Organizing your community to bring public attention to builder’s bad deeds and seeking assistance from local, state and federal elected officials has proven to be more effective and much quicker for thousands of families. You do have choices and alternatives. Janet Ahmad
Complaints against builder illustrate agency's problems Video: Byron Harris reports In one particular instance, people are angry at one homebuilder, Robert Tidwell...It was supposed to be their dream house. More than four years ago, the Partingtons hired Tidwell to build it. They signed over their lot to him; he took months to build a little, then quit. They sued him and won $65,000, but Tidwell never paid them, and they lost everything - the lot and their partially-finished house, where someone else now lives... "This was everything we had, this was everything," Lisa Partington said. "This was our life savings." Three bills to change the TRCC went before the Legislature this session; they all died. One reason might be that the homebuilding industry spent nearly $9 million lobbying in Austin over the last four years. Related Article: The First Cheetum Mark of Distinction, Hall of Shame Award Goes To.... Robert Tidwell. Related article: Cheetum Builder Hall of Shame Award
State Affairs House Committee to regulate homebuilders Broadcasts of Live Coverage State Affairs hearing on HB3404 â 4/18/05 Advance to 4:52.
Of the 502 complaints officially filed with TRCC over the past 15 months â 206 filed for SIRP the dispute esolution however, only 137 were eligible. 365 could not use TRCC if they wanted to. Based on these figures clearly, TRCC is a $2.5 Million state agency that selectively serves a very small portion of the home buying public stuck with defective homes.
Consumers want homebuilder reforms "The TRCC was not created to help the consumers," consumer advocate John Cobarruvias said. "It was created for the builders; it was created by the builders." ...State Rep. Jessica Farrar, D-Houston, has filed a bill that would erase the fee the commission charges consumers to enter complaint resolution, increase builders' registration fees to $500 and require all builders to participate in the Texas Star Builder process to improve quality... There are now more than 18,000 builders registered to construct homes in Texas. The TRCC has denied just eight applications. Video:Byron Harris reports
ATTENTION:TEXAS COMMITTEE HEARING TO REGULATE HOMEBUILDERS
Saturday, 16 April 2005
TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING HB 3404Representative Jessica Farrar Relating to the regulation of and claims against residential home builders. CONTACT: If you can attend or wish to testify -
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Express News: TRCC faces reform
Saturday, 16 April 2005
Builders commision could face reforms Authored by state Rep. Jessica Farrar, D-Houston, House Bill 3404 contains provisions that, if passed, would give homeowners some relief in the state-administered dispute resolution process that critics charge is dominated by the construction industry... "One big concern of mine is that consumer rights are diminished in the current statute," Farrar said. "It is ridiculous that this statute actually regulates consumers (on behalf of) the home building industry."
ATTENTION:TEXAS COMMITTEE HEARING TO REGULATE HOMEBUILDERS
Thursday, 14 April 2005
TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING HB 3404Representative Jessica Farrar Relating to the regulation of and claims against residential home builders. CONTACT: If you can attend or wish to testify -
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COMMITTEE: State Affairs TIME & DATE: 8:00AM, Monday, April 18, 2005 PLACE: Texas Capitol Committee Room: E2.010