Tighter Rules for Contractors Urged

Supporters of state Senate Bill 339, the New Homeowner Protection Act, gathered Tuesday morning at an earthquake-damaged condominium complex to illustrate the need for tighter rules on contractors to prevent damage caused by work not done to code--as backers say happened in their case.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Byron D. Sher (D-San Mateo), would require that work be performed by licensed contractors and architects be made available to check on the work in progress. The bill would allow a presumption of negligence when a builder does not follow construction codes.

Four buildings in the 240-unit Steeplechase complex on Lost Hills Road, red-tagged after the Northridge earthquake, have yet to be repaired. Although most of the damage was caused by the quake, the problems began long before, said Alexander Robertson, an attorney representing the residents.

He said the association negotiated with the developers for a year before filing a lawsuit in February 1993, alleging there were numerous defects in the construction, including leaks in the roofs and around windows.

“Mother Nature proved us right,” he said. “This place now looks like Beirut. We’re 20 miles away from the epicenter, we shouldn’t have had this much damage.”

One developer--Cabot, Cabot & Forbes--was unavailable Tuesday for comment. Ted Levine, an attorney for another Steeplechase developer, Lost Hills of Calabasas Inc., a subsidiary of Curry-Raich Co., refused to comment Tuesday.

The legislation is one of several bills under consideration that address building issues, but supporters said it is the only one that protects the consumer.

In an effort to defeat the other bills and consolidate the issue into one law, a committee of building industry professionals, led by Senate President Pro Tem Bill Lockyer (D-Hayward), is now drafting a bill to be introduced in a few months, according to attorney and committee member Lawrence D. Duignan.

But that bill is too late both for the displaced Steeplechase homeowners, who continue to pay mortgages and homeowner association fees for condominiums that have been uninhabitable for three years, and the remaining residents who have seen their property values plummet.

“You can’t let the builders keep feathering their nests, so to speak,” said resident Bob Newsom, a supporter of the bill. “They just put up anything they want and move on.”