AltWeeklies Wire
The Dark Side of the Boomnew
Prosperity in Texas has a way of rising and falling with the oil business, but not for everyone. What a town becomes a boomtown, those outside the oil business can't keep up.
Houston Press |
Dianna Wray |
07-31-2014 |
Economy
Tags: Texas Oil Economy
Doubling Down: Texas and Casino Gamblingnew
The Alabama-Coushatta want their casino back. The Texas horse tracks say betting on races isn't enough. Both see expanded gambling in the state as their ticket to solvency.
Houston Press |
Casey Michel |
04-03-2013 |
Economy
Consider the Consequences of Not Making Background Checks Before Engaging a Financial Advisernew
Based on interviews for this story, people who market debt-elimination services online are riddled with bad judgment. They have to be, because the only other possibility is that they are knowingly engaging in fraud, and some of these people are lawyers, so that just can't be.
Houston Press |
Craig Malisow |
12-08-2009 |
Economy
Pay a Company to Get Rid of Your Debt by Saying it Never Really Happened in the First Placenew
You've been duped, deluded and taken for a ride. Everything you think you know about money is wrong. Federal law has never allowed banks to extend "credit," because there is no such thing as credit. At least not the way you've been led to believe.
Houston Press |
Craig Malisow |
12-08-2009 |
Economy
It's Easy for a Homeowner's Payments to Fall Through the Cracksnew
Nancy Perez discovered that the worst thing to happen to her home was not a fire, but mismanagement among the mortgage servicers -- the companies charged with collecting monthly payments -- on her $76,000 loan.
Houston Press |
Craig Malisow |
04-08-2009 |
Economy
Houston's Working Class Gets Bumped into Homelessness and Poverty by the Crashing Economynew
An already strained system struggles to accommodate a new breed of homeless.
Houston Press |
Mike Giglio |
03-24-2009 |
Economy
Lawyers Avoid Malpractice Cases when Patient is Poornew
Tish Ortegon discovered that Texas is a hard place to sue a doctor. Especially if you're poor.
Houston Press |
Paul Knight |
01-15-2008 |
Economy
Tags: Economic Issues
Share and Share Alikenew
Wayne Stroman's got a timeshare deal for you -- and a thousand other suckers.
Houston Press |
Chris Vogel |
07-10-2007 |
Economy
Tags: Economic Issues
In the Sub-Prime of Lifenew
Homeowners complain that Litton Loan is quicker to foreclose than it needs to be.
Houston Press |
Craig Malisow |
05-21-2007 |
Economy
Tags: Economic Issues
Cyrus Rafizadeh Investigates ORIXnew
In what he calls "the mother of all lawsuits for criminal violations of SEC regulations," Rafizadeh sued Wells Fargo and its loan servicer, Dallas-based ORIX, for fraud after they sued and bankrupted his mom.
Houston Press |
Craig Malisow |
04-03-2007 |
Economy
Tags: Economic Issues
Lost in Translationnew
Would-be Hispanic homeowners find out they don't own as much as they thought they did.
Houston Press |
Keith Plocek |
09-12-2006 |
Economy
Tags: Economic Issues
Costly Advancesnew
Payday lenders take care of you till your check comes in, and for a long time after.
Houston Press |
Josh Harkinson |
01-31-2006 |
Economy
Tags: Economic Issues
La Morditanew
Check cashers and furniture rental companies take a big chunk out of post-hurricane FEMA checks.
Houston Press |
Josh Harkinson |
01-31-2006 |
Economy
Eaten Alivenew
Rent-to-own stores, pawnshops, payday lenders -- it's hope for sale, with interest.
Houston Press |
Josh Harkinson |
01-31-2006 |
Economy
