Foreclosure Programme Steering Victims Into the Arms of a Private Firm
The elected persons of Carson are putting a distance with the Carson Foreclosure Crisis Response Team that has ultimately led to the foreclosed victims into the arms of a private firm. Complaints are pouring in.
ABS Solutions, the firm in question, is charging thousands as up-front fees to operate mortgage “audits”. It is totally illegal to accept fees for counseling in foreclosure matter. There are many non-profit agents ready to do it without taking anything.
Elito Santarina is a Councilman who is in the sub-committee for foreclosure protection. He wanted a detailed explanation from the coordinator of the programme Sai Momoli, as to why the programme went askew. Santarina said angrily, “I’m so furious. This is ridiculous. All I wanted was to do something good for the people. I wish I knew every detail and I wish I knew I had been a part of this. No, I do not know anything about this. I am out of it.”
Jim Dear the Mayor sided with Santarina from the very beginning to initiate the Carson Foreclosure Crisis Response Team. He did not make any comments.
It was reported by The Breeze that the foreclosure help team was directing the residents of Carson to ABS. Meanwhile the office of the Attorney General is focusing on the firm for not registering as foreclosure consulting agency.
The Breeze also noted that many former ABS clients have complained about the company on the Internet. They said that ABS has taken sometimes over $3,000 without doing anything to stop foreclosures.
ABS personnel also declined to comment. Dear was very annoyed when he came to read about the report in The Breeze. Momoli said that he too wants to the team to break off all connections with ABS.
Dear is encouraging Momoli and his group to try and get refunds on behalf of those residents of Carson who have already paid hefty upfront fees. Momoli said that the Mayor wants it done as quickly as possible.
There has been some confusion however when Dear had referred to the “false statements” made in The Breeze. He said, “The very first sentence of the article is blatantly untrue and I am surprised that you would allow it to be printed in the newspaper when a small amount of research would show you that a city of Carson foreclosure task force does not exist.” In reality there is a foreclosure crisis response team and not task force.
