A Connection Between World Savings' Bad Loans & Bay Area Blight?

In Oakland, California, CBS 5 reports:

• It was one of the Bay Area's most trusted banks. Now some consumer advocates question its lending practices in certain East Bay neighborhoods. The bank was World Savings, bought by Wachovia in mid-2006. They were a popular lender. But now some advocates want to know why so many of their loans were made in some of Oakland's low-income minority neighborhoods.

• "It's very frightening, it's upsetting," said Annie McKenzie. "Our neighborhoods are becoming blight because of all the foreclosures," said Diane Busby. Welcome to zip code 94621, where homes are going vacant and residents are uneasy.

For more, see Bank Facing Questions Over E. Bay Mortgage Lending.