Central Texas Chapter of the World Future Society
Raising awareness of the future and its impact on Central Texas
The future of home building in Texas?
Homeowners of Texas, Inc. (www.HomeownersOfTexas.org) is a new non-profit that I’m working with through its early stages, helping with strategy, IT support, and website design. I hope you’ll check us out and get involved if you can.
Our vision includes uniting the various interested parties to develop regulatory reforms that protect consumers and also elevate the respect (and profit) of builders and remodelers. Others that will benefit from such reforms include the construction trades, realtors, insurance and warranty companies, and the neighborhoods and communities that will see their tax base rise with property values.
We’re working to reform the $35 Billion per year homebuilding industry, arguing against the powerful lobby interests of a few big builders. According to LobbyWatch, some $4 Billion was contributed to the politicians who will decide the fate of the TRCC (Texas Residential Construction Commission), a state agency that does more harm than good and has been called a builder-protection agency.
The campaign contributions include $649K to Governor Rick Perry and $223K to Sunset Advisory Commission members. Houston homebuilder Bob Perry gave the most – $2.8 Million, including $260K to all 9 members of the Texas Supreme Court, a court that notoriously favors builders over homeowners and has caused Texas attorneys to turn down cases against builders.
By providing builder registration and a cumbersome inspection process but no real regulatory oversight, the TRCC functions more like a “builder-protection agency,” and the staff report produced in a recent Sunset review recommended abolishing it. That won’t likely happen, but we do have an opportunity to FIX it, and that’s where you can get involved.
One proposal is to license builders, remodelers and the construction trades they hire. Currently, the electricians and plumbers are licensed, as are your hairdresser, tow truck operator and tattoo artist. But builders, foundation workers, framers, roofers, and swimming pool installers are not.
Another proposal is a Lemon Law for homes like the Lemon Law for cars. Builders who can’t fix major defects after reasonable attempts would have to buy back the house.
Our vision includes uniting the various interested parties to develop regulatory reforms that protect consumers and also elevate the respect (and profit) of builders and remodelers. Others that will benefit from such reforms include the construction trades, realtors, insurance and warranty companies, and the neighborhoods and communities that will see their tax base rise with property values.
We’re working to reform the $35 Billion per year homebuilding industry, arguing against the powerful lobby interests of a few big builders. According to LobbyWatch, some $4 Billion was contributed to the politicians who will decide the fate of the TRCC (Texas Residential Construction Commission), a state agency that does more harm than good and has been called a builder-protection agency.
The campaign contributions include $649K to Governor Rick Perry and $223K to Sunset Advisory Commission members. Houston homebuilder Bob Perry gave the most – $2.8 Million, including $260K to all 9 members of the Texas Supreme Court, a court that notoriously favors builders over homeowners and has caused Texas attorneys to turn down cases against builders.
By providing builder registration and a cumbersome inspection process but no real regulatory oversight, the TRCC functions more like a “builder-protection agency,” and the staff report produced in a recent Sunset review recommended abolishing it. That won’t likely happen, but we do have an opportunity to FIX it, and that’s where you can get involved.
One proposal is to license builders, remodelers and the construction trades they hire. Currently, the electricians and plumbers are licensed, as are your hairdresser, tow truck operator and tattoo artist. But builders, foundation workers, framers, roofers, and swimming pool installers are not.
Another proposal is a Lemon Law for homes like the Lemon Law for cars. Builders who can’t fix major defects after reasonable attempts would have to buy back the house.
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