Makes me sick. They say KB’s warranty wil cover repairs but whadda wanna bet that the taxpayers will wind up paying in the long run some way some how?
Some excerpts from the article if you don’t want to read it all:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA_011507.01B.saha_foundations.2de63a1.html
As they watch a house in their neighborhood undergo a foundation repair job, residents of the Villas de Fortuna subdivision on the West Side are worried about the structural integrity of their own homes and waiting for help to arrive.
One low-income resident in the San Antonio Housing Authority project has grass growing through her living room floor, and another has new cracks emerging in a garage that’s already been “repaired.”
Fortuna is one of five subdivisions in SAHA’s Mirasol Homes project that drew a firestorm of criticism in 2002 from West Side leaders who claimed the houses were poorly built.
The cracking foundations are raising new questions about SAHA’s management. Residents are asking why their complaints never reached top officials and why agency managers failed to follow a foundation maintenance plan created only two years ago.
The houses in Fortuna, built by KB Home, are under warranty, and no taxpayer money will be used for repairs, said KB spokeswoman Cathy Teague. She did not have an exact cost for the home currently being repaired.
Tenants who no longer want to buy their houses will be moved into public housing at SAHA’s expense, Villalobos said, but will lose the money they accumulated for a down payment because that money can be used only to buy a house.
Taxpayers paid an average of $69,000 for the houses, which now are being sold in the $70,000s.
“Being a cowboy aint all ridin and shootin” – Tim Mooney
Replies
The link doesn't work.
Let's try this one:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA011507.01B.saha_foundations.2de63a1.html
Edited 1/15/2007 7:10 pm ET by Matt
They were having problems in Las Vegas as well. Not prepping the soil compacting etc and the foundations were cracking due to the homes settlling. It was/ is a mess there.
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Thing is that this is just another example of government money being wasted on shoddy cheap construction ostensibly done to help the 'poor' when it really lined somebody elses' pocket and now, eventually, the taxpayers will pick up some of the bill.
KB surely factored in their warranty costs to this deal. now the City of SA is going to have trouble getting their (our) money back even in the long run.
Just another blown wad of tax payer money.
"Being a cowboy aint all ridin and shootin" - Tim Mooney
>>Thing is that this is just another example of government money being wasted on shoddy cheap constructionOr, another way to look at it: this is just another example of unchecked capitalism showing its dark side.Or, maybe more likely, corrupt officials and corrupt suppliers.Or, less "partisan, perhaps, it's example of why the constant pressure to reduce taxes while attempting to provide quality services is a no-win situation.I'd be interested in what our concrete guys would say, but this sounds like the kind of problems that typically the standard building inspection wouldn't find during construction inspections.
What made the teaching of Jesus different and apparently so hard to accept then as now, was that it required a critical reassessment of the structures and values and attitudes of human society as his listeners and followers shared in it.
- Monika K. Hellwig
from Jesus: The Compassion of God (The Liturgical Press, 1983)
I'd be interested in what our concrete guys would say, but this sounds like the kind of problems that typically the standard building inspection wouldn't find during construction inspections.
A building inspector may ask for soil tests any time he deems it "might " be necesary.
Here on a two story dwellng I did ask for soil tests between the footing inspection and pouring . All commercial jobs expect the process.
If a BI knew of such probelms in his area he could infact require tests on any footing below grade. He may ask for any tests he deems necesary.
More of an everyday type of example is to refer structural back to the engineer if somthing is in doubt. That answers the questions and puts the responsebility on the engineer. The BI and the contractor are then clear of any further responsebility.
I think in that area which Ive heard about all the way to AR , why soil tests werent ran. IMO , the BI dropped the ball if they had in fact an inspection process there. I didnt read the article. However , their soil instability is known by several states around.
Tim
Thanks.Bottom line, if the contractor were honest and they process wasn't designed to fail, there shouldn't be problems.Looks lieka "system failure to me, not just a government failure.I try to understand why people scream about taxes and then scream when public services don't perform well.
What made the teaching of Jesus different and apparently so hard to accept then as now, was that it required a critical reassessment of the structures and values and attitudes of human society as his listeners and followers shared in it.
- Monika K. Hellwig
from Jesus: The Compassion of God (The Liturgical Press, 1983)
Maybe it's just me, but I thought the government WAS money from the taxpayers? Surely it's just bad money after bad, but it all sounds like taxpayer dollars to me."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
You're right. It's all taxpayer money. But the idea behind this was to sell the houses to people at low cost and low financing rates backed by tax money.
Eventually, the tax money was going to be recaptured. Doesn't look very likely to me.
"Being a cowboy aint all ridin and shootin" - Tim Mooney
Go back and look at Title 8 housing....another exercise in spending someone else's money...ours!! Similar concept, but a little different twist. Had to do with subsidised rentals. Actually it is more like rent control, now that I think about it."The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is a governmental program" -Ronald Reagan
I've never really been involved in any government funded or subsidized projects like this. I even stay away from HUD rentals on my personal rentals.
Itwould seem that these projects would be inspected maybe a little closer than ususal because they involve so much tax money. But maybe I'm just dreaming.
"Being a cowboy aint all ridin and shootin" - Tim Mooney
I worked for a company that did HUD housing (apartments). As was pointed out, the inspectors dropped the ball on this one, one way or another, particularly if conditions were already know to exist.
The projects I worked on were submitted to local P&Z for approval, who depended on Federal government specification for most design aspects. The one phrase that I saw in specs was "designed to meet local conditions and building codes", agian throwing it back on local authority. Most of the communities I worked in did not have county or city codes that were ammended beyond the state code, and it was a not really standardized untill around 2002 for residential. It was a nightmare to find difinitive language for multi-family dwellings. The whole thing left a lot of room for finger pointing and liability side stepping.
HUD, I beleive depended on the Core of Enginners for most of the "local conditions" information when writing the specs. The ones I saw were of a regional type, and very general in describing things like soil geologey, siezmic, wind, and climate zones, etc., agian leaving a lot of wiggle room for everyone involved.
All that was in the late 70's and early 80's, but it sounds like things haven't changed that much since then.
When are we gonna learn?
Dave
Very good points, DaveRicheson.
One follow up. If this was a privately funded project who would be liable? Overall?
Anyone?
"Being a cowboy aint all ridin and shootin" - Tim Mooney
The projects I worked on were privately funded.
When a community was approved for low a income housing project by HUD it was listed by them. We only bid jobs where the company I worked for owned property and would be the ownwer manager of the project when it was completed. In our case we were 100% liable for everything.
The return on investment came through the revenue stream from subsidized rent. The properties had to be inspected annually to remain in HUD compliance.
Dave
BTW, shouldn't this thread be in the Tavern?
What made the teaching of Jesus different and apparently so hard to accept then as now, was that it required a critical reassessment of the structures and values and attitudes of human society as his listeners and followers shared in it.
- Monika K. Hellwig
from Jesus: The Compassion of God (The Liturgical Press, 1983)
I can see how you might think so since you, evidently, have been trying to steer it toward a political discussion since you first posted in it.
But, it's not a political issue as much as it is an issue involving construction problems in a large scale project funded with government money.
"Being a cowboy aint all ridin and shootin" - Tim Mooney
>>But, it's not a political issueWell, a claim tax dollars are being wasted seems to have some political elements, especially since you point to public housing construction problems and assign, or at least suggest, blame.
Or. perhaps I read too much into your post.
What made the teaching of Jesus different and apparently so hard to accept then as now, was that it required a critical reassessment of the structures and values and attitudes of human society as his listeners and followers shared in it.
- Monika K. Hellwig
from Jesus: The Compassion of God (The Liturgical Press, 1983)
Edited 1/16/2007 5:46 pm ET by rjw
Ther govt has deep pockets :>)
View Image Official Jeff Buck Memorial Tagline "
He never minds slinging a little polijive hash - no matter where or when.
"Being a cowboy aint all ridin and shootin" - Tim Mooney
No, you're just up to your usual trolling for political arguments.
You haven't cahnged a bit, BOB.
"Being a cowboy aint all ridin and shootin" - Tim Mooney
Let's keep our cool guys. This last comment is borderline personal attack intrepidcat, and unprovoked, to boot.Justin Fink - FHB Editorial
Your Friendly Neighborhood Moderator
Thanks, Justin.
"Being a cowboy aint all ridin and shootin" - Tim Mooney