Residents Say Countrywide Ruined The Block

OAKLAND, CALIF. (CN) - Countrywide Home Loans refuses to board up two apartment buildings it foreclosed upon, turning the 1200 block of 30th Street into a drug haven littered with "condoms, drug paraphernalia and other garbage" and endangering the safety of the neighborhood, seven residents claim in Alameda County Court.

"No amount of requests for abatement from the Oakland Police Department, the Oakland Building Inspection department or from Plaintiffs' attorney has brought about an iota of responsible property management from Countrywide," the complaint states.

Plaintiffs say that Countrywide's "inept complaint department" responded to their complaints by "sending a meaningless letter thanking the recipient for contacting Countrywide and promising to 'maintain the property.' The complaint handler then assures that complainant that Countrywide is 'within the time frame' under its own protocols for responding to the complaint. This is followed by nothing, or ineffective steps at abatement. The 'protocols' apparently allow for endless inactivity."

Plaintiffs say Countrywide also instructs or allows its agents to "deny city building inspectors access to problem properties".

As a result, plaintiffs say, they have to pick up the used condoms and drug paraphernalia themselves, and suffer the threats and dangers of round the clock drug dealing.

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