Is Verizon beating people out of their money ?

Is Verizon beating people out of their money ?
2011-07-14
dmvblogspot.bloggieblog.com
Staff Writter

Howard County government top boss feels Verizon sales efforts are in question.

Howard County Executive Ken Ulman announced today that the County’s Office of Consumer Affairs is investigating telephone sales practices employed by Verizon in selling bundled television, internet and telephone service. The inquiry was launched after the Office received several consumer complaints.

Ulman is urging residents to exhibit caution when purchasing packaged services through a telephone solicitation. “Verizon and other providers advertise all the bells and whistles of their new technologies, but the information they convey and how it’s marketed makes it incredibly complicated for consumers to purchase only the programs and services they actually want and need,” said Ulman.

Rebecca Bowman, Administrator of the Office of Consumer Affairs, advises consumers to “take detailed notes while talking with sales agents about the options being offered.” Verizon offers “bundles” of up to four services (TV, internet, land-line telephone and wireless telephone), as well as a number of packages and options to choose from. “That is a lot of information to keep track of,” said Bowman.

According to the Office of Consumer Affairs, telephone sales representatives usually start by running consumers through the myriad of bundles and options available. These bundles may sound simple at first but when the sales rep gets into the details, consumers can easily become confused. For example, when discussing the TV portion of a bundle, consumers may find that the price option that fits their budget has a limited selection of channels included. When consumers ask about the inclusion of specific channels, they are often told that select channels cannot be added ‘a la carte’ and that they will have to upgrade to a more expensive bundle that includes a number of other channels they are not interested in purchasing. If consumers balk, they may be told they can stay with the original bundle but add-on a specialized package, for example a sports package, with a different group of extra channels. Consumers who appear reluctant may be offered a special discount to help of! fset the extra cost.

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tags: howard county government,verizon,

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Howard County affordable housing project 2011

Howard County affordable housing project 2011
2011-03-28
dmvblogspot.bloggieblog.com
Staff Writter

Howard County Housing will begin accepting applications for the April enrollment period for the County’s Moderate Income Housing Unit (MIHU) program on Friday, April 1. The current enrollment period will end Friday, April 29.

“Our MIHU program continues to create affordable housing options for moderate income families in Howard County who want to take full advantage of all the amenities our County has to offer,” said County Executive Ken Ulman. “From our highly-rated school system to our family-friendly parks and our #2 ranking as one of the nation’s ‘Best Places to Live,’ it’s a great time to ‘Come Home to Howard County’.”

As part of the MIHU program, Housing will hold two “MIHU Buyers and Renters Workshops.” The first workshop will be held during the “Come Home to Howard County” Housing Fair on Saturday, April 9 at 11:30 a.m. at Long Reach High School, 6101 Old Dobbin Lane in Columbia. Housing will hold a second workshop on Wednesday, April 13 at 6 p.m. in the Gateway Building, 6751 Columbia Gateway Drive in Columbia. The workshops are open to the public and will assist potential MIHU homebuyers and renters by explaining the program’s eligibility and application process. To register for one of the workshops or for additional information, contact Housing’s MIHU Coordinator at 410-313-6497.

To purchase an MIHU home, persons must apply to Howard County Housing during the open enrollment period in order to be placed on a waiting list. In addition, the applicant’s household income may not exceed 80% of Howard County’s median household income; which as of January 1 is $101,940 for a family of four. Applicants must also meet minimum credit score requirements and their household income must be sufficient to qualify for a home mortgage based on industry standards. Base sale prices for MIHUs can range from $128,000 for a condominium to $239,000 for a townhome. Actual sale prices vary depending on the size and amenities of the unit. If you were not eligible in the past because of household income, Howard County Housing encourages you to check current eligibility limits.

Available MIHU homes for ownership opportunities are at Elkridge Crossing Towns, Howard Square, Cottages at Greenwood, High Ridge Road, Guilford Mews and Gatherings at Jefferson Place. Elkridge Crossing Towns features 3 bedrooms, 2 ½ baths and one car garage townhomes. Also in Elkridge, Howard Square features brick and non-brick front townhomes with 3 bedrooms, 3 baths and one car garages. The Cottages at Greenwood in Jessup offer 3 bedroom and 2 bath single-family detached homes with numerous “green” features. High Ridge Road, a detached, single-family home in Laurel, includes 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and is newly renovated with refinished hardwood floors, ENERGY STAR appliances and a Geothermal Heating and Cooling System. Guilford Mews, a 55+ active adult community, boasts 3 bedroom, 2 ½ bath and one car garage townhomes located off of Jones Road in Jessup. Also a 55+ active adult community, Gatherings at Jefferson Place, features 2 bedroom with 1 or 2 bath condos in a ce! ntrally located community on Route 103 in Ellicott City.

To rent an MIHU unit, an applicant’s household income may not exceed 60% of the Howard County median household income. Rents range from $1,147 to $1,774, including utilities. MIHUs are interspersed throughout each community and residents enjoy all of the amenities of the community life. Prospective renters may apply directly to the participating rental community at any time during the year. MIHUs are rented on a first-come, first-serve basis. Currently Mission Place Apartments, Alta at Regency Crest, Belmont Station, Penniman Park and Ashbury Courts are accepting MIHU rental applications. Rental management addresses and phone numbers can be found on Housing’s website under MIHU information.

Over the past four years, 76 families have been awarded homeownership opportunities in communities throughout the County such as Belmont Station, Elkridge Crossing, Gatherings at Jefferson Place, Shipley’s Grant and Village Towns.

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tags: hud in howard county maryland,howard county government,

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