Texas Sunset Commission votes not to abolish homebuilding agency, says it must resolve complaints faster
The Texas Sunset Commission voted Tuesday not to abolish the state's much-maligned homebuilding agency but said it must do a better job settling homeowner complaints...Under current law, a homebuilder cannot be forced to make any repairs and a homeowner cannot take a builder to arbitration or court until a resolution process is complete.The action falls short of a staff recommendation that the housing agency be abolished because it has become a boon to homebuilders. Critics say the agency effectively discourages homeowners from redressing their complaints by mandating they go through a bureaucracy that has no authority to fix their problems before taking their complaints to court.

Express-News Capitol Update
The next test for the embattled Texas Residential Construction Commission comes Tuesday, when the Sunset Advisory Commission will decide whether to endorse a staff recommendation that the Legislature abolish the agency....Ten of the 12 members of the Sunset Advisory Commission are legislators, and, as I reported a few months ago, Perry has given those 10 more than $400,000 during their legislative careers. Hegar has received $64,500 from Perry, most of it during his first Senate race in 2006. Hegar said Perry's money won't affect his decision... When asked what he would do if the TRCC's future were up to him alone, Hegar stopped short of abolishing the agency. “I would probably get rid of the board and get rid of everybody and start all over from scratch,” he said.

Watchdog: TRCC called 'unfixable’
The Watchdog always keeps one paw on the Texas Residential Construction Commission, which, as we reported this summer, was recommended for extinction by the staff of the state Sunset Advisory Commission. This week, a Texans for Public Justice study said the 10 lawmakers on the sunset panel accepted a total of $223,000 in campaign contributions from home builders in the past three years. Throughout their legislative careers, the same 10 received $446,000 from major builder Bob Perry of Houston. Perry is considered one of the prime backers of the TRCC, and one of his top aides was appointed to the commission’s board by Gov. Rick Perry.

See Video of Sunset Commission Hearing
Click on 9/23/2008 Hearing on TRCC Staff Report begins at 3 hours and 45 minutes. TRCC Agency & Builders testimony 4:42.  Consumer testimony starts at about 9:40.

Sun Never Sets On Politicians Taking Homebuilder Money
Consumer and homeowner groups support the Sunset staff’s recent recommendation to scrap the agency because it adds insults to the injuries of those who buy lemon homes...It will be difficult for the legislature and the state’s two top officials to view this sunset objectively. Apart from working with the homebuilding industry to create the TRCC five years ago, these officials have taken almost $4 million from the industry in the past three years...The 10 lawmakers on the Sunset Advisory Commission took a total of $223,050 from homebuilders in this period. See full report on Builder Money Flow

Homeowners Written Testimony Received by the Sunset Commission 
Read testimony