Comptroller blasts building agency The Texas Residential Construction Commission is acting as a "builder protection agency" and has no power to force home builders to repair construction defects in new houses, Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn said Monday... "For these reasons, if it were up to me personally, I would blast this Texas Residential Construction Commission off the bureaucratic books," Strayhorn said...Home builders praise the law for establishing standards and warranties for home construction and creating a dispute-resolution process. Consumer advocates say it makes home buyers pay fees to file a complaint and limits their legal recourse.
Comptroller blasts building agencyBy KELLEY SHANNON Jan. 24, 2006 THE ASSOCIATED PRESSAUSTIN - The Texas Residential Construction Commission is acting as a "builder protection agency" and has no power to force home builders to repair construction defects in new houses, Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn said Monday. The agency, formed by legislators in 2003, is also shifting most of the money it collects back to the state budget rather than spending it carrying out its mission, she said. The comptroller's office released a report Monday on the commission. "For these reasons, if it were up to me personally, I would blast this Texas Residential Construction Commission off the bureaucratic books," Strayhorn said. Duane Waddill, executive director of the commission, said he will prepare a formal response to Strayhorn's report. But his initial reaction is that he finds audits valuable. Home builders praise the law for establishing standards and warranties for home construction and creating a dispute-resolution process. Consumer advocates say it makes home buyers pay fees to file a complaint and limits their legal recourse. A comptroller's survey found that 86 percent of homeowners questioned said their builders failed to repair home-construction defects, even after going through the state inspection and resolution process. The comptroller's office researched the commission's activities after receiving a request from Rep. Todd Smith, R-Euless. A Texas Association of Builders official said some of Strayhorn's statements were more "bombastic" than recommendations in her report. The report suggests ways to improve the commission, said Jay Dyer, a builders. http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/business/13698828.htm |