February 24, 2011

We here at Georgia Watch recently became aware of a great resource for homeowners seeking an honest, efficient home contractor. The National Center for the Prevention of Home Improvement Fraud (NCPHIF) is a nonprofit based in Atlanta that works to eliminate home contractor fraud. We spoke with NCPHIF executive director Phae Howard to learn more about this increasingly prevalent issue.

What is home improvement fraud and what got you involved in helping consumers avoid it?
Howard: My grandmother was financially and emotionally victimized by an unscrupulous contractor. I don’t know how much money she lost, but I absolutely remember the pain in her face. That will be with me always. After years of hearing stories about people being taken advantage of, I realized that, like my grandmother, many homeowners are not equipped with the information and resources to avoid becoming a victim of home improvement or home repair contractor fraud. That is why it is my personal goal, and the mission of NCPHIF, to arm potential victims with necessary tools to avoid similar situations. Read more

February 18, 2011 

Last month, the Public Service Commission voted to release $4 million from a special fund to help low-income seniors pay their winter natural gas bills.

Low-income seniors not yet signed up for the Atlanta Gas Light senior citizen discount have until today – February 18th – to contact their marketer to sign up so they can receive the new funds. The grant money is limited to those who already receive the senior citizen discount on their natural gas bill.

To be eligible for the grant money, the following must apply:

* Applicant must be 65 years of age or older
* Applicant must receive less than $14,355 in income per year
* Natural gas account must be in applicant’s name
* Applicant must be already signed up for the AGL senior citizen discount
* If applicant has already received assistance this winter through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), he/she is ineligible for grant money

For more information about the qualifications for this aid, click here.

February 15, 2011

A recently filed bill poses a real threat to the consumer protections that exist in the Georgia market for health insurance. House Bill 47, which was introduced by Representative Matt Ramsey (R-Peachtree City), would permit out of state insurance policies to be sold in Georgia. By allowing out of state insurance policies, we’re substituting the laws that our legislature has enacted and our insurance commissioner enforces with regulations from another state where Georgia voters have no say.

Read more