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Anjeanette Damon

Anjeanette Damon is a reporter at ProPublica.

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Anjeanette Damon is a reporter at ProPublica who focuses on government accountability. Prior to joining ProPublica she worked at the Reno Gazette Journal and USA Today Network as a government watchdog reporter and regional investigative editor. Damon’s investigation of in-custody deaths at the Washoe County jail resulted in legislative action and was recognized as a finalist for an ONA public service award. Her series on deplorable living conditions faced by people with severe mental illness under state care prompted immediate action by Nevada’s governor and legislation to improve oversight of the housing program. In 2019, Damon was lead reporter and writer on Season 2 of “The City,” a USA Today investigative podcast. She is based in Reno, Nevada.

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.

Nevada Governor Candidates Are Debating a ProPublica Investigation — but Not Always Accurately

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak is fending off attacks from his Republican rival over his administration’s fast-tracking the license for a COVID-testing company with ties to a political donor.

Under the Gun

Why Outlawing Ghost Guns Didn’t Stop America’s Largest Maker of Ghost Gun Parts

Unregistered, unserialized weapons produced with Polymer80 parts have turned up at crime scenes across the country, but state-level efforts to close ghost gun loopholes continue to fall short.