Hartford, CT – On November 20, a dozen protesters rallied in front of the Hartford Supreme Court building to protest the mass evictions happening across Connecticut. The protest centered around Governor Ned Lamont’s inability to protect renters from evictions during the ongoing pandemic. There is a new bill requiring landlords to provide tenants with 30 days’ removal notice, being disguised as a continuation of the stay on evictions. Other issues included cancelling rent payments and investing in the community instead of police. “Cancel the rents, evictions must end,” chanted the protesters.

“The main message was clear: to deny people access to something as fundamental as shelter at any time, let alone during a massive pandemic is unacceptable and shameful,” said Benjamin Segal-Morris, a senior member of UCONN UNCHAIN, “to demand anything less than the bare minimum of ‘no evictions during the pandemic’ shows an intense lack of humanity of those involved.”

Over the course of the afternoon, activists’ calls were affirmed by the Hartford community honking from their cars or stopping to sit in with protesters. This culminated with a call for state legislators to put a stop on eviction hearings until the pandemic is over, and to end police involvement in tenant removals.

The protest was organized by UCONN UNCHAIN, Connecticut DSA, and community members.

#HartfordCT #HousingStruggles #Evictions

Kelly, who has paid the value of her home five times over, was scheduled to be evicted by Freddie Mac and the Hennepin County sheriff's department at 10:30 this morning, on her daughter Sinead's 23rd birthday, but a rapid community response forced the sheriffs' deputies to reschedule.

“The government is shut down, but Freddie Mac evictions are still considered an essential service. But the power of community is too big to fail,” said Kelly. “Today's blocked eviction is the greatest birthday present I could give my daughter. I am not moving, and my neighbors stand with me.”

Freddie Mac, which operates under the federal agency FHFA, is continuing its evictions of Kelly and others in spite of the government shutdown.

“Sheriff Stanek and the big banks don't want to do their dirty work in front of 150 community members,” said Nick Espinosa, an organizer with Occupy Homes MN whose family successfully fought off foreclosure last year. “But we will be ready for them at any hour of the day or night. Jaymie's not going anywhere, and neither are we.”

#MinneapolisMN #HousingStruggles #Evictions #governmentShutdown #HomeForeclosures #OccupyHomesMN #HouseStruggles #JaymieKelly #FreddieMac

Minneapolis, MN – 75 community members turned back 30 sheriffs who were trying to evict people from the Ceballos home, July 24. Two home defenders were arrested in acts of civil disobedience.

Under orders from Sheriff Richard Stanek, deputies kicked in the door without warning at 12:40 p.m. One home defender was cut out of a barrel filled with concrete by deputies wielding a jackhammer and saw.

During the eviction attempt, community members drove sheriffs into the backyard, where they retreated after boarding up the property. The Ceballos' family, friends and neighbors removed the boards and returned into the home.

JPMorgan Chase Bank had told the Ceballos family that they were considering them for a loan modification, but then filed for eviction at the same time. This process is known as dual tracking and is illegal under the national mortgage settlement. On July 22, Chase asked for another loan modification application from the Ceballos family, which they accepted July 23.

“Yesterday we went to Chase because they said they would help us,” said Jonathan Ceballos. “Today the sheriffs show up at our house to evict. The question is, to the sheriffs and to Chase – who are you helping? They want to see another empty house but it's not going to happen, because we the people are here to support one another. We hope Mayor Rybak will not send police to attempt another eviction of my family while we continue to negotiate with the bank. We don't need any more arrests.”

The Ceballos family lives in south Minneapolis' Eviction Free Zone, a community where neighbors have pledged to stand up against unjust evictions.

#MinneapolisMN #HousingStruggles #Evictions #JPMorganChase #HomeForeclosures #RichardStanek

St. Paul, MN – It took several minutes for the people gathered outside on the front steps of the Minnesota State Capitol to filter through the doors and into the echoing rotunda, chanting, “Hey politicians, here’s the fix! Tax the rich! Tax the rich!” Nearly 200 protested here, Jan. 24, on the opening day of the Minnesota legislative session. Over two dozen Minnesota organizations endorsed the rally, under the slogans, “Make the rich pay for their crisis,” “Put a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions,” and “Stop the attacks on the 99%!”

The protest was organized the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout (MCPBO).

Deb Konechne spoke for the MCPBO, “This system that we live under, is a system where profit is the ultimate motive and a tiny percentage controls the wealth and power. It’s a system that was built on greed, aggression and outright thievery since its very beginning – from the stealing of land and resources to the stealing of people’s labor. Everything they have was made by us. Everything they own belongs to us all. We are in the biggest economic crisis since the great depression. We did not create it. Yet we are the ones who are being forced to pay for it!”

Darnella Wade, a member of the Welfare Rights Committee, a founding group of the MCPBO, said, “The Welfare Rights Committee is back here at the capitol, for the 20th year in a row. We will be fighting for the demands of the 99%. We are here to demand an end to the attacks on our families. We demand they pass legislation to stop foreclosures and to tax the rich!”

MCPBO is working on two bills this legislative session. One bill, SF1521/HF1886, puts a two-year moratorium on home foreclosures and on the eviction of tenants from foreclosed properties. The other bill, to be introduced Jan. 26, increases taxes on the richest in Minnesota.

Senator Scott Dibble and Representative Karen Clark, the authors of the bill to put a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions, addressed the rally. Senator Jeff Hayden, an author (along with Rep. Frank Hornstein) of the bill to tax the rich, roused the crowd as well.

Ramon Silva Hernandez spoke about the battle against his home foreclosure, “I worked hard to go back to school, to educate myself and I wanted to be a part of America by purchasing a home. I was given a predatory loan by Aurora. I tried for two years to modify my mortgage through President Obama’s program without any answer, and mailing the same package of requirements every month.” Silva Hernandez concluded, “I am here with hope of finding a solution to this situation. I am calling on politicians to put a moratorium on foreclosures.”

The “Occupy the Capitol Rally” ran well over its allotted time, as passionate representatives of many groups lined up to express outrage and determination to fight back against the wave of attacks on poor and working people.

After the speeches inside the rotunda, the crowd marched up the broad staircase to the second floor of the capitol and paraded outside the doors of the House and Senate chambers, chanting all the way.

Then, protesters surged into the hallway outside the Governor Mark Dayton’s office and packed his lobby until capitol security forced them out and barred the doors. Chants ranged from “Money for human needs, not for stadiums,” (Gov. Dayton advocates state funding for a Vikings football stadium) to “We are the 99%! We occupy, we represent!” After a standoff outside the doors of the governor’s office, people moved outdoors and pressed against a window to look in at Governor Dayton as he held a meeting in his office until, after a scuffle, state troopers forced the defiant crowd to the nearby steps, where the rally ended with vows to return. Besides the Minnesota Coalition for People’s Bailout and the Welfare Rights Committee, which organized the opening day protest, the rally was endorsed by ADAPT MN, Advocating Change Together (ACT), AFSCME Council 5, AFSCME Local 3800, Anti-War Committee, Communities United Against Police Brutality, General Assembly of OccupyMpls, Marriage Equality Minnesota, Minnesotans for a Fair Economy, MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee, MN Neighborhoods Organizing for Change (NOC), MN Nurses Association (MNA), MN Tenants Union, MN Peace Action Coalition, Occupy Homes, Occupy the Hood, Occupy Saint Paul Tactical Working Group, Poor Peoples Economic Human Rights Campaign, Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation, Students Association for the Advancement of Children as People (SAACP), Students for Democratic Society (SDS), TakeAction Minnesota, Twin Cities Peace Campaign, United Food And Commercial Worker Union Local 1189, Universal Health Care Action Network of MN and Women Against Military Madness (WAMM).

For more info, go to http://mnbailout.wordpress.com

#StPaulMN #Foreclosures #HousingStruggles #housingCrisis #Evictions #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailoutMCPBO

Minneapolis, MN – Neighbors and supporters rallied at the home of Leslie Parks, Dec. 18, demanding an end to foreclosures and evictions. Parks has made it clear that she will not be foreclosed out of her home. This was the first public action since Dec. 8, when IndyMac/One West Bank temporarily locked Leslie out of her home.

Linden Gawboy, of the MN Coalition for a People's Bailout, spoke to the crowd about the struggle Parks has gone through, and urged support for a bill that will be introduced at the state legislature that puts a two-year moratorium on home foreclosures.

Leslie Parks is one of those at the forefront of the battle against unjust foreclosures and evictions. Ms. Parks has inspired thousands across the country with her fight to keep her home in the family.

Since mid-November, there has been a successful national call-in campaign, spearheaded by the Network to Fight for Economic Justice, to IndyMac/One West bank with callers demanding that the bank come to the table and accept a deal that Leslie Parks can afford. Around Thanksgiving, IndyMac/One West began the process of actually rescinding the foreclosure and sheriff's sale. “This amazing development was an inspiration to many,” said Gawboy.

Leslie Parks' house has been a stand-out on the block for months – it is emblazoned with banners, posters and signs to inspire everyone to resist the foreclosures and evictions that are devastating our communities. At previous rallies at the Parks’ house, there have been countless honks of support from passing cars.

“Leslie Parks is fighter all the way. So many people are being jerked around by these big banks. Leslie shows that if we get out there, stand up and speak out we have a hope for change,” said Deb Konechne, of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout.

#MinneapolisMN #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #Foreclosures #HousingStruggles #Evictions #LeslieParks

Minneapolis, MN – Supporters of Leslie Parks gathered at her home holding signs and banners, visible to rush hour traffic on the morning of Nov. 30. They demanded that IndyMac/One West Bank come to just settlement with the Parks family that allows Leslie Parks to keep her home.

Linden Gawboy, of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout, stated, “We are here to let the public know that this is the place and now is the time to stop foreclosures and evictions. We will not let our communities be destroyed by banks and mortgage brokers.”

The Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout is pushing for a statewide, two-year moratorium on home foreclosures and a moratorium on the eviction of tenants from foreclosed properties.

Leslie Parks is at the center of the movement to resist home foreclosures. She has made it clear that she has no intention of walking away from her home. Hundreds of friends and neighbors have rallied to her cause and she is getting support from across the country.

The day before Thanksgiving, there was an important advance for Leslie Parks: IndyMac/One West Bank has decided to come to the table to talk to the Parks family about the situation. The ‘redemption period’ was supposed to end Nov. 30. But instead, IndyMac is rescinding the sheriff’s sale, giving added time for Ms. Parks to fight to keep the house in the family.

Mick Kelly, of the Network to Fight for Economic Justice stated, “We have been urging people around the country to call IndyMac to demand a fair shake for Leslie Parks. We are ready to take more actions to support her.”

#MinneapolisMN #Foreclosures #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #HousingStruggles #Evictions #LeslieParks

Minneapolis, MN – Over 50 people gathered at the home of Leslie Parks, Nov. 13, to declare solidarity for Leslie Parks and her mother as they fight foreclosure and eviction.

Ms. Parks has made it clear that she will not be put on the streets when the 'redemption period' ends on Nov. 30. “IndyMac Federal Bank needs to come to the table and give my family justice. I have no intention of walking away from the place I call home,” she said before the event.

The campaign to save the Parks home was organized by the Minnesota Coalition for a People's Bailout and the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign.

Parks explained to the crowd that her mother, Tecora Parks, owns the duplex where Leslie lives. After city-ordered upgrades, Tecora Parks was swindled into getting an ARM [adjustable rate mortgage] by an employee of Allied Mortgage. The man who sold her the ARM lied and insisted it was a conventional loan. It is important to note that Tecora Parks had perfect credit and qualified for a conventional loan hands down. But she was lied to, got swindled into an ARM, lost her good credit and went into foreclosure. Leslie Parks points out, “He got more of a commission by selling an ARM.”

Mick Kelly, of the Minnesota Coalition for a People's Bailout, spoke to the crowd: “The economic crisis that has gripped the U.S. has cast millions into poverty and foreclosed many out of their homes. It has also created heroes – like Leslie Parks, who has said 'Enough is enough!' Now is the time. Foreclosures will end here!”

Leslie Parks and the groups organizing the fight back encouraged attendees to be ready for more and more escalating actions, both up to Nov. 30 and beyond.

#MinneapolisMN #CapitalismAndEconomy #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #Foreclosures #HousingStruggles #Evictions #LeslieParks

Minneapolis, MN – After a months long fight against her foreclosure, police came to evict Rosemary Williams from her home, Sept. 11. Dozens of police cordoned off the street, sidewalks and alley all around the home, police with rifles and tear gas were at the ready at windows inside the house, as a private security company used metal grating to board up windows and doors. The police showed up as preparations were being made for a birthday party for Rosemary Williams’s grandson, Talib, who turned two that day.

More than a hundred supporters gathered to support the Williams family, as they hastily removed their personal belongings from the house. In a last ditch effort to stop the eviction, seven supporters went onto the property and were immediately arrested. They were dragged away by police, who kicked people laying on the ground and sprayed the crowd with pepper spray.

The arrestees include five members of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout, which has been fighting this eviction for months and pressuring the GMAC mortgage company to make a deal that allows Ms. Williams to stay in her home. Instead, GMAC boarded up the windows, making this the eighth vacant house on the block.

Kim DeFranco, of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout, was in the home with Ms. Williams when the police arrived and helped the family collect their things. “The more I carried out of the house, the angrier I got. With all the bailouts that big banks have gotten, there’s no reason that people like Rosemary and her family should have to lose their homes. When we left the house, we were chanting ‘it’s not over,’ because we are going to keep fighting this.”

Asked what is next, Ms. Williams said, “Number one, we’ve got to get our people out of jail. After that I’ve got to get my stuff into storage, but we are not giving up and it is not just about my family. This is happening all over and it’s got to stop. We are mobilizing as many people as we can to come downtown tomorrow, we’re going to have a big action outside the Obama rally. It’s time to get up. Stand up or shut up.”

Ms. Williams is definitely standing up, and she is not alone. Hundreds have rallied around her and pledge to continue this important campaign confronting the foreclosure crisis.

#MinneapolisMN #Foreclosures #RosemaryWilliams #HousingStruggles #Evictions

Rosemary’s Williams and her supporters re-entered the home following an eviction notice Aug. 7. A resident of South Minneapolis for over 55 years, Rosemary Williams and her family decided to fight against home foreclosures when their own home was at risk. Members of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout have joined with Williams in her fight back for justice

At the rally, anti-war activists from the Anti-War Committee, Women Against Military Madness, Students for a Democratic Society-UMN, and the Minnesota Iraq Peace Action Coalition spoke about the contradictions of spending billions of dollars on wars abroad while people within the U.S. are struggling to keep their homes.

Jennie Eisert of the Anti-War Committee says, “Here at home because of the recession, the foreclosure crisis has devastated our cities, our state and our country. People are unjustly being driven out from their homes. In Iraq and Afghanistan the U.S. driven wars are causing more and more people to be displaced. U.S. aggression is creating a housing crisis on the other side of the globe.”

Mary Beaudoin of Women Against Military Madness agreed, “The United States wars on Iraq and Afghanistan alone have rendered millions of people homeless by bombing their cities and countrysides, destabilizing and destroying their infrastructures, breaking down their doors in house-to-house searches for so-called ‘suspected insurgents’ and, in general, terrifying them and creating uninhabitable living situations. To date, the total cost of this, allocated by Congress, is $915 billion. At the same time, the U.S. government and taxpayers have bailed out banks and created a situation in our own country that is destroying our city neighborhoods and rural communities by forcing people out of their homes through foreclosures that would not be taking place except for a system enabling the reckless greed of financial institutions.”

Many anti-war groups are a part of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout and will continue to make the issue of foreclosure tied into their work around peace with justice.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Foreclosures #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #RosemaryWilliams #HousingStruggles #AntiWarCommittee #Evictions

Minneapolis, MN – The Twin Cites peace movement organized a rally under the call of “Foreclose the war, not people’s homes, ” Aug. 27 to show support for Minneapolis homeowner Rosemary Williams and her fight against foreclosure and eviction. More than 50 people demanded a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions and for the billions being spent on U.S. wars and occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan to be used instead to keep people in their homes.

Jenny Eisert, of the Anti-War Committee, stated, “Here at home because of the recession, the foreclosure crisis has devastated our cities, our state and our country. People are unjustly being driven out from their homes. In Iraq and Afghanistan the U.S.-driven wars are causing more and more people to be displaced. U.S. aggression is creating a housing crisis on the other side of the globe. We want Rosemary to stay in her home and we want the Iraqi and Afghan people to be able to stay in their homes too. We support policies that promote justice and we are proud to stand with people here to say, ‘Foreclose the war, not people’s homes!’”

The Aug. 27 rally was organized by the Anti-War Committee and endorsed by Women Against Military Madness, Students for a Democratic Society/U of M and Iraq Peace Action Coalition.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Foreclosures #RosemaryWilliams #HousingStruggles #AntiWarCommittee #Evictions

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.

“As negotiations with GMAC and Rosemary Williams continue, we are getting a peek into the dirty world of finance. Names mentioned so far include GMAC, MERS, the bankrupt Lehman Brothers and Aurora Loan Services. These corrupt financial institutions are all lining up to skim their dollars off a family’s misery and the downfall of our communities,” noted a statement from event organizers.

Rosemary Williams stated that she would the fight until she got her home back in her name. Mick Kelly, of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout, urged people to join the protest at the Mayors office that is scheduled for Aug. 19.

Since Aug. 7, hundreds of people have come out to support Rosemary Williams to save her family home. Williams has lived on the block for 55 years. She has spent a year speaking out against foreclosure and evictions on every level, always noting that she has not been fighting just for herself but others in the same situation.

On Aug. 7, Sheriffs came to the Williams house, forcing her and her family out. The house was quickly reopened and an around the clock sit-in has been taking place ever since.

#MinneapolisMN #News #MinnesotaPeoplesBailoutCoalition #Foreclosures #RosemaryWilliams #HousingStruggles #GMAC #Evictions

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

The protest, initiated by the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout, called on banks and mortgage companies to stop foreclosures and the displacement of homeowners and to stop evicting tenants from rental properties that have been foreclosed.

The march passed the home of Rosemary Williams, the south Minneapolis homeowner fighting to stop her foreclosure and eviction. Williams addressed protesters from her porch.

Steff York of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout said, “The outpouring of support for Rosemary Williams in recent days shows that people want action taken against the continued foreclosures and destruction of our communities.”

“Rosemary’s struggle is a fight to defend the interests of millions of working people and low-income people who are in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure. We march to demand that the banks and mortgage companies stop the foreclosures and evictions,” said Linden Gawboy of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout.

A statement issued by organizers explains, “The economic crisis is not the fault of working and low-income people. Banks and mortgage companies sold mortgages with escalating interest rates and penalties that were doomed to fail. Increasing layoffs and the economic crisis will lead to more people falling behind on mortgage payments. Working people and low-income people need a bailout.”

The statement demands that banks and mortgage companies honor the leases of tenants in foreclosed rental properties. “Tenants by the hundreds and thousands have lost their homes in the last few years, as landlords lose their properties. Lenders who foreclose on landlords put tenants out on the streets. This must stop.”

#MinneapolisMN #News #Foreclosures #WellsFargo #RosemaryWilliams #HousingStruggles #Evictions

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.

The following are videos of Rosemary Williams and Mick Kelly speaking at the August 13 press conference. At the press conference Mick Kelly of the Minnesota Coalition for a People's Bailout said, “This is the place and this is the time where foreclosures and foreclosure-related evictions are going to be stopped.”

Rosemary Williams, August 13, 2009

Mick Kelly, MN Coalition for a People's Bailout, August 13, 2009

#MinneapolisMN #Foreclosures #RosemaryWilliams #HousingStruggles #Evictions

The vigil showed the growing support for Rosemary Williams in the face of her eviction last Friday after months of struggle. Within an hour of her eviction, community members and activists reclaimed her house. Williams and supporters have occupied the house since then, under threat of arrest, demanding that GMAC open negotiations with Williams so she can stay in her home.

The following talks by Rosemary Williams, and by Mick Kelly of the Minnesota Coalition for a People's Bailout were two of the contributions to Monday evening's prayer and candlelight vigil.

Rosemary Williams, August 10, 2009

Mick Kelly, MN Coalition for a People's Bailout, August 10, 2009

#MinneapolisMN #News #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #Foreclosures #RosemaryWilliams #HousingStruggles #GMAC #Evictions