.
Munoz comments on Tina’s response, expressing admiration for her love for Galveston. However, he notes that Barkley would likely not have anything positive to say about the state of the house.
Robb expresses concern that the deck or a significant portion of the house could collapse, prompting the decision to proceed with demolition. He highlights that it has been more than ample time for a response since Hurricane Ike hit in 2008, given that it is now 2024. Despite this, Knowles is still being offered $150,000 by the state of Texas General Land Office to relocate the property, according to the Galveston City Councilmember.
She has a restricted timeframe of only 60 days before the demolition order is enforced, which means that she needs to quickly come up with a plan to relocate the house.
Yesterday and this morning, I had a conversation with a publicist representing Tina Knowles. According to the publicist, Knowles might be traveling as they have been unable to get in touch with her for a statement.