SitemapThe pressure being applied to a South Carolina real estate company to stop what's been called "predatory and corrupt" practices seems to be working.
Officials say Vision Property Management has stopped buying property and is selling what it has instead of using lease-to-own contracts.
Still, more pressure was applied on Monday in the form of a lawsuit filed by Community Legal Aid, who is representing five Youngstown clients.
The lawsuit claims that Vision Property Managment used predatory and corrupt contracts to lure people into buying uninhabitable houses. There are 18 total counts against Vision Management.
"They went after people knowing that they could never fulfill the terms of these contracts -- low-income people who were already living in dilapidated neighborhoods and sold them the dream of home ownership but with contracts that would really result in a nightmare for them," said Steve McGarrity, of Community Legal Aid.
The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation (YNDC) has also complained about the company in the past.
"I think it's criminal and it's great to see this type of lawsuit being filed here in Youngstown," said Ian Beniston, who runs YNDC.
Beniston has pictures showing how Vision Management marketed its properties by using painted signs to make them look like they were being sold by owners.
"They particularly prey on low-income people, people of color," Beniston said. To read the full story from WKBN, click here.