U.S. attorney asks FBI to evaluate builder certifications
An assistant U.S. attorney in San Antonio has asked the local office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to evaluate complaints from some residents of two neighborhoods that their builders “defrauded federal agencies,” according to a letter obtained by the Express-News on Monday.

FBI asked to "evaluate" neighborhood complaints
The FBI could soon be getting involved by looking at problems in two different neighborhoods. People in the Fairhaven neighborhood in Schertz have complained about alleged faulty foundations and in the Stablewood Farms neighborhood, people have complained about sink holes and cracks in their homes.

Pulte's Laurin Darnell misleads homeowners saying community is safe
The day after a large retaining wall collapsed at The Hills of Rivermist in San Antonio, Centex Homes held a private meeting with residents. Outsiders, including city officials, weren’t invited.  We received a video of the entire meeting, which shows Centex claimed that the neighborhood was safe because city firefighters were leaving.  UNTRUE!  City officials upset.... See Video Report   Feature page - Pulte-Centex Rivermist Wall

Fairness for Fairhaven NOW
Pulte Homes is facing homeowner complaints of shifting foundations and retaining wall cracks — again. This time, it's in the Fairhaven neighborhood just northeast of San Antonio. Dozens of homes in the neighborhood have had problems, everything from cracks in the walls to foundations that appear to be splitting horizontally. Some residents say they are noticing cracks starting in a retaining wall that runs along their backyards. Pulte is the parent company of Centex Homes, which in early 2010 saw a rock-clad retaining wall fail in spectacular fashion.See Facebook Photos

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Pulte Homes Reschedules Official City Council Meeting
Pulte made a last minute request to change the date of the schedule meeting before the Clermont City Council.  Pulte took matters into their own hands and placed their own signs with their own dates.  See Pulte Sign Notice.

Angry Schertz homeowners decry lack of progress
In the Fairhaven subdivision in Schertz, the faults are readily apparent in this Pulte-built community: cracking walls, sidewalks, driveways and more."We have let them in our house multiple times to fix our problems and now ... my foundation is patched,” Hollestelle said. “They call it fixed."... Janet Ahmad, of Homeowners for Better Building, said builders are not held accountable for mistakes. "They get nothing when they build a bad house,” Ahmad said. “They don't get a ticket, they don't lose their license.

U.S. Battles Home Builder Over Pay Probe
The Labor Department has stepped up pressure on PulteGroup Inc. in what has become a nasty battle between the Michigan-based home builder and the Obama administration over an investigation into the housing industry's pay practices. The department filed a petition in federal district court in Michigan on Feb. 28 seeking to compel Pulte to produce thousands of records related to its employees and subcontractors, as requested in a subpoena it sent the company last year. ...Federal officials issued the subpoena as part of a broader investigation into pay practices of at least five national home-building companies. Related article: U.S. Hits Builders With Pay Probe       Pulte Homes Under U.S. Labor Dept. Investigation
The Boston Global: Pulte Homes contractors fined for failing to pay workers and taxes    

Residents fear another retaining wall disaster
Residents living in the Fairhaven subdivision have been asking builder Pulte to buy back their homes for awhile now. They told News 4 WOAI they are concerned a retaining wall in their neighborhood could come tumbling down. "I feel this is unsafe, the wall is already starting to separate, " said homeowner Bruce Touve. Neighbors said the cracks and separation along the retaining walls isn't sitting well with them.

Fairhaven residents: Dream home a nightmare; Pulte should pay
“The last thing we need is to have this wall come crumbling down into our bedroom," Mendoza says. “I wake up in the middle of the night. I wake up in the morning thinking about it.”  Related photos: Building Pulte Walls with no Foundation

Homeowners seeking vote on builders rules

Some homeowners are calling for a ballot measure that would require builders to post surety bonds on every new home. The Schertz proposal would require home builders to post a $25,000 surety bond to cover home repairs if a builder did not address the problems. Homeowners hope to gather 925 signatures, enough to get the proposal on the May ballot.They estimate that of 210 homes in Phases II and III of the Fairhaven neighborhood, 70 have reported problems. More than 40 residents have asked the builder to buy back their homes. Baldwin said the city is willing to talk about changing ordinances. And he said he's sympathetic to the idea of a home lemon law. That's something the advocacy group Homeowners for Better Building, which is advising some of the Fairhaven owners, has been fighting for in Austin.  Related Features: Pulte Homes Foundation