HOMEOWNERS FOR BETTER BUILDING

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Unhappy Homeowners to Visit Lawmakers
Knowledge and Financial Responsibility are Optional for Home Builders in Texas

Austin, Texas – Disillusioned with the lack of state consumer protection, homeowners with defective homes and supporters from across Texas are seeking significant changes to the industry dominated Texas Residential Construction Commission (TRCC). 

In 2003 Texas Lawmakers passed HB730, the Texas Residential Construction Commission Act (TRCCA) that gave the homebuilding industry its own state agency and the opportunity to self regulate.  Unfortunately, for the past two years the self-serving leadership took advantage from within the agency by dominated rule making, and a statutory warranty and standards.  These actions have given the impression of impropriety by the powerful industry, which reflect negatively on many respected homebuilders in Texas.

“Something needs to change starting with the 9-member ‘foxes in the henhouse commissioners.’  Buyers of new defective homes have long been greatly disadvantaged by RCLA and AAA but now the complex and costly bureaucratic processes of TRCC-SIRP makes it impossible for homeowners to deal with the massiveness of it all or even to understand it,” said Janet Ahmad, National President of HomeOwners for Better Building.
 
TRCC’s Fundamental Flaw – Knowledge and financial responsibility are optional
“The hypocrisy of it all is contained in Chapter 303 of the TRCCA which creates the Texas Star Builder Program that is endorsed and promoted by the Texas Association of Builders. To qualify for the volunteer program a builder must demonstrate knowledge, experience, proof and history of financial responsibility by filing proof of a general liability policy up to $1,000,000.  It sounds great, doesn’t it?  The problem – it is Optional,” said Ahmad.

“The solutions for consumer protection are simple; first would be to require that the Texas Star Builder Program be Mandatory before doing business in Texas.

The second solution; if TRCC is supposed to be so good for homebuyers, it should be Optional for buyers.  Homeowners would welcome a State Sponsored Resolution Process if it was free, voluntary, and effectively enforced,” Ahmad concluded.