HOUSTON—There are thousands of people in the Greater Houston area living in houses built by Royce Homes.
For new homebuyers, those houses represented the culmination of a dream.
But that dream has become a nightmare for homeowners like Nicholas Howard.
He says he’s been forced to contend with what he calls faulty construction by a homebuilder that filed for bankruptcy last year.
"And now, there’s no one to call. I can’t get in touch with anyone," Howard said.
As it turns out, there are plenty of homeowners and vendors who claim that Royce Homes owes them money.
One of the largest claims is from a charity that used to provide college scholarships for at-risk teenagers from local neighborhoods. The charity partnered with Royce Homes to help send hundreds of kids to school, but two years ago the funds suddenly dried up.
"We had some funds and gave out the scholarships we had committed to, but certainly couldn’t move past that," charity board member Hector Covo said.
Attorneys have filed a lawsuit against Royce Homes, claiming the builder misappropriated $400,000 raised from an annual golf tournament and skeet-shooting event – money that should have been paid to charity.
"We’re going to find out how much money was raised and also where it went. Because we know where it didn’t go," attorney John Osborne said.
11 News could not reach anyone at Royce Homes for comment.
A judge could set a hearing on the lawsuit and bankruptcy filing as early as next month, possibly providing answers to a large charity and long-awaited repairs to frustrated homeowners.
"Basically, I just want them to come fix it," Howard said.
