Is it really the time to grant a pay raise?
Last week, two commissioners appearing before the Senate Finance Committee, proposed a pay raise for their executive director, Duane Waddill, which would boost his annual salary from the current $98,000 to as much as $125,880. Some people don’t get it.  Remember, this is the agency, now under sunset review, that some legislators and many consumer advocates want to abolish because of complaints that it has been little more than a lap dog for home builders...“This agency is really a trap for homeowners. The reality of it is it’s a failure,” said Sen. Juan Hinojosa, D-McAllen.

Lawmaker Blasts Push for Pay Hike for Residential Construction Official
"Quite frankly, I was both surprised and disturbed that the board members of the Texas Residential Construction Commission would ask to increase Mr. Waddill’s salary at a time when the public and the legislature have lost confidence in the Commission to adequately protect those you are entrusted to serve Texas homeowners," Hegar wrote. As you are well aware, the Sunset Advisory Commission's staff recommended abolishment of the Commission.

Builder barred from industry
A state commission on Wednesday banned Jarrell homebuilder Pete Stucky from working in the residential construction industry for his lifetime. The Texas Residential Construction Commission said Stucky and his affiliates victimized dozens of homeowners when he failed to make repairs that were under warranty and hid the fact some properties he built and sold had liens against them. And folks who bought Stucky’s homes who have warranty problems have nowhere to go for redress.

Builder Banned for life
Banned for life. Pete Stucky can build no more in the lone star state. The Texas Residential Construction Commission approved the ban against Stucky and his business Affiliates LLC. Stucky's legal troubles are far from over... He was arrested late last year on misdemeanor perjury charges accused of signing legal documents saying there were no unpaid debts on several houses he built. Investigators told us Stucky admitted he signed the documents knowing it was false. His case is expected to go before a Williamson County grand jury next week.

Another TRCC Closure: Defective Choice Home Sold on the Auction Block
“I bought a defective home built by a builder that is not licensed and wired by an unlicensed electrician.  I was stuck with a house that could not be insured, that I couldn’t live in or sell.  I got no help from the City of Princeton or the State ‘Builder’s Protection Agency’ TRCC.   I can’t sue the builder because of a binding arbitration clause or any of there subs, yet the builder somehow has a gag order on me so I won’t tell any of the other homeowners what has happened.   So… welcome to Texas … my dream went down the toilet when my house was sold on the auction block,” said Cam Taylor.  See new construction in Princeton Texas...Homebuilding Texas Style

Smoke and Mirrors of the Homebuilding Industry and its Texas Residential Construction Commission (TRCC)
Texas is the birth place of tort reform, the “builders right-to-repair”, which came about in the 90 's  It was the brain child of David Weekley (Texans for Law Suit Reform),  Bob Perry, and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Their aim was to broadly limit liability for defectively built homes by limiting builder warranty responsibility and limit their liability under the Deceptive Trade Practice (DTPA). In 2006, the State Comptrollers office called for the abolishment of TRCC when it found that 86% of homeowners who confirmed defects in their homes through TRCC did not get their homes repaired. Recently, the Sunset Commission Staff Review found that 88% of homeowners were left with legal disputes and called for the abolishment of TRCC. Read more...

Homebuilders TRCC -Tom Archer President, Homeowners of Texas Inc.
The editorial states that the Sunset Advisory Commission "voted to give the construction commission greater authority to revoke or suspend a builder's license." The term "license" is a misnomer because Texas, unlike 28 other states, does not require homebuilders to be licensed. Unfortunately, Texas only requires builders to be "registered" with the Texas Residential Construction Commission. Consequently, unqualified and unscrupulous homebuilders frequently enter the profession because the TRCC requires only that a registered builder to be 18 years old, a "trustworthy" Texas resident and legally able to work in the United States. Texans who buy a used car have far more consumer protections than Texans who buy a new home. As recommended by the Sunset Commission staff, the TRCC should be abolished to protect the public. In addition, all construction trades should be licensed and held financially and legally accountable to Texas homeowners.

Homeowner protection needed
The Texas Sunset Commission missed the boat when it failed to support the elimination of the Texas Residential Construction Commission. It is long past time for the Legislature to create a real agency to protect the Texas public as most other states have done. The honest, qualified and reputable builders have nothing to lose by supporting the creation of a real regulatory agency.