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Author: Maurie Backman

  • ‘We’re actually saving them money’: These Portland, Oregon neighbors say city officials are dragging their feet responding to a crime wave — so they grew their own solution

    ‘We’re actually saving them money’: These Portland, Oregon neighbors say city officials are dragging their feet responding to a crime wave — so they grew their own solution

    If you were to walk down Southeast Washington Street in the Portland neighborhood of Montavilla, you’d see it lined with flower beds. But things weren’t always that way.

    Up until recently, residents say a number of RVs were parked where the flowers are now, attracting homeless people and criminal activity.

    "One thing several neighbors and I noticed is that there was a meth lab. So they were producing drugs," Christopher Carter-Tully told KATU News in a story published July 10. "The meth lab caught fire one morning. There was an RV that was prostituting women. There was a continual cycle."

    Residents pestered the city for help — one person told the broadcaster they called for 56 weeks straight — and the vehicles were eventually removed. That’s when a group of neighbors banded together to take their street back for good.

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    An aesthetically-pleasing solution

    To deter any vehicles from returning, neighbors spent $3,000 of their own money planting flowers in troughs and barrels up and down the street where the RVs were once parked.

    "We bought all of this, put the dirt in, bought all the plants," Joanne Benson, who’s lived in the neighborhood for 17 years, told KATU News. Now, she says she sleeps better at night.

    She added that families have also been making use of the bike path that runs parallel to the street.

    "Nobody would want to use the bike path for recreational use because they were scared," Carter-Tully said.

    Since planting the flowers, Carter-Tully says they’ve noticed RVs roll up on the street only to drive away.

    "They know that the community is watching," he said.

    Read more: You don’t have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here’s how

    As for whether or not the flower beds will raise red flags with the city, residents are hopeful they’ll be left alone because the strategy seems to be working.

    "We’re actually saving them money," Carter-Tully said.

    The cost of neighborhood crime

    Unaddressed crime can have a seriously negative impact on neighborhoods. It could put people’s property, like homes and vehicles, at risk. Fires can impact entire blocks of buildings if they spread out of control. High crime rates can also drive away businesses.

    It can also have a negative impact on property values. People don’t tend to want to move to neighborhoods where crime is prevalent. And if too many homeowners abandon a neighborhood in short order due to an uptick in crime, it could lead to an oversupply of homes on the market, eroding property values.

    Plus, higher crime rates could drive up home insurance premiums as well as auto insurance premiums, making life more expensive for residents. That’s why it’s important to be persistent and continue pressing city officials to address any crime issues in your neighborhood that you’re experiencing.

    It may help to take pictures and document what’s happening in your neighborhood. Talk to your government representatives about the problem to see if they can urge local officials to take action.

    What to read next

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    This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

  • ‘Nobody should have to go through this’: Knoxville family falls victim to ‘self-showing’ scam after finding a rental on Facebook Marketplace — now they’re out $1,800 and have nowhere to live

    ‘Nobody should have to go through this’: Knoxville family falls victim to ‘self-showing’ scam after finding a rental on Facebook Marketplace — now they’re out $1,800 and have nowhere to live

    When Alex Todd, his sister-in-law Natalie Ryffel, and their spouses needed a home to rent in Knoxville, Tennessee, they found a listing on Facebook Marketplace that was within their budget.

    They contacted the landlord and asked for a showing, but they were told it was a self-viewing home — meaning the landlord didn’t meet Todd and Ryffel at the property to show them around.

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    Rather, the landlord sent them the lockbox code for the property and told them to let themselves in and see if the home met their needs.

    Once Todd and Ryffel confirmed they wanted the home and the move-in fees had been paid, the landlord once again sent them the lockbox code so they could move in. But it turned out to be a scam.

    Todd and Ryffel are out $1,800, in addition to not having a place to live. "Nobody should have to go through this," said Ryffel to WATE 6 News.

    Too good to be true

    When Todd and Ryffel found a home on Facebook Marketplace, they didn’t spot any red flags throughout the process of seeing the home and moving in, they told WATE. It was only once they’d moved in that they learned they’d been victimized.

    The landlord, Buh-laal Mustafa Hatim, spoke with Todd by phone and text message once he responded to the Facebook listing. Hatim allegedly wanted $850 a month for rent and sent Todd a contract that looked official.

    "Every time I would talk to him and we would send money to him, he would shortly after send receipts via email," Todd said, adding he didn’t think anything was amiss. “He wanted payment through Chime. I figured, okay, he may not have an actual bank account."

    Todd and Ryffel paid Hatim $1,800 — $850 for rent, $850 for a security deposit, and a $100 application fee.

    “We paid him what we were supposed to pay him,” Ryffel told WATE. “We moved in the day before Easter.”

    But a few days later, they received a notice from the realty company in charge of the property: “You are illegally residing at this property without the consent of the owner. You are instructed to vacate the property immediately.”

    Now, the Todd and Ryffel families don’t have anywhere to go. And, as WATE discovered, the rental property was listed on another website for $1,350 a month, not $850.

    As a gesture of goodwill, the actual realty company is giving Todd and Ryffel a free week-long stay at Woodspring Suites, an extended stay hotel. They plan to use that time to find a new rental. But the chances of them getting their $1,800 back are slim.

    "You have people who work hard for that money, only for it to be gone," Ryffel said.

    Read more: You don’t have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here’s how

    What is a self-showing scam?

    In 2024, the FBI received 9,359 complaints related to real estate fraud, and total losses for those types of scams totaled more than $173 million.

    That number isn’t broken down by specific scam type, so it’s hard to know how many of those fraud reports stemmed from rental scams versus something else related to real estate. However, scammers are getting better and better at taking people’s money. So it’s important to know how to spot a rental scam so you can avoid it.

    In a self-viewing rental scam, fraudsters find legitimate property listings on rental sites. Then they pretend to be working for the realty company in charge of renting the house out. They gain access to the lockbox by signing up for an account.

    Then, they give prospective tenants access to the lockbox so they can do a self-guided tour, and then take their money once the tenant decides to move forward with the rental.

    That’s why you should be very wary of any rental where a landlord or property manager won’t meet you in person.

    What to look for

    When you come across a listing, double-check to see if it appears on other sites. Zillow highlights some other red flags for renters to be mindful of:

    • Money first: The property manager asks for the money up front, even before seeing the house.
    • Too good to be true: If a one-bedroom goes for $1,500 a month in your area, and you see one listed for $900, it’s highly suspicious.
    • Untraceable payments: If you’re being asked to send payments through an unconventional means that are untraceable, such as cash, crypto or gift cards, then move on.

    In Todd and Ryffel’s case, they might have protected themselves by looking for a listing on other websites. Of course, a self-showing rental may be legitimate, but your best bet is to cross-reference the “for rent” sign and to call the available number posted so you can speak to the realty company in charge.

    Even then, it’s not unreasonable to ask someone to meet you at the property, with their ID, so you can feel safe.

    What to read next

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    This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

  • ‘Ruthless and heartless’: Texas woman allegedly caught trying to sell land she doesn’t own — as she and her husband face $1 million lawsuit over dozens of other cases of real estate fraud

    ‘Ruthless and heartless’: Texas woman allegedly caught trying to sell land she doesn’t own — as she and her husband face $1 million lawsuit over dozens of other cases of real estate fraud

    There’s nothing wrong with selling a property you own. There’s something very wrong with forging documents to transfer a property to your name, selling it, and pocketing the proceeds.

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    The latter is exactly what Alba and Jarin Martinez are accused of doing.

    The Texas husband-and-wife duo are accused of falsely claiming ownership and selling properties they didn’t own, according to an April lawsuit filed by the Harris County Attorney’s Office.

    The couple is being sued for more than $1 million in damages and is said to have falsely claimed ownership of at least 35 properties in Harris County, reported ABC13.

    A judge signed a temporary injunction to prevent the Martinezes from filing documents related to these properties, according to KPRC 2.

    But Alba Martinez has been accused of violating the court order in two instances, including one reportedly caught on camera, and the county is asking that she be held in contempt of court.

    Caught on camera?

    KPRC 2 says it got surveillance video footage of Alba signing a contract on May 22 to sell a property in the Acres Homes neighborhood to Sasser Land Group, a land acquisition company.

    Court records show that the property in question was owned by a couple who passed away and left it to their heirs. The Martinzes allegedly used a fake warranty deed and affidavit of heirship to attempt to pass the property off as their own.

    Kenneth Sasser, who runs Sasser Land Group, said he was suspicious from the start, when Alba offered up the property for just $25,000.

    “She kind of framed it as she was strapped for cash, that she was going to lose her property,” Sasser told KPRC 2 News. “She claimed that she was behind on her taxes.”

    Eventually, Sasser agreed to pay $132,000 and prepared a contract for Alba. He said she had a chain of title, warranty deed and a receipt for a recently paid property tax bill.

    But once Sasser and his team visited the property, spoke with neighbors and saw news coverage of the Martinezes, they realized the transaction may be fraudulent. Martinez told Sasser’s team the property was an inheritance from her late stepfather, but attorneys said there is no supporting evidence to back up this claim, according to KPRC 2.

    Sasser, meanwhile, is happy he did his due diligence.

    “It could have damaged the reputation of my business," he told KPRC 2 News, describing Martinez’s actions as “ruthless and heartless." And he hopes the Martinezes are held accountable for their actions.

    Sasser’s company has since filed a report with the Houston Police Department. No charges have been filed yet, but investigators are working on the case.

    Read more: You don’t have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here’s how

    How to protect your property from real estate fraud

    In 2023, the number of real estate fraud complaints filed totaled 9,521, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Report.

    Unfortunately, it appears all too easy for criminals to forge documents that make them appear to be the rightful owners of a property, allowing them to potentially sell it out from under you. It’s important to be vigilant to avoid becoming a victim.

    First, never leave your property empty for long stretches of time. Properties that don’t seem to be lived in can be easy targets. If you own a second home, have a neighbor check in from time to time, or hire a property manager.

    It’s also a good idea to set up a Google alert for the address of your property if it’s not one you live in full-time. That could alert you to a fraudulent listing of your property.

    In this regard, be sure to monitor property records in the county where your property is located. Some counties even offer a title alert system you can sign up for so you’re notified of filings right away.

    You may also be able to purchase title insurance that protects you from home title theft. Usually, though, these policies only protect you from theft that occurred before purchasing your property, not after.

    Consider placing your home in a trust, which can also be a beneficial move from an estate planning perspective. This way, the trust becomes the property’s owner. Forging documents can be more challenging and complicated when a trust is involved, which may offer you some degree of protection.

    Finally, ensure that you safeguard your personal information to prevent both property and general identity fraud. Never give out your Social Security number unless absolutely necessary (such as when filling out paperwork for a new job), and regularly monitor all your financial accounts, including bank accounts and credit cards.

    What to read next

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    This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

  • Many baby boomers are utterly unprepared for retirement — but here are 3 things the savviest of them do to basically guarantee themselves a life of comfort. Do you do any of them?

    A significant portion of older Americans are headed for retirement with insufficient savings.

    The Federal Reserve reports a median retirement savings of $185,000 for Americans aged 55 to 64 as of 2022.

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    Among Americans ages 65 to 74, the number increases to $200,000. But neither balance is a particularly large amount, given that retirement could easily last 20 years or longer.

    Baby boomers as a whole might not seem prepared for retirement, but that doesn’t mean all older Americans are doomed. Some baby boomers are headed for financial security, and it’s all thanks to the smart decisions they make on a regular basis.

    Here are three things financially savvy baby boomers do with their money that could lead to decades of comfort once they retire.

    Pay themselves first

    Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report found that 42% of Americans across all ages don’t have an emergency fund.

    But financially savvy boomers don’t let themselves get into a situation where they can’t cover a surprise bill and end up with debt. Rather, they practice paying themselves first.

    On a basic level, paying yourself first means allocating money to your savings from every paycheck before using it for anything else — but there are different ways to do it.

    If your employer offers a 401(k) and you sign up, contributions can be taken directly from your paycheck. If not, you can set up automatic transfers to an IRA so that you’re funding your retirement plan every month.

    You can also set up automatic transfers from a checking account, where your paycheck might land, to a savings account to build an emergency fund. Having emergency cash reserves could spare you from having to take out a loan or put an unplanned expense on a credit card.

    Experian says that baby boomers have an average of $6,754 in credit card debt. But having savings ready at all times could help you avoid debt and the financial insecurity it can lead to.

    Read more: You don’t have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here’s how

    Avoid lifestyle creep

    As people’s paychecks increase, a funny thing starts to happen. Instead of taking the opportunity to save more money, many folks opt to spend more instead. But that could lead to more stress, more debt and less stability.

    A 2024 report from PYMNTS Intelligence found that 48% of Americans earning more than $100,000 a year live paycheck to paycheck. And the reason may boil down to lifestyle creep.

    Financially literate boomers don’t let themselves increase their spending as they edge toward the end of their careers and their earnings peak.

    Instead, they find ways to be happy with their current standard of living and continue saving so they can support their lifestyles without worry once retirement arrives. It’s a practice you may want to adopt so you can benefit from your growing paycheck instead of having it become a source of stress.

    Smart investing

    Investing isn’t just important when you’re young and trying to build retirement wealth. It’s just as important to hold your investments as you approach retirement, and during retirement.

    Boomers that are financially stable continue to invest, and they don’t completely withdraw from the stock market out of fear.

    It’s a good idea to scale back on stocks as you age to minimize your risks. But ditching stocks completely could mean not generating enough income to lead the lifestyle you want.

    A 2024 Empower review of baby boomers’ investments found that they tend to allocate 36% of their assets to U.S. stocks and only 7.6% to international stocks, which can be more volatile. It also found that boomers tend to keep 10.5% of their assets in U.S. bonds and 29.6% in cash.

    Boomers who maintain a diverse investment mix over time often end up having more stable returns. They should also consider assets that can generate income for them once they’re no longer working. Some options that work well in that regard include dividend stocks, municipal bonds and real estate investment trusts (REITs).

    Certificate of deposit (CD) laddering can also be a good option, namely because doing so offers low-risk returns while earning different interest rates over different term lengths. When each CD reaches maturity, you can reinvest your earnings. When interest rates fall, CDs become less attractive. However, in the near term, CDs are another smart option for boomers to consider for their investments.

    Savvy boomers also invest in the most tax-advantaged manner possible. For those who are still working, IRAs and 401(k)s make sense.

    The nice thing about these accounts is that there are no age limits for making your annual contributions, so boomers can fund them as long as they’re still working and earning money. You may want to continue funding your IRA or 401(k) for as long as possible to take advantage of the tax benefits involved.

    What to read next

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    This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

  • ‘A crisis on our hands’: California lawmakers scramble to find solutions for rising gas prices as departing oil refineries could cut supply by 20% — but some say it’s a ‘self-created’ problem

    ‘A crisis on our hands’: California lawmakers scramble to find solutions for rising gas prices as departing oil refineries could cut supply by 20% — but some say it’s a ‘self-created’ problem

    As of July 17 the average gas price in California for regular fuel was $4.51 per gallon, according to AAA, making it the most expensive place to fuel up in the country.

    However, Golden State drivers could be in for even more pain in the near future when it comes to paying for fuel.

    That’s because some experts believe gas prices in the state could rise significantly following the impending wind-down of two major refineries if lawmakers don’t intervene soon.

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    Why gas prices could spike even more

    In October, Phillips 66 announced plans to shut down its Los Angeles-area refinery in late 2025. Valero, meanwhile, said in April it intends to “idle, restructure, or cease refining operations” at its Benicia, California, refinery by April 2026.

    Phillips 66 says its decision was due to uncertainty about the refinery’s “long-term sustainability.” Valero cited “the uncertainties that remain with respect to current or contemplated legal, political or regulatory developments that are adverse to or restrict refining and marketing operations” as a diver of its decision. The company was also hit with a record $82 million fine by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District last year after regulators uncovered a long history of unreported toxic emissions.

    On May 28, Petroleum Market Oversight Director Tai Milder, California Energy Commission Vice Chairman Siva Gunda and California Air Resources Board Chair Liane Randolph testified before state lawmakers. The regulators were put on the hot seat, as lawmakers wondered if they were plunging California into a gas crisis.

    “We have a crisis on our hands that may have been self-created by the actions that have been taken, perhaps by the state, by regulators,” assemblymember David Alvarez said during the meeting.

    Read more: You don’t have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here’s how

    According to CBS News, closures of these refineries could lead to a 20% reduction in California’s gas supply. Experts say this could have a major impact at the pumps.

    “I think if we are not prepared for the closure of these two refineries, we could see a very abrupt increase in prices,” Severin Borenstein, UC Berkeley professor and director of the Energy Institute at Haas, told the broadcaster. “That is a real threat right now. California needs to get out ahead of it. This is a fire drill, this is not a long-term planning problem.”

    Lawmakers urged to take action

    A report by USC professor Michael Mische warned that a combination of the refineries shutting down and certain legislative actions could see California gas prices rise to an estimated average of $7.348 to $8.435 by the end of 2026.

    The report stated that California retail gas prices are routinely 40% to 50% higher than the national average. State regulatory fees and taxes add a significant amount to the price of gas per gallon. Even without the closures of the two refineries, the report estimates the price could potentially increase by $1.18 per gallon.

    Similar to the sentiments of Alvarez, the report calls the state’s gas crisis largely "self-created." Despite more cars being on the road, the number of refineries in the state has dropped over the last 30 to 50 years. Meanwhile, the report says regulatory costs affecting refiners, distributors and local operators have had a compounding effect on retail prices.

    The report included a number of suggestions, such as incentivizing Phillips 66 and Valero to remain in the state and relaxing regulations.

    What to read next

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    This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

  • California county officials warn drivers to hit the brakes before they ‘get duped’ by this new text scam popping up all across the US — how it works and what to know to protect yourself

    California county officials warn drivers to hit the brakes before they ‘get duped’ by this new text scam popping up all across the US — how it works and what to know to protect yourself

    When you’re caught speeding, driving recklessly, running a red light or doing something else that violates traffic laws, there are hefty fines involved.

    Typically, a police officer hands you a ticket on the spot or you get a notice in the mail. One way your citation won’t be delivered? Via text message.

    Unfortunately, con artists are taking advantage of people who don’t know that.

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    In Alameda County, California, numerous residents have been getting texts telling them they owe money on unpaid fines from traffic citations. It’s all a scam.

    "There is so much fraud that a lot of people cannot distinguish fraud from reality," Sandi Bethune, an Oakland resident, told ABC News.

    A new traffic citation scam is on the rise

    Thankfully Oakland resident Moises Salazar didn’t fall for the text he got citing a traffic violation.

    “I read it and I understood it was fake,” he said.

    Read more: You don’t have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here’s how

    But he is among the growing number of citizens reporting the issue to Alameda County Court, which has since issued a public service announcement about the problem:

    "… the Court does not contact the public through text messages to make payments for traffic citations. The public is cautioned not to provide financial or personal information if contacted via text or a phone call. The Court does not seek this information through texts or phone calls."

    It added that anyone concerned about a traffic citation should first visit the court’s website to confirm they owe money. They can do this by clicking on "Pay Your Traffic Ticket."

    From there, residents can input their name and driver’s license number to see if there are any outstanding fines. It’s a good safety measure with the growth in such scams.

    "We don’t want people to get duped into giving out information that can lead to identity theft," Rosynsky told ABC News.

    How to avoid a traffic ticket scam

    Unfortunately, these scams are not limited to Alameda County — they’re happening across the country. (Another popular one? The fake unpaid toll violation.)

    Never pay a “delinquent” traffic ticket, parking ticket, or toll without verifying it first. Be especially suspicious if you’re asked to pay your fine by wire transfer or another unconventional method.

    Here are some more tips to protect yourself and others from such scams:

    Beware of any text citing a traffic violation or unpaid toll. Tip-offs that the texts are fake:

    • The violation is dubious — for example, it says you owe money for parking illegally on Whitehead Street, but you’ve never been to Whitehead Street.
    • The text comes from an international number or may have been sent to multiple numbers at once.
    • The message says ‘dear customer’ or ‘dear resident’ and doesn’t use your actual name.

    If you receive a text of this nature, contact your local county court for more information, or to at least report the scam. You can also try contacting your local Department of Motor Vehicles.

    You can also report the scam to the U.S. Department of Transportation at (800) 424-9071 or [email protected]. The Internet Crime Complaint Center is another place you can report scams of this nature.

    What to read next

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    This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

  • Las Vegas residents suing the state over its ‘arbitrary decision’ to build a $200M housing project in their neighborhood — pointing to the ‘secretive nature’ of how the site was selected

    Las Vegas residents suing the state over its ‘arbitrary decision’ to build a $200M housing project in their neighborhood — pointing to the ‘secretive nature’ of how the site was selected

    Helping the homeless is a good thing – but residents of a suburban neighborhood in Las Vegas say there’s been a lack of transparency and due process in a new project.

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    In 2023, Nevada lawmakers approved $100 million in funding for Campus for Hope, a $200 million housing project meant to address homelessness in the city. The rest of the money is being provided by a nonprofit backed by the gaming industry.

    The proposed site is the 6100 block of West Charleston Boulevard near Jones Boulevard, and two property owners who live about three blocks away have decided to fight it by filing a lawsuit. They say their quality of life, safety, and home values will be affected by the “arbitrary decision” to place the facility in the current location.

    As 8 News Now reports, the suit, which was filed in Clark County District Court, alleges that state officials violated Nevada’s Open Meeting Law by greenlighting the project without giving residents proper notice or allowing members of the public to comment on it.

    Last month, the governor even signed a bill to speed up construction of the project, says News 3.

    "Why are they trying to push this $200 million project so secretly into the neighborhood?” said homeowner Matthew Wambolt, one of the plaintiffs in the case, to 8 News Now.

    The plaintiffs argue the project creates an “incurable defect” in the location and seek to halt it until independent studies are conducted on the potential impact of the facility.

    Why residents aren’t happy

    The plan is for Campus for Hope to be a 900-bed, 26-acre transitional housing facility. According to Nevada Current, the project will take up space on the Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services campus and there are fears that it will displace existing mental and behavioral health services.

    According to the lawsuit, the facility raises safety concerns since it is less than a mile from the Linda Smith and Christopher Smith Family Campus, which serves children and adults with intellectual disabilities, and within a 2-mile radius of over 20 schools serving K-12 students.

    “This project will dramatically alter the fundamental character of our neighborhood, transforming our quiet residential area into one marked by significantly increased congestion, activity, and potential crime,” it says. “Ultimately, we believe this project will substantially lower property values and negatively impact the quality of life for local residents."

    It also says that the approval process for Campus for Hope was not transparent enough.

    “Given the secretive nature of project approvals, the deliberate avoidance of community engagement, and the removal of normal oversight mechanisms … there is a distinct appearance of impropriety in the actions and backroom collaboration of certain state legislators and their large donors within the gaming industry are at play here,” says the lawsuit.

    Read more: You don’t have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here’s how

    "I have a question for the governor. The Strip, the casinos are giving hundreds of millions of dollars for this project. You’re going to move these people off the Strip to this area?” said homeowner Gail Johnson to 8 News Now.

    Campus for Hope said it has “met all the state and local requirements for the construction of the facility,” in a statement to 8 News Now.

    Boyd Katz, who works for a security company in the area, told the news station that it’s not that residents don’t want to help the homeless, they simply believe the project needs proper oversight.

    "If we add a facility with that many beds here just like that it’s going to severely affect that area … not just the commercial area, but the residential neighborhood nearby," he said.

    Who pays?

    Another issue is who’s paying for the project.

    “Local municipal authorities claim alternative locations were considered but have repeatedly refused to disclose any addresses, evaluation criteria, or comparative assessments that justify selecting our community as the ideal site," James Root, one of the plaintiffs in the suit, wrote in an affidavit. "Our city alone bears the responsibility for an estimated annual $15 million in operating expenses."

    The Nevada Current reports once construction is complete, Campus for Hope will run on taxpayer dollars almost entirely, split between local governments and the state. It will be overseen by a board of directors that does not include state or municipal representatives.

    With a total estimated $30 million a year in operational costs, this project could also result in a hefty tax burden on residents.

    What to read next

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    This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

  • Many baby boomers are utterly unprepared for retirement — but here are 3 things the savviest of them do to basically guarantee themselves a life of comfort. Do you do any of them?

    Many baby boomers are utterly unprepared for retirement — but here are 3 things the savviest of them do to basically guarantee themselves a life of comfort. Do you do any of them?

    A significant portion of older Canadians are headed for retirement with insufficient savings.

    Spring Financial reports a median retirement savings of $809,100 for Canadians aged 55 to 64 as of 2025.

    Among those ages 65 to 74, the number decreases to $739,200. Considering Canadians think they need $1.54 million to retire, according to a study from BMO, these figures are falling short of expectations due to economic headwinds caused by inflation.

    Baby boomers as a whole might not seem prepared for retirement, but that doesn’t mean all older Canadians are doomed. Some baby boomers are headed for financial security, and it’s all thanks to the smart decisions they make on a regular basis.

    Here are three things financially savvy baby boomers do with their money that could lead to decades of comfort once they retire.

    Pay themselves first

    Earlier this year, RBC found that 60 % of Canadians across all ages don’t think they can cover an unexpected cost, meaning a large portion do not have a robust emergency fund.

    But financially savvy boomers don’t let themselves get into a situation where they can’t cover a surprise bill and end up with debt. Rather, they practice paying themselves first.

    On a basic level, paying yourself first means allocating money to your savings from every paycheque before using it for anything else — but there are different ways to do it.

    If your employer offers a RRSP match and you sign up, contributions can be taken directly from your paycheque. If not, you can set up automatic transfers so you’re funding your retirement plan every month.

    You can also set up automatic transfers from a chequing account, where your paycheque might land, to a savings account to build an emergency fund. Having emergency cash reserves could spare you from having to take out a loan or put an unplanned expense on a credit card.

    Avoid lifestyle creep

    As people’s paycheques increase, a funny thing starts to happen. Instead of taking the opportunity to save more money, many folks opt to spend more instead. But that could lead to more stress, more debt and less stability.

    The aforementioned RBC survey also found that 47% of all Canadians are living paycheque to paycheque. And the reason may boil down to lifestyle creep.

    Financially literate boomers don’t let themselves increase their spending as they edge toward the end of their careers and their earnings peak.

    Instead, they find ways to be happy with their current standard of living and continue saving so they can support their lifestyles without worry once retirement arrives. It’s a practice you may want to adopt so you can benefit from your growing paycheque instead of having it become a source of stress.

    Smart investing

    Investing isn’t just important when you’re young and trying to build retirement wealth. It’s just as important to hold your investments as you approach retirement, and during retirement.

    Boomers who are financially stable continue to invest, and they don’t completely withdraw from the stock market out of fear.

    It’s a good idea to scale back on stocks as you age to minimize your risks. But ditching stocks completely could mean not generating enough income to lead the lifestyle you want.

    Boomers who maintain a diverse investment mix over time often end up having more stable returns. They should also consider assets that can generate income for them once they’re no longer working. Some options that work well in that regard include dividend stocks, municipal bonds and real estate investment trusts (REITs).

    Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) laddering can also be a good option, namely because doing so offers low-risk returns while earning different interest rates over different term lengths. When each GIC reaches maturity, you can reinvest your earnings. When interest rates fall, GICs become less attractive. However, in the near term, GICs are another smart option for boomers to consider for their investments.

    Savvy boomers also invest in the most tax-advantaged manner possible. For those who are still working, TFSAs make sense.

    The nice thing about this account is that there are no age limits for making your annual contributions, so boomers can fund them as long as they’re still working and earning money. You may want to continue funding your TFSA for as long as possible to take advantage of the tax benefits involved.

    Sources

    1. Spring Financial: The Average Savings by Age in Canada – How Do You Compare?, by Jessica Steer (May 5, 2025)

    2. BMO: BMO Retirement Survey: Over Three Quarters of Canadians Worry They Will Not Have Enough Retirement Savings Amid Inflation (Feb 15, 2025)

    3. RBC: “Financially paralyzed”: Higher costs have Canadians feeling unable to move forward – RBC poll (Jan 23, 2025)

    This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

  • Las Vegas residents hit with ‘double whammy’ after losing thousands in alleged contractor scam — only for the state consumer protection agency to deny them reimbursement over a technicality

    Las Vegas residents hit with ‘double whammy’ after losing thousands in alleged contractor scam — only for the state consumer protection agency to deny them reimbursement over a technicality

    On June 10, the Nevada State Contractors Board issued a consumer alert about a company owner and associate who were arrested for fraudulent construction practices. The company in question was Patio Covers 4 Less.

    Ryan Vozzola, who was named as principal and Amy Rusch, who was named as de facto partner, were arrested and subsequently released. They now await hearings later this month.

    Patio Covers 4 Less had 40 different complaints filed against it by consumers claiming they signed contracts and put down deposits only to never see the work completed. The company reportedly collected over $137,000 in deposits it never made good on.

    The good news is that Nevada has protections in place to reimburse homeowners in situations like these. The bad news is that because of a technicality, some of the people who say they were scammed by Patio Covers 4 Less are now getting the runaround.

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    A frustrating situation

    A 2022 report by the Inspection Support Network found that since 2007, the Federal Trade Commission had received 109,000 reports of home improvement scams, with an average of 6,124 scams per year.

    The National Insurance Crime Bureau, meanwhile, says contractor fraud costs American homeowners billions of dollars every year and that such schemes are extremely common following major disasters like hurricanes. However, it could clearly happen at any time. In the case of Patio Covers 4 Less, Vozzola and Rusch are accused of taking homeowners’ money as deposits and simply not delivering on the work that was promised.

    Nevada does have a Residential Recovery Fund that awards up to $40,000 to homeowners who are scammed by a licensed contractor. But, as 8 News Now reports, many people who were scammed by Patio Covers 4 Less are not eligible for compensation due to a technicality

    It’s common for contracting businesses to have subsidiaries and instruct clients to write checks to those subsidiaries. In this case, clients of Patio Covers 4 Less were instructed to make their deposit checks out to other businesses. Because of this, they’re not eligible for compensation.

    Robert Enrile told 8 News Now he paid Patio Covers 4 Less $1,200. He then received denial letters from the Nevada State Contractors Board after he applied for compensation through the Residential Recovery Fund.

    "They denied me because I wrote the check to Vegas Shade, not to Patios Covers 4 Less," he said.

    Kirk Leyton paid Patio Covers 4 Less $2,500 and also wrote a check to Vegas Shade. His claim was denied for the same reason.

    “Patio Covers for Less needs to pay for their crime and the people associated with it,” Leyton said. “The other side is the contractors’ board. They’re not living up to their responsibilities."

    Read more: You don’t have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here’s how

    The math behind the denials

    It’s unfortunate that so many homeowners have lost money in this incident — especially as they made their deposits in good faith.

    The Nevada State Contractors Board revoked the company’s contractor license in March of 2025 and began working with the Nevada Attorney General’s Office at the time to prosecute the pair.

    However, Luis Quesada, Director of Investigations of the Nevada State Contractors Board, insists that the rules are the rules based on how the program was set up.

    “It’s very important, especially in these large projects, that you read and verify the contract. Make sure you’re paying the contractor, the business itself,” Quesada told 8 News Now. Quesada also said that writing a check to a different business name is a common red flag.

    "I can empathize and I really feel terrible for these folks because it’s really a double whammy," Quesada told 8 News Now. However, he said, "We have to follow the law."

    The Fund’s rules expressly state, "The Fund is not available to homeowners who have hired unlicensed contractors." A search does not reveal a license number associated with Vegas Shade, even if the parent company was licensed.

    Still, the affected homeowners may have some options. Quesada said victims can still pursue legal remedies through the civil court system.

    However, because the deposits that were made did not match up to the business name, or match up to a licensed contractor, funds from the Residential Recovery Fund continue to be off limits.

    To avoid a similar situation going forward, homeowners should make sure to only write their checks to the actual company they’re contracting, not anyone else.

    They should also check the Better Business Bureau for contractor ratings and complaints before signing a contract and verify that their contractor’s license is current and legitimate.

    Each state has its own method for issuing licenses and Nevada’s can be found here.

    What to read next

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    This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.

  • I’m 32 and finally ready to invest in stocks — but I also have no idea where to start. How can I make the most of my money without screwing this up?

    I’m 32 and finally ready to invest in stocks — but I also have no idea where to start. How can I make the most of my money without screwing this up?

    If you haven’t started investing in the stock market, you’re not alone.

    Nearly half (48%) of American adults don’t have any investment assets, according to a 2024 report by asset management firm Janus Henderson. The reasons why included a preference for more accessible assets like cash, being in debt or not understanding how to invest.

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    Furthermore, while a poll by CNBC and Generation Lab in 2024 found 63% of Americans aged 18 to 34 believe the stock market offers great opportunities to build wealth, many are not participating, and 61% are not saving for retirement each month.

    If you’re 32 years old and haven’t begun investing yet, you may have spent the first decade of your career missing out on a great opportunity to generate wealth. But it’s not too late to get in on the action. Here’s why it matters if you start investing early, and how you can get started.

    The importance of investing early

    One reason many people end up with little savings by the time they retire is that they don’t start early enough. But at 32, you have one huge thing going for you — time. The sooner you start investing, the more time your wealth has to grow. So, it’s important to take advantage of your age.

    Let’s imagine you start contributing $500 a month toward retirement at age 32, and you continue to do so until age 67. Let’s also assume that your portfolio generates a yearly 7% return, which is a bit below the stock market’s average performance.

    After 35 years of compounded returns, you’d be looking at a nest egg worth about $830,000. That’s over four times the median retirement account balance among Americans of that age group, according to Federal Reserve data.

    But if you had waited to start investing at age 42, for example, generating that same yearly 7% return, by age 67 you’d have about $380,000. Even though you contributed $60,000 less income over 10 years, that missing $450,000 is the cost of lost time compounding gains.

    It’s also important to invest at a young age in order for your savings to outpace inflation. As the purchasing power of a currency erodes over time, it helps to earn more than any value lost.

    Read more: You don’t have to be a millionaire to gain access to this $1B private real estate fund. In fact, you can get started with as little as $10 — here’s how

    Investing for the first time

    Investing for the first time? You’ll want to find the right home for your investments, and your best bet is to first exhaust tax-advantaged accounts before moving on to taxable accounts.

    If you have access to an employer-sponsored 401(k) retirement plan, at age 32, you can contribute up to $23,500 of your salary, pre-tax. Furthermore, if your employer offers a contribution match program you should take advantage of it as much as you can, as it’s essentially free money. These plans generally come with investment options so you can choose from a list of where to invest your savings.

    You may also want to put any savings into an individual retirement account (IRA), which has a contribution limit of $7,000 if you’re 32 years old. Traditional and Roth IRAs have distinct tax advantages, but funds in either type can be invested in the market.

    If you’re able to max out an IRA or 401(k) and have funds to invest beyond that point, you can turn to a taxable brokerage account. There are no annual contribution limits associated with taxable brokerage accounts, however, any contributions are made with after-tax funds.

    From there, it’s a matter of figuring out your risk tolerance and where to put your money. But one thing even the experts agree on is the importance of maintaining a diverse mix of assets within your portfolio so you aren’t as vulnerable if any investments go south. You can achieve this by buying stocks across a range of industries, or even blending in non-stock options such as bonds.

    One way to make things a little simpler is to invest in index-tracking exchange-traded funds (ETFs). These can give you access to a range of publicly traded companies. For example, an S&P 500 index fund can give you a piece of each of the top-performing companies on the U.S. market. Legendary stock-picker Warren Buffett himself recommends index funds for everyday investors.

    Keep in mind, however, the stock market has both good years and bad years. Even though, historically, the S&P 500’s average annual return rate is above 10%, past returns don’t guarantee future gains. But the longer you’re invested in the market, the more time you have to realize gains and recover from losses, which is another reason youth works in your favor.

    If you’re still unsure, it’s not a bad idea to talk to a financial advisor, especially if you don’t know much about investing and are worried about making poor choices. An advisor can help you make the most of your portfolio so it grows enough to allow you to meet your financial goals.

    What to read next

    Money doesn’t have to be complicated — sign up for the free Moneywise newsletter for actionable finance tips and news you can use. Join now.

    This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.