Cincinnati Enquirer
Hammer home-builder fraud
Two pairs of local white-collar criminals are prison-bound for similar fraud schemes that ripped off banks and home buyers. Bankers John Finnan and Marc Menne were sentenced Tuesday in federal court in Covington to 63 and 54 months respectively for their roles in the $30 million Erpenbeck home-building fraud. Eleven days earlier, Fairfield home builder Chester Calkins and his wife, Antonette, pleaded guilty to a similar $5 million scam.

Cincinnati Enquirer

Builder awaits fraud sentence
Calkins case reminds many of Erpenbeck
A Fairfield home builder is awaiting sentencing for bank fraud in a case reminiscent of the Erpenbeck scandal that rocked the region. Federal prosecutors say Chester Calkins and his wife, Antonette, did not pay off construction loans on 47 condominiums purchased with cash… It is unclear what sent Chester Calkins, who was president of the Greater Cincinnati Home Builders Association in 2000, into financial collapse. The company is in bankruptcy, and Calkins has been convicted of writing bad checks in Ohio.

Frisco Enterprise
Attorneys for city and TBYR volley legalities
"The Beckas hereby make a formal legal demand that at the next city council meeting, on or before Feb. 8, 2005, that you officially place the two Take Back Your Rights charter amendments on the May 2005 election ballot," wrote Fred Lewis, an Austin-based attorney representing the group headed by Frisco orthodontist Dr. David Becka. "The law is clear that you are required to put the amendments on the May 2005 ballot and failure to do so is a violation of your non-discretionary duties," Lewis wrote. Lewis is the leader of government watchdog groups called "Campaign for the People and "Clean Up Texas Politics." He said he is offering his services to TBYR pro bono, free of charge.

Star-Telegram Austin Bureau
Watchdogs: Donor cash tilts state laws
It's supposed to be the American dream, but owning a home can be a nightmare in Texas because builders have used millions in campaign cash to tilt state laws in their favor, a coalition of watchdog groups said Monday. At issue is a 2003 law that established the Texas Residential Construction Commission, strongly supported by home-building interests, which contributed some $9 million to state candidates and political entities between 2001 and 2004…

HOBB Commentary:
Don’t you just love the Texas Assoc. of Builders comments on TRCC? Isn't this like putting expensive lipstick on a pig.
See the comments by Kristi Sutterfield , director of the Texas Association of Builders, attempting to defend the builder’s slaughter of home buyer protection and rights. Sutterfield said, “ the law actually enhances homeowner protections by setting a uniform, state-imposed warranty... She also said the residential construction commission is resolving complaints quickly…”
The homebuilding industry can continue to fool the people with shoddy building practices most of the time but not all of the people, no matter the shade of the lipstick on TRCC.  Bad will be bad, no matter the cosmetic fix.

Dallas Morning News: Special Report

Home buyers wary of agency
Some consumer groups, others say TRCC doesn't aid consumers enough
Since its creation in September 2003, unhappy homeowners and consumer groups have criticized the agency for doing little to help buyers, because it can't force builders to make repairs. And they say the agency's passage this month of new building standards allows for shoddy construction, not a guarantee of quality work... Consumer groups say the agency is biased toward the building industry because commissioners and most agency leaders have backgrounds in construction or real estate. They say builders have won their influence in the Legislature from both parties by blanketing them with political donations.

Associated Press: Highlights Monday from the Texas Legislature
Homebuilders contributed at least $8.9 million the past four years to state leaders and legislators and along the way won passage in 2003 of a bill that diminishes homeowners' rights, two watchdog groups said Monday.