Owning a home isn’t just about purchasing; homeowners must also be able to live in their homes without financial hardship caused by poor construction. HB 1403 weakens construction standards by removing the requirement that construction must meet professional engineering and construction standards. It only requires builders to follow their own plans, which may be incomplete or inadvisable. This gives developers too much control over what counts as a defect and reduces accountability.
HB 1403 also forces homeowners into arbitration instead of allowing them to take legal action in court. Arbitration is often more expensive and favors developers, making it harder for homeowners to get just results.
The bill allows builders of small condos (12 units or fewer) to opt out of the current warranty protections. They would instead be able to provide a third-party warranty, which are often weak and written by for-profit companies that are incentivized to deny claims. This means homeowners could be left with little recourse if construction defects emerge.
The bill also removes certain construction requirements for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) within condos, which could lead to poorly built ADUs that put financial and maintenance burdens on condo associations and homeowners.
Recent laws have already reduced some building requirements to lower construction costs. These changes are still new, and there’s no data yet showing whether or not they’re working. Instead of waiting to see the impact of existing law, HB 1403 weakens homeowner protections even further.
Please, tell your Representative to OPPOSE HB 1403, and maintain current homeowner protections!