Note: This investigative news story originally broke on Feb. 10, 2010 on InstantNewsWestU.com. View the original here, or download a PDF version. The article was followed by two others, Questions About City Enforcement In Builders’ Paperwork Oversight (link or PDF) and Positive Changes Fix Problems In Building Dept. (link or PDF).
The ten problematic homes in West University Place are huge and beautiful — luxurious — ranging in value from $945,000 right up to $2.8 million. Without knowing about a major paperwork oversight, families have lived in the homes for four, five, sometimes up to nine years.
Although the circumstances vary, city staff have discovered one disturbing commonality: All the homes were built by the same company, Covington Builders, which allegedly failed to obtain the city’s official stamp of approval before allowing families to move in. City staffers have found 29 other West U. homes with the same problem — No certificate of occupancy.
This house built by Covington Builders failed to earn its certificate of occupancy.
The city’s ordinances place the responsibility on builders to complete a litany of inspections to earn the important certificate of occupancy, which proves the home is safe and complies with all city laws.
Residents do not need to be alarmed about their safety, because there’s probably nothing seriously wrong with their homes. Many of Covington Builders’ outstanding issues deal with the numbers of trees planted on the lots. If completed today, other outstanding inspections on more serious things like drainage and plumbing systems probably wouldn’t turn up a problem: By now, issues would have surfaced on their own.
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I broke the news about this story, which was published on InstantNewsWestU.com on Oct. 28, 2009. View the original here or download a PDF version. Follow-up articles included Former West U. Officer “Shocked” By Felony Charges Against Him (link or PDF) and City Manager Says Police Officer Will Remain Fired (link or PDF).
A police officer from West University Place was fired last month and now faces two felony charges that could each bring 2-to-10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Nelson Hernandez, who is still appealing his Sept. 18 termination from the West U. Police Department, is charged with two counts of tampering with a governmental record after he allegedly fabricated the reasons he pulled over two cars. Video footage from his in-car camera showed a different story than Hernandez allegedly wrote in his report, according to a complaint the police department filed with the Harris County District Court.
Hernandez is the second officer since October 2008 that the department has fired after in-car video footage allegedly showed that things the officers reported had not actually happened. Tomorrow, InstantnewsWestU will have details on the first officer who was fired.
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I'm a multimedia journalist in Austin, Texas, covering the legal industry for Texas Lawyer newspaper. I report, write, shoot photos and produce videos. Stay updated by following @angelabmorris on Twitter or subscribing to this site's RSS feed.
