A retired teacher has decided to relocate from Florida to a rustic cabin in rural Maine, citing unsustainable home insurance costs exacerbated by climate change. Ted Borduas, 58, who taught in Naples for 26 years, purchased an off-grid property in Chesterville, near Farmington, where he plans to move this summer.
Borduas describes himself as a climate refugee, as increased flooding in Florida pushed his homeowner's insurance premiums to over 12 percent of his income. 'That's just not sustainable, so I listed my home,' he told the Bangor Daily News. 'Insurance costs are just through the roof and I understand it's because storms are becoming more powerful and more frequent.'
The cabin, bought through realtor Crystal DesRoberts, includes an outhouse and a wood stove but no electricity or running water. Borduas intends to install solar panels and a rainwater collection system. He envisions the 432-square-foot lodge as a haven from the hurricanes and flood threats that plagued his Florida home.
Borduas' annual insurance fees surged from approximately $2,400 to nearly $10,000 in six years due to worsening climate conditions. 'Whether we agree on whether climate change is human-caused or a natural cycle, the undeniable reality is that it's happening,' he said. 'We have to prepare for it on a local and state level and I haven't seen that happening.'
Originally from Portland, Maine, Borduas moved to Florida with his wife in 1992, where they raised three children. Now retired, he looks forward to returning to his home state and exploring Acadia National Park. 'I love cold weather and snow, so I'm looking forward to the changing seasons and that first cold, crisp fall day,' he said. 'All these little things that I grew up with and have missed for so long - I'm dying to get back up there.'
His long-term plan is to build his own home with help from his cousin, using the cabin as transitional housing. Borduas is part of a growing movement of climate refugees leaving once-desirable U.S. areas overcome by flood risks.
Similarly, Texas couple Shawn and Sarah Good moved to Bangor, Maine, in late April to escape climate impacts. 'We were facing our fourth catastrophic event in five years and nobody was doing anything to address it,' Shawn told the Bangor Daily News. They grappled with extreme heat, tornadoes, and ice storms in Texas.
California natives James and Ellie Holden relocated to Vermont with their children in 2022 after their home was destroyed by the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise. 'I felt excited to go to a new place and be out of the fire place,' said their 10-year-old daughter Soraya.
Climate change is reshaping American migration patterns. A 2024 Zillow report found 80% of Americans consider climate risks when searching for a home, while a Forbes study showed 30% of homeowners moved due to climate change. Dr. Jeremy Porter of the First Street Foundation noted, 'Over the past five years, people have really started to pay attention to the climate data as something that impacts their moves.'
