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Des Moines, IA_ In July, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (Iowa CCI) turned up the heat against Conseco Finance by hitting the mortgage lender at the company's local offices and through meetings with Iowa officials demanding the state crack down on the company's predatory lending practices. On July 14, 104 members of Iowa CCI took over the Des Moines' office of Conseco Finance and forced the business into shutting its doors early.

Iowa CCI's Predatory Lending Task Force also met with Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller to discuss Conseco's lending practices in late July. The group also plans to meet with Holmes Foster, the Iowa Superintendent of Banking in early August. The group's members demanded that Conseco branch manager Jeff Kautz meet with CCI's Predatory Lending Task Force by Aug. 25 to develop a strategic plan for repairing predatory loans made by the company as well as repairing specific loans of CCI leaders Roxi Van Rees and Sally Riggs.

"Conseco promised four years ago that it would finish the $27,000 in repairs on my home. I still have no insulation, no storm windows, no gutters, a hole in my porch floor and holes in my foundation," Van Rees said. "All I got was broken dreams." "They promised me I'd save money, but my payments doubled. They said there was no balloon, but there is one - $57,000," Riggs added. CCI leader Brenda LaBlanc demanded that Conseco repair both Riggs and Van Rees' loans including forgiving Van Rees the $27,000 debt and refunding the interest she has paid over the past four years as well as ridding Riggs of her $57,000 balloon payment. Kautz refused to provided any help or respond to CCI's demands.

Instead, while he retreated into his office, CCI members marched forward and refused to let him hide behind a locked door. "We mean business. Jeff Kautz and Conseco cannot hide from CCI!" Riggs said. When the police arrived, officers promised to deliver the demands to Kautz and recommend that Conseco deal with the problem. Police also commended CCI on bringing public attention to the problem of predatory lending. "We are not backing off," said Linda Stanley, member of CCI's Predatory Lending Task Force. "CCI is serious and we are in this for the long haul. We want predatory lending stopped." "I want my money back," Van Rees said. "And I want Conseco to do what's right for all Iowans, for all borrowers. And I'm not going to stop fighting."

The action against Conseco was the culmination of Iowa CCI's 26th annual convention. CCI members also with Iowa Attorney General, asking him to use his influence over the state legislature to adopt much needed anti-predatory legislation. CCI pressed Miller to investigate and prosecute Conseco's predatory lending practice. Miller said he would take the issue personally and also agreed to attend the upcoming FTC hearing. When CCI meets Iowa's Superintendent of Banking, they will ask Foster investigate taking away Conseco's license to practice in the state and will also ask him to commit to attending the FTC hearing.