FBI asked to "evaluate" neighborhood complaints

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Reported by: Lauren Lea

Email: LaurenLea@woaitv.com

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Published: 6/11/2012 8:41 pm

Updated: 6/12/2012 6:40 am

SAN ANTONIO- 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.

News 4 WOAI obtained a copy of a letter that was hand-delivered from Assistant U.S Attorney Bud Paulissen to the FBI. The letter, dated June 7, asks for the FBI to evaluate neighbors' complaints that their home builders "defrauded federal agencies." The complainants allege "that the land was know [sic] to the builders to be unsuitable at the time of the certifications." Paulissen also asks Special Agent Ozzie Alaniz to contact the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General to see if they will "participate in this inquiry."

An FBI spokesperson would not comment on the letter and would not confirm or deny the existence of any investigation.

A spokesperson for Fairhaven home builder Pulte Homes said:
"Pulte has not been contacted by either of these agencies, nor are we aware of any inquiry. Pulte has already completed repairs on several of the homes in the community and continues to resolve the remaining issues at Fairhaven."

A spokesperson for Stablewood Farms home builder D.R. Horton said:
"We have not seen the referenced letter, so we cannot comment specifically on it; however, D.R. Horton purchased the finished lots in Stablewood Farms from a developer over a decade after the waste water treatment plant closed. It is documented in the closing reports furnished by the developer...In response to questions in the summer of 2011 from a few concerned homeowners, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protection Agency initiated investigations. D.R. Horton assisted in those investigations by providing information we obtained from the developer and the owner of the treatment plant. Based on the investigation, both the TCEQ and the EPA advised D.R. Horton last year that they had closed their files on this matter with no recommendations or suggestions for any changes or remediation."

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The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of News 4 WOAI (WOAI.com)

HollyHoly - 6/13/2012 12:05 PM

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@pump, yes you were working in a nice closed building not out in the 100 degree heat day after day after day and on weekends and holidays. So I still stand by my assesment that Americans will not do this type of work.

PEretired - 6/13/2012 10:57 AM

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The crack in the slab and woman in the video say it all. Madam, I feel sorry for you; but, don’t feel bad—I have a civil engineering degree, and worked for more than 40 years in construction before I retired. I was a licensed professional engineer in 8 states and the District of Columbia. I, too, made the same mistake of entering into a contract with Pulte Homes to build me a house. More on that later. Pulte says that they’re “fixing” houses in Fairhaven. How are they going to “fix” the crack in your slab? The fact is that they can’t. It’s like Humpty Dumpty—“all the king’s horses, and all the king’s men, couldn’t put Humpty together again”. Once unreinforced concrete cracks, like your slab did, there’s no “fixing” it. Build a house on a broken foundation, and you’ve got a broken house—forever. Back to my story. My buddy and I both signed contracts with Pulte to build us houses. When I was in my buddy’s attic one day I saw valley trusses that I could have kicked off the main roof trusses. (This is in a coastal area where the building code requires that houses be capable of withstanding a 130 mph wind.) Needless to say, I was alarmed. Came to find out that Pulte had decided to substitute (2) nails for hurricane clips. The problem was, among other things, that most of the connections in my buddy’s house had either one nail or no nails. In the few that had two nails, many were driven in split wood. Others missed their target completely. Others were shorter than the specs called for. When I entered into a contract with Pulte Homes to build my house, I expected them to build it to the normal standard of care. They didn’t. As a result, I am the victim of fraud, just like you are. In fact, MANY people have been defrauded by Pulte Homes. The problem is that they don't speak out publicly about the problem. As a result, how are unsuspecting folks (like us) supposed to know? I hope that the FBI nails Pulte Homes (excuse the pun).

Jim3741 - 6/13/2012 4:46 AM

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This is what happens when you build houses on top of "Fill". Valley Forge has a lot of these foundation problems, those are old Ray Ellison homes. Most of the homes with foundation problems use Torsion foundations, this was a new method back when Valley Forge was built. The problem in these subdivisions in this story is most of them were built up using Fill dirt and waste. I remember driving past those areas and the signs "Fill dirt Wanted". They use it to level the area then throw 4 to 6 inches of clean dirt on it to finish it off before they put out the Grass Pallets. The problem with this process is that it shifts over time because a few months of going over it with a roller, if that is used, doesn't really compact it properly to stand up over time. Never buy a home that is built on top of "Fill" the foundation will eventually fail or shift and then your in for more problems.

Guest - 6/13/2012 1:05 AM

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my 2 cents, I am an American and not fat and lazy, I tried construction work years ago as a young adult, only to learn they rip off construction workers as much as they rip off clients. They promise to pay the workers but find ways to charge fees, they would say all the work you did the previous day mysteriously fell apart and in the middle of the night they had to go back and fix the damages which comes out of your paycheck (totally lying obviously). Americans will do the work but need honest pay for honest work. I suspect a lot of the cheap seasonal labor from Mexico is probably getting lied to all the time as well but feel they can't report it or don't know how because they don't speak English.

PEretired - 6/12/2012 5:29 PM

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@1pumpchump who was watching when you were painting those cars? the company? Federal government inspectors? others? all of the above? who was checking the work when Pulte was building houses at Fairhaven? Pulte? no. Federal government inspectors? no. state (Texas) inspectors? no. Schertz inspectors? maybe; but, they apparently don't know foundation problems when they're right there in front of them. And, we're not talking about a finish coat of paint--we're talking foundations. It's like putting retreads on a new car and passing them off as new onto unsuspecting purchasers. And, now Schertz's mayor and council is saying that they don't have any responsiblity--it's all on the homeowners--"caveat emptor" ("let the buyer beware"). You're right, 1pumpchump, residential construction is a dirty business (excuse the pun), and it's ordinary citizens who are getting screwed. Why? because nobody's minding the store.

210bro - 6/12/2012 5:24 PM

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ahhhh, join the club shertz. everyone has foundation problems in this part of texas. you're just looking for a scapegoat to cover your losses. those houses went up during the housing bubble, and now that it's popped you want $$$. Too bad, so sad, you been had. In the mean time you need to pay your property tax for all those shiny new schools.

1pumpchump - 6/12/2012 4:18 PM

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Look, all builders put the cheapest crap in new homes, charge the most money, & screw the homeowners. They've already spent the money. Good luck gettin it back. Construction is a dirty business, & I ain't talking about sawdust. & Miss HollyHoly, I spent 7 years painting cars on an Auto Assembly line. Ford, GM, Toyota. Painted 58 1/2 cars an hour by hand. Yeah, Americans will do it, but they ain't going to be pimped out by Obamma, Madoff, or any other crook.

PEretired - 6/12/2012 3:33 PM

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@1pumpchump are you saying that Pulte isn't responsible? Pulte hires the subcontractors and it's Pulte's name on the sales contract. It's Pulte's. Do you think that Mercedes checks their subs' work? You bet they do--because it's Mercedes' name that's on the car--and Mercedes cares about what they put their name on. Pulte doesn't check their subs' work. That's why Pulte houses are falling apart.

HollyHoly - 6/12/2012 3:21 PM

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@Chump, respectable wage, do you really believe the Americans will do this type of work for a respectable wage? If you do then I have ocean front property in Iowa you can buy....comprende!

1pumpchump - 6/12/2012 3:07 PM

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@ HollyHoly, how many years have you spent in the construction business? Yeah, that's what I thought. I never said that Mexican Labor was bad. Most are outstanding at what they do. However, as long as they do it for next to nothing, it brings the entire industry down. They bust their butts & still go home broke. The only one laughing all the way to the bank is the contractor. If they demand a respectable wage, then everyone get's a respectable wage. Comprende?

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