A bit of shortsightedness on the part of Housing Summit planners – “Building Communities on Solid Foundations”

Recently, San Antonio, the nations 8th largest city, hosted a Housing Summit entitled; “Building Communities on Solid Foundations”.  The summit featured guest speaker Henry Cisneros, ex-secretary of HUD and builder.
 

Choosing the captivating theme “Building Communities on Solid Foundations” for a housing summit seemed ideal for a growing city.  So, why was there all the giggling going on over the title in private discussions during the summit?  The theme, while well intentioned, was undoubtedly ill-conceived since San Antonio foundation restoration companies are flourishing as the result of a pandemic of newer homes in need of serious foundation repairs.

HomeOwners for Better Building ( HOBB ) arranged for an exhibit booth at the summit to distribute educational materials that address the important issues facing new homebuyers today. Among the materials available was a newly revised HOBB brochure titled, â€œA New Home Buyer’s Introduction to the Texas Building Industry” – A guide to help future buyers understand the pitfalls of purchasing a new home and the lack of consumer protection in Texas .

The guide provides information on the injustice of mandatory binding arbitration; “Mold Facts and Insurance” and how insurance rates continue to skyrocket leaving many homeowners without mold coverage and the inability to find affordable insurance.  It outlines HOBB ’s 2007 legislative goals of licensing homebuilders, and to overhaul the failed Texas Residential Construction Commission (TRCC), or perhaps the passage of a Home Lemon Law and the need to restore confidence in new home buying.

Videos and other information provided evidence of the lack of adequate enforcement of building codes and city inspections, and showed easily recognizable evidence that homes are not being built on ‘Solid Foundations’, and is a serious problem throughout the state.

The grand finale of the summit was San Antonio City Council member’s Roger O. Flores, Sheila D. McNeil, Delicia Herrera conducting a Roundtable Discussion.  Expressing her concern that the city is not building communities on ‘Solid Foundations,’ Councilwoman Herrera, speaking as an elected official, as well as a builder, vividly described the defective building going on within the city and how hard it is to find homes built on solid foundations these days.

So, who would have ever though that the perfect theme for a Housing Summit – “Building Communities on Solid Foundations” would result in moments of humor and embarrassment for the city?

Next time forget catchy themes.  A better plan should begin with enforcement of strict building standards that would assure San Antonio families that their new homes are truly built …on solid foundations.