Lemons, a Sweet Victory for Homeowner 
June 15, 2005 

It was a sweet twist of lemon for the 27-year-old Heather Michelson who was smiling after she and the Builder/Homeowners Assoc. signed an agreement in Judge Block's Courtroom.  "I am very happy," said Michelson.  Supporters and legislative representatives showed up for a HomeOwners for Better Building press conference at the Harris Country Courthouse where Heather Michelson representing herself was victorious. "The builder agreed to wave all attorney fees and court cost if I agreed not to paint anymore lemons on the windows of my condo.  Now I can concentrate on the loss of my condo and the fraud that was involved when I bought it," said Michelson.

Angry resident paints giant lemons on her condo's windows in protest
ABC13 Eyewitness News
(6/15/05 - HOUSTON) — A homeowner has found an unusual way to speak out against her homebuilder...Heather Michelson headed to court over large yellow lemons painted on the window of her quarter million dollar Montrose condo. It was art -- and a statement. "The only voice I had," she said. "I put lemons up and I moved out." ... "I had bloody noses at night, nauseous, dementia," recalled Michelson. "I was fatigued. I'd sleep for 18 hours a day." The symptoms, she says, disappeared when she moved out... Janet Ahmad with Homeowners for Better Building explained, "Anyone can be a builder in Texas. But only in Texas are the home builders unregulated and the buyer is regulated."

In Nevada - NV State Contractors Board online  - If a builders license is revoked and the problem is not fixed, the homeowner can make a claim under the residential recovery fund.  The fund will pay the homeowner their actual damages to get the problem fixed.  The fund can pay up to $35,000 per homeowner. But the resident could still choose to sue.