Web Extra: Don't be a sitting duck for costly roofing scams
Well, the Defenders found out that politics and special interests have made Texas a roofing scammers paradise. Texas is the only Gulf Coast state that doesn’t license roofers. Alex Winslow runs Texas Watch, a consumer watchdog group. He says making licensing the law would make roofers behave. “Accountability for roofing, is slim and none as it stands today.” ...every time a roofing licensing law has been introduced in the past five years, Fuentes says, he and his lobbyists went to work. Like in 2005 when the last version of the law came up—meeting with this man—Representative Kino Flores, Chair of the House Committee on Licensing.

Residents: Agency Didn't Protect Against Shoddy Contractors
Some residents are claiming that the state agency in charge of protecting homeowners knew of problems with two local contractors but did very little until it was too late. The I-Team met with other homeowners who said they were victimized by contractors Robert Scott Huff and/or Greg Haigis. The men are affiliated with Bay Area Design and Build and Arundel Home Connections... "I went down to their desk and told them this is a medical issue. My wife can't get up and down the stairs. My wife can't handle this. You guys have got to get going on this," Artale said. Artale's wife, Linda, died just before the work was supposed to be completed.

Court ruling may create loophole in defective home construction cases
A state Supreme Court ruling last week has some area lawyers worried the court has created a loophole that could lead to more property owners building their own homes to skirt responsibility for defects... The case worked its way up to the Supreme Court, which ruled against Smith. The court said that since Breedlove was not a professional and had not planned to sell the house, he has no obligation to honor a warranty on the home. Breedlove had never previously been employed in the construction industry nor done business as a general contractor, the documents said.

N. Idaho woman with sinking home sues builder
The owner of a slowly collapsing northern Idaho house built over landfill that includes decaying animal bones, tree stumps and other trash has filed a lawsuit against the builder, who in turn has filed a suit against the company that sold the land. "I want to be paid back everything it's costing me to get this house into livable condition," Margaret Cultice, the homeowner, told the Coeur d'Alene Press. "Dealing with all this is a nightmare."

New Home Woes: Shoddy Construction - Elizabeth Leamy reporting
Complaints about home builders increased more than 50 percent in five years Two million brand new homes built a year and 90% of buyers say they are happy; but if you do the math that means that 200,000 new homeowners are not happy. Jerry Howard with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) said and few as 80% of homeowners are happy. Doing the math that would mean that  as many as 400,000 new homeowners are not happy.  Consumer complaints about builders have gone up by 50% according to the Better Business Bureau.  Structurally unsound, leaking water, undersized, are examples on problems... Cross out Mandatory Binding Arbitration Clauses in the contract they deny you the right to sue your builder in a court of law. 

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HUD in turmoil as secretary resigns
The Bush administration's top housing official, under criminal investigation and intense pressure from Democratic critics, announced Monday he is quitting. Jackson, 62, has been fending off allegations of cronyism and favoritism involving HUD contractors for the past two years. The FBI has been examining the ties between Jackson and a friend who was paid $392,000 by Jackson's department as a construction manager in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

Democratic Precinct Caucus passes Resolutions to Establish a Home Lemon Law and Amend The Federal Arbitration Act 
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED: That the Democratic Party in order to protect consumers when purchasing a new home has the same rights afforded new car buyers and supports passage of a Home Lemon Law...That the Democratic Party in order to protect consumers and their constitutional rights supports and recommends the amendment of the Federal Arbitration Act. Use examples to submit Resolutions to your Democrat or Republican Caucuses

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Senior citizens living in 'deplorable' conditions
Our senior citizens: You would hope they would be treated with dignity and respect- especially during a time of need. However, an 11 News investigation has found thousands of them may be living in what some call “deplorable” and even dangerous conditions all across Houston.

Despite $92,000 income, couple got federal aid to build 5,300-square-foot house
The money came from a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development program to build low-cost homes for low-income tribal members... This enormous house was one of 18 built for Tulalip-reservation residents under the HUD program. Most of them are large enough to blend into any upscale suburban subdivision. Although none of the others is as big as the Gobin-Alva house, several are over 2,000 square feet and as big as 3,000 square feet, and three have three-car garages...If they had had it built, like any other middle-income couple, they would have paid upward of $400,000,...The deal with Leslie ensures they won't pay more than $214,000. Read More...