Construction workers build new townhomes in the Belmar development in Lakewood in September. (RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post)
Re: “State must fix rules on Colorado condo construction,” Oct. 27 editorial.
As a victim of defective construction, I disagree with your editorial on changing condo-building rules. Passing laws allowing developers to avoid lawsuits for shoddy construction is an expensive nightmare for homeowners.
Developers already have an opportunity to “cure” defects — and many deny problems altogether or offer only Band-Aid solutions. Itap developers who write the condo declarations supervising homeowners’ process for seeking remedies, making it difficult to bring legal action by imposing unreasonable obstacles and homeowner-hostile arbitration rules.
Your point that “once a lawsuit is filed, homeowners often have trouble selling or refinancing” is well taken, but this problem exists at any point — lawsuit or not — under disclosure laws that require homeowners to reveal defects when selling or refinancing.
New transit-oriented development is a golden opportunity for metro Denver — but letap not trample homeowner rights in the process. Legislators need to remember they represent more homeowners than developers.
Mary Lavia, Denver
This letter was published in the Nov. 5 edition.
