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Greg Abbott charges property restoration company with deceiving Texas homeowners - February 25, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

Tuesday, February 25, 2014 - 1:08pm

Austin, Texas (KETK) Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott today charged an Austin-based residential construction contractor with deceiving Texas homeowners and misrepresenting funding sources available to pay for home repairs and restoration.

Castro Property Restoration, its owner Victor James Castro and his business associate Allen Lloyd Kinman are named in the States enforcement action as defendants. According to court documents, the defendants solicit business door-to-door, offering to assist homeowners with home improvement services. The defendants misrepresent to homeowners that free money from the government is available to pay for the home repair work and then require homeowners to sign a contract and pay a $99 administrative fee to the defendants in advance to complete the repairs.

The States investigation revealed, however, that the defendants failed to disclose to homeowners that the contract contained a power of attorney clause that gave the defendants control over financial decisions regarding the homeowners home. Because the free government money claim was false, the only funding source the defendants could obtain was from the homeowners insurance policy and the defendants could file a claim against the homeowners insurance policy by relying on the contracts broad power of attorney clause.

State investigators also found that the defendants failed to clearly communicate homeowners right to cancel the transaction within three days of signing the contract. Court documents state that when one homeowner expressed interest in canceling her contract, the defendants sent two representatives to the homeowners home who told her that canceling the contract might constitute insurance fraud and that she might be arrested for it.

The Office of the Attorney General charged the defendants with violating multiple provisions of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and Texas Business Code. The State is seeking a temporary and permanent injunction, civil penalties and restitution for affected customers.

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Greg Abbott charges property restoration company with deceiving Texas homeowners

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Egypt names new PM to ease way for el-Sissi's presidential bid - February 25, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

Maggie Michael, The Associated Press Published Tuesday, February 25, 2014 2:13PM EST

CAIRO, Egypt -- Egypt's interim president chose the outgoing housing minister, a construction magnate from the era of ousted autocrat Hosni Mubarak, as his new prime minister on Tuesday, some two months ahead of key presidential elections.

The switch from veteran economist Hazem el-Beblawi to Ibrahim Mehlib, who successfully led Egypt's biggest construction company for a decade, appeared orchestrated to give Field Marshal Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, the country's military chief, a window for a quieter street after a spike in labour strikes with the potential of triggering wider unrest.

El-Sissi overthrew Islamist President Mohammed Morsi in July and backed el-Beblawi's government through tumultuous times, including a heavy crackdown on Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, and a nationwide referendum that adopted a new constitution while Islamic militant insurgency and terror attacks surged.

With his presidential bid almost certain, el-Sissi must leave the military to run for president. However, a senior government official said the 59-year-old soldier will retain his defence minister's post in the next Cabinet. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the press.

"There is a need for a fresh face to deal with the strikes," said Mohammed Aboul Ghar, head of the Egyptian Social Democratic party, from which el-Beblawi hails. "El-Beblawi was supposed to stay for two more months but the strikes propelled a speed-up in pushing through the changes."

A change of government before the presidential vote would also spare el-Sissi the disruption associated with forming a new one if he becomes president, a near certainty given his sweeping popularity and the relative weakness of his rivals -- likely a leftist politician and a retired general.

The surprise resignation of el-Beblawi's Cabinet and its swift replacement also reflects that the country' economic woes are enough to daunt anyone who fills the land's highest office.

However since Mubarak's ouster in a 2011 uprising, persistent turmoil has sapped investment and tourism, draining the country of its main sources of foreign currency. The military's removal of Morsi and the subsequent street violence have deepened the country's economic woes.

While the anti-Islamist oil-rich Gulf countries have poured in billions of dollars in grants and loans to keep the country's economy afloat, tens of thousands of textile workers, doctors, pharmacists and even policemen have gone on strike in recent days. Schools and universities had their mid-year break extended by a month because of concerns over the security situation and the spread of swine flu.

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Egypt names new PM to ease way for el-Sissi's presidential bid

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Elgin property rehab grant applications available - February 25, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

From Submitted Reports February 25, 2014 11:10AM

Grant applications are available from the city of Elgin for its Historic Architectural Rehabilitation and other property improvement programs. | Sun-Times Media file

storyidforme: 62619499 tmspicid: 22577731 fileheaderid: 10868146

Updated: February 25, 2014 3:11PM

ELGIN The city is accepting applications for several of its grant programs.

They include historical architectural rehabilitation, property improvement (substitute siding removal, exterior paint, and chain link fence removal), overhead sewer and backwater valve, and multifamily conversion residential grant programs.

Applications are available online at http://www.cityofelgin.org/grants or at the city of Elgins Community Development Department, City Hall, 150 Dexter Court.

Here is a description of each program, according to a release from the city.

Historic Architectural Rehabilitation Grant Program (50/50 and 75/25): Provides up to $20,000 in matching funds to assist property owners with restoring original architectural features on the exterior of their homes.

Residential property owners who own a property within one of the four designated historical districts or a local landmark are eligible. The 75/25 program applicants must meet low/moderate income limits as established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Development.

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Commercial Roofing Rockford Tn Commercial Roofer Rockford Tn – Video - February 25, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

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