Skip to content
ProPublica Donate
ProPublica Donate
Photo of Anjeanette Damon

Anjeanette Damon

I cover government accountability issues at the local, state and federal level in the Southwest.

Have a Tip for a Story?

What I Cover

My reporting focuses on how well city and state governments do their jobs on issues that affect all of us, including health care, housing and the environment. I’m most interested in how powerful actors influence governments to serve their own interests to the detriment of the most vulnerable in our communities.

My Background

At ProPublica, my work has included uncovering COVID-19 testing contracts awarded to the Nevada governor’s friends with disastrous results, documenting how a city council empowered a wealthy developer to raze motels and displace hundreds of low-income residents, and investigating how the country’s largest house-flipping company cashed in on homeowners’ desperation.

Prior to ProPublica, I was a government watchdog reporter and regional investigative editor for the USA Today Network. My investigation of in-custody deaths at the Washoe County, Nevada, jail resulted in legislative action and was recognized as a finalist for an Online News Association public service award. My series on deplorable living conditions faced by people with severe mental illness under state care prompted immediate action by Nevada’s governor. In 2019, I was lead reporter and writer on Season 2 of “The City,” a USA Today investigative podcast. I am based in Reno, Nevada.

The Ugly Truth

How One Woman Narrowly Avoided a Bad Deal With a “We Buy Ugly Houses” Franchise

Royanne McNair believed she had canceled her contract with a “We Buy Ugly Houses” franchise, so she pursued another offer on her house — this one for $100,000 more. Then an anonymous envelope froze the deal.

The Ugly Truth

HomeVestors Said It Had Kicked Out a Top Franchisee Who Broke the Law. New Evidence Suggests It Didn’t.

The company said it had cut ties with Cory Evans, the former co-owner of Patriot Holdings LLC, “a number of years” ago, but texts, emails and interviews indicate he was still engaged in the business as recently as March.

The Ugly Truth

“We Buy Ugly Houses” CEO Steps Down Following ProPublica Investigation

David Hicks, CEO of HomeVestors of America, said in a letter announcing his retirement that recent press coverage of the company’s homebuying practices has taken a “personal toll on me.”

The Ugly Truth

Senators, Regulator Call for More Scrutiny of “We Buy Ugly Houses” Company

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s head said the Department of Justice and state attorneys general should be made aware of predatory house-flipping practices, following ProPublica reporting on HomeVestors of America.

The Ugly Truth

Looking to Sell Your Home for Cash? Read This First.

Cash home buyers like the “We Buy Ugly Houses” company may offer a quick and convenient sale to homeowners. Here’s what experts say you should know about interacting with these companies.

The Ugly Truth

Five Stories of Lives Upended After Dealing With the “We Buy Ugly Houses” Company

ProPublica found that HomeVestors franchises often target the homes of people in vulnerable or desperate situations. These are the stories of five people who found themselves in unwanted deals with a cash home buyer.

The Ugly Truth

HomeVestors Praised ProPublica’s Reporting, Then Tried to “Bury It”

The “We Buy Ugly Houses” company held a virtual meeting for its franchises to outline a plan to “minimize visibility” of our investigation.

The Ugly Truth

The Ugly Truth Behind “We Buy Ugly Houses”

HomeVestors of America, the self-proclaimed “largest homebuyer in the U.S.,” trains its nearly 1,150 franchisees to zero in on homeowners’ desperation.

Nevada Governor Turns to Lobbyist Tied to COVID Lab Scandal for Help With Budget

Gov. Joe Lombardo once called his predecessor’s support of an error-prone COVID-19 testing lab the “biggest scandal in our history” but then brought in the lobbyist who pulled strings to get that lab licensed to help prepare his state budget.

Coronavirus

Medicare Keeps Spending More on COVID-19 Testing. Fraud and Overspending Are Partly Why.

Medicare’s COVID-19 testing costs reached over $2 billion in 2022. The growing costs concern some experts, who say financial incentives and a lack of regulation early in the pandemic led to fraud and overspending.