Fight Back! News

News and Views from the People's Struggle

Foreclosures

By staff

A protester holds a sign while talking to Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak

Minneapolis, MN – More than 40 family, friends, neighbors and other community supporters gathered at the home of Rosemary Williams Aug. 24 to show support for the continued fight against foreclosure and eviction.

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By staff

Vows to fight to keep it

A photo of Rosemary Williams with supporters on her front porch.

Minneapolis, MN – About 40 supporters and neighbors of Rosemary Williams gathered at her home here, Aug. 18 to hear an update on the latest developments in the negotiations with her mortgage holder GMAC and plans for future actions.

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By staff

Photo of demonstrators holding "Bail out People not Banks" signs at Wells Fargo.

Minneapolis, MN - “Stop foreclosures and evictions” was the rallying call here August 15, as more that 100 protesters marched on Wells Fargo bank.

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By staff

The struggle continues

Minneapolis, MN – At a press conference on Thursday, August 13, Rosemary Williams and supporters announced a milestone in the struggle to stop Rosemary's eviction. They announced that after Rosemary's eviction last Friday, and then a week of activists and community members occupying her home to resist the eviction, mortgage holder GMAC has agreed to return to talks about Rosemary staying in her home.

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By staff

Minneapolis, MN – On the evening of August 10, 2009, a prayer and candlelight vigil was held in the front yard of Rosemary Williams home. Williams and supporters' round-the-clock sit-in continued into its fourth day. The prayer vigil expressed support from various Twin Cities religious communities for Rosemary Williams struggle against eviction and the broader struggle to end foreclosures and evictions.

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By staff

Minneapolis, MN – On Saturday, August 8, the second day of a round-the-clock sit-in at her house, Rosemary Williams and supporters held a press conference on her front porch. Rosemary was officially evicted from her home on Friday. But within one hour of the eviction supporters from the Minnesota Coalition for a People's Bailout, Poor Peoples Economic Human Rights Campaign, neighbors and many others from the South Minneapolis community gathered at Rosemary’s home. They retook the house and are resisting the eviction.

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By staff

Demand that GMAC Come to the Table!

Minneapolis, MN – Rosemary Williams, a 55 year resident of Central Neighborhood, who has stood at the forefront of the fight against foreclosures, was evicted from her home on Friday August 7th.

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By Steff Yorek

Peoples' occupation to resist the eviction taking place

Minneapolis, MN – Fight Back! News is reporting from the home of Rosemary Williams on the 3100 block of Clinton Ave S. in Minneapolis, MN.  Early this afternoon, Hennepin County Sheriff Deputies came to Rosemary’s home and evicted Rosemary, her daughter in law and two of her grandchildren.  The deputies carried out the wishes of GMAC mortgage with calculated precision.  They allowed the Williams family to collect a few personal items, then changed the locks on the home and padlocked the garage.  A family locked away from their life so the GMAC can be the proud owners of another vacant home on a block with 7 other vacant homes.

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By staff

A photo of Rosemary Williams and supporters at her home.

Minneapolis, MN – On Friday, July 31, at about 3:00 p.m., Rosemary Williams got word that the deal with Greater Metropolitan Housing Corporation (GMHC) to buy her home fell through. This, after the drama of July 24, when shortly after a 24-hour eviction notice was served, she got word that GMHC was to purchase her home and arrange to lease it back to her. A week of relief and celebration and hope was capped off by Friday’s devastating news.

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By staff

Map of housing foreclosures in 2009 in Minneapolis, MN

Editors note: Since this article was written, Minnesota Governor Pawlenty has announced there will be no special secession of the legislature this year and, in an unprecedented move, he states he will use the line item veto and his power to unallot to carry out massive budget cuts.

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