Minneapolis, MN – Community members marched through downtown here, Aug. 19, demanding JPMorgan Chase Bank negotiate with the Ceballos and Kelly families, both of whom face imminent eviction after foreclosure.

Supporters marched through two downtown skyscrapers; marching through Chase Bank lawyers' offices, releasing a balloon banner inside a JPMorgan Chase office and blocking streets surrounding Chase Bank for an hour with a 20-foot tripod suspending a supporter.

“Chase Bank illegally dual tracked us and sent 30 sheriffs to evict our family's home,” said Jonathan Ceballos. “But nearly a month later, we're still there and we're not going anywhere. All we're asking for is a fair negotiation.”

After illegally dual tracking the Ceballos family – moving forward with eviction even as they said they were negotiating – Chase Bank sent 30 sheriffs to evict them on July 24, arresting two people for nonviolent resistance. Supporters quickly removed the boards and three weeks later, the family still holds the home. But Chase refuses to negotiate with Ceballos or his neighbor Jaymie Kelly.

“I've lived in my home 30 years and on this block all my life,” said Jaymie Kelly. “I've already paid $425,000 for this house – five times what I bought it for. I'm not asking for a bailout. I'm asking for principal reduction to market value of $81,000 so I can pay for it again.”

#Minneapolis #MinneapolisMN #Foreclosures #HousingStruggles #Ceballos #JPMorgan #ChaseBanks #Kelly #OccupyHousing

Irvington, NJ – A march and rally against foreclosures was held here on July 21. It was sponsored by the Coalition to Save Our Homes and the People’s Organization for Progress (POP). The event tied the suffering of homeowners directly to the predation of Wall Street. The demands were: end robo-signing; reduce mortgage principals to current value; prosecute banksters; make banks obey the rule of law.

Speakers denounced the banks for causing the mortgage crisis. Sharon Hand of POP and Carol Gay of the Solidarity Singers condemned lenders for issuing mortgages that they knew homeowners could not repay. They said the banks’ actions were violations of human rights. The affected homeowners must take action to prevent foreclosure, including demands on public officials to meet their responsibilities to citizens.

Another speaker said all issues of people’s economic justice trace directly to Wall Street. The main way the financial sector makes money now is by fraud, theft, embezzlement and gambling. JPMorgan Chase dropped $7 billion at the tables of the Wall Street big casino and nearly triggered another 2008-style financial collapse. Meanwhile young people in the cities are killing each other in the streets because they don’t have jobs and are desperate. They need to stop fighting each other and fight their real enemies.

Susan Newton of POP, who has worked as a mortgage underwriter, gave practical advice. She said if you need credit, always talk to several lenders. Remember the banks are not interested in your needs; instead they are looking out for ways to make money from you.

The Solidarity Singers performed several songs during the program, including Tom Bias’s anthem, Foreclosure Song. Bias also related how the banks had worked him and his family over in their struggle to avoid foreclosure.

The Black Orchid Drummers performed at the end of the rally. The gathering headed off to march through Irvington’s business district. The town authorities had denied a permit to march in the street, first on one pretext, then on another. We marched on the sidewalks anyway and it worked to our advantage. Passersby raised fists, shook hands and called out in agreement, and took informational fliers. Some defied the permit denial and marched in the street.

The protest proceeded to the local branch of Wells Fargo to “pay a visit.” The marchers chanted “You can’t rob the bank, but the bank can rob you!” and “Banksters: Not too big to fail, not too big to jail!” The Black Orchid Drummers played throughout the march, pulling people out of shops and stores. The community was with us.

Marchers headed back down to Civic Square and heard from POP Chairmen Lawrence Hamm. He said that the way banks raised mortgage payments amounts to stealing. Monthly payments are increased by thousands of dollars per month and homeowners simply cannot pay that much. He emphasized that Black people lost more personal wealth in the mortgage collapse than at any time since the Civil War. Bankers never think about the suffering they cause because the problems never affect them that way. He congratulated all the participants for holding a great event, and said we will continue to build a powerful movement against foreclosure.

To conclude the day, it was said that we will continue the local struggle and the focus on distressed homeowners. The longer term strategy is to look closely into the millions of ‘missing’ mortgage promissory notes that give rise to the robo-signing abuses. There was massive financial wrongdoing by the banks in the issuance of mortgage based securities. When we know what happened to all those notes we will know will where the bodies are buried in the mortgage mess. Then we will be able to lay the struggle of the homeowner right at the doorstep of Wall Street.

#IrvingtonNJ #WallStreet #Foreclosures #HousingStruggles #PeoplesOrganizationForProgress #CoalitionToSaveOurHome

Minneapolis, MN – The Minneapolis City Attorney is ramping up repression to try to stop the months-long campaign to resist the foreclosure of Alejandra and David Cruz’s family home at 4044 Cedar Avenue South. In an ominous development, at least three of the dozens of people arrested in defending the home from foreclosure are now being retroactively charged with third degree riot, obstructing legal process, disorderly conduct and presence at an unlawful assembly, in addition to their original trespass charge. The third degree riot charge alone could mean a year in jail and $3000 fine.

The protest where these specific arrests took place was on May 30 during one of the Minneapolis Police Department’s several attempts to clear out occupiers and evict the Cruz family on behalf of PNC Bank, which owns the home mortgage. That massive police operation and arrests took place less than 24 hours after Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak had tried to appear sympathetic to the anti-foreclosure movement by saying, “the City is not in the foreclosure business.”

For several months, Occupy Homes MN has mobilized hundreds of people to occupy and defend the Cruz home while building pressure nationally on PNC Bank, demanding that they negotiate to allow the Cruz family to keep their home. The Minneapolis police repeatedly returned to the home to try to dislodge the occupiers and were repeatedly rebuffed through mass civil disobedience. After the police finally succeeded in ejecting the occupiers and locking down the home, there was a mass civil disobedience action on June 21, where 13 more people were arrested, including hip hop artist Brother Ali.

According to a statement from Occupy Homes MN, “These charges are a clear and disgraceful attempt to suppress the Occupy Homes movement and ‘make an example’ of anti-foreclosure organizers who were arrested while non-violently protesting an unjust eviction. City Attorney Susan Segal, appointed by Mayor RT Rybak, has also made it a point to aggressively prosecute other political defendants, including a group arrested while protesting US Bank’s foreclosure practices last fall … This attempt to silence and stifle anti-foreclosure organizing will not deter us from fighting for our homes, our families, our neighbors, and our futures.”

Donations for legal defense of the people arrested defending the Cruz home can be made here: https://www.wepay.com/occupyhomesmn More information on the fight to defend the Cruz home:

#MinneapolisMN #Foreclosures #HousingStruggles #OccupyWallStreet #InjusticeSystem #OccupyHomesMN

St. Paul, MN – Members the Welfare Rights Committee and the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout gathered at the State Capitol Building, April 16, demanding that legislators tax the rich and stop cutting programs that serve poor and working people. “We are here – the day before Tax Day – to demand that the politicians in this capitol stop balancing the budget on the backs of working and poor Minnesotans. We say it is time for politicians to tax the rich,” said Kristin Rafferty of the Welfare Rights Committee.

Protesters unfurled a giant banner with that message on the steps of the capitol and later, following a struggle with cops from the State Patrol, hung the banner in the capitol rotunda.

This legislative session Republican politicians ignored the tax bill – HF2669/SF2256, sponsored by Representative Frank Hornstein and Senator Jeff Hayden – that would raise taxes on corporations and the wealthy and introduced a host of measures that attack people on public assistance, immigrants and in trade unions. They refused to hear a bill that would have placed a moratorium on home foreclosures.

Speaking to protesters, Ebony Harris of the Welfare Rights Committee said, “The Welfare Rights Committee fought long and hard this year and we have been successful in stopping some of the worst cuts to welfare. We testified, we protested, we chanted in hearings. We were harassed and threatened with arrest, but we refused to be silent! And we stopped the three-year lifetime limit to welfare that Republicans tried so hard to push through.”

“With tax day upon us, we are sending a message that it is time to make the rich pay for the effects of the economic crisis that is being felt in so many of our communities” said Linden Gawboy of the Welfare Rights Committee. “We do not need cuts to social programs and we don’t need to use budget tricks to hide the budget crisis. We need a lot more taxes on the wealthy and their corporations.”

Steff Yorek, of the MN Coalition for a Peoples Bailout, told the crowd, “We demand that Minnesota’s wealthy pay more. We reject the notion that every time the legislature meets, the debate is about cutting programs that serve the people of this state. We want economic justice.”

#StPaulMN #WelfareRightsCommittee #TaxTheRich #Foreclosures #CoalitionForPeoplesBailout

Trenton, NJ – In March, the Coalition to Save Our Homes asked New Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa for a meeting. Many of our members have been harmed by predatory lending. We want Chiesa to hear their complaints. His office can do many things to help them. He said no.

On April 11 we went to Trenton to protest his refusal and demand that our requests be met. We hear of “liberty and justice for all.” It would be good to have it. But there is no equal protection of the laws when predatory lenders get bailouts and the people they harmed can’t even get a hearing. We won’t accept that.

We started the protest with a rally in front of the New Jersey Statehouse, where the governor’s office is located. There were 45 participants. It was a big crowd because it did big things. We gave center stage to the voices of people who have been harmed by predatory lending.

They spoke for all of the millions of borrowers who were swindled. They paid far more than their houses were worth. Some have been foreclosed. Some have lost their jobs. Payment records have been lost, ownership records have been lost. Many mortgages are underwater. Many have lost jobs and income because the banks drove the economy into depression.

Home prices have reached a nationwide average of more than twice true market value. It was price fixing. Lenders lied to prospective borrowers about things in the fine print. They roped buyers into mortgages they knew would fail. They selectively abused African-American and Latino home buyers with higher fees than those paid by economically comparable white buyers, and extended them more subprime loans.

All of these things are illegal. Nothing effective has been done for the millions and millions of people who were harmed.

We want the attorney general to do something about it. We want predatory lenders to be prosecuted for price fixing. They must be compelled to lower mortgage principals to reflect the true market value of the properties. There are many other things for which they could be prosecuted.

People came from all over New Jersey. They represented many organizations. Other concerns of people’s economic justice were addressed. One speaker talked about the impact of cuts in public services on low-income women and children. Another spoke about Irvington, which lost its hospital a couple of years ago and is now planned to get a medical waste disposal plant that the community does not want.

Then we marched through the streets with stops at branch offices of Wells Fargo and Bank of America. The Solidarity Singers gave us a song at each stop. Speakers got on the bullhorn to tell passersby what the banks had done to them. Too many people are passive at their mistreatment by the banks! Passersby showed their support. Drivers honked their horns. Then we marched to the Hughes Justice Complex, where the attorney general’s office is located. We chanted, “A.G. Chiesa, do your job!”

The attorney general’s office had been notified in writing that we were coming to give him a letter. The statement was read aloud to the assembly at the Justice Complex. At no time was there any obstruction of normal activity.

We were met by an officer of the State Police. He was courteous but he told us we could not enter the building, which is public. He said he would take our letter to the attorney general and deliver it, but we had to disperse. He said we could not be present as a group because we did not have a permit to be there!

We said we wanted to enter the building and turn our letter in to the reception desk of the attorney general’s office. A delegation of three went in. A second State Police officer told us at the sign-in desk that we would not be allowed to go to the office. Our attorney was with us. He told the officer that he had many times been to the attorney general’s office to do the same thing. All we wanted to do was deliver a letter to reception. The officer said we could not go to the office. We had to turn in our documents through him. We gave him the letter and a petition with well over a thousand signatures, but said it was a violation of free speech.

We went back outside. The day’s protest was over. The Solidarity Singers fell in, and started singing. People were singing along, hanging out, waiting for the bus. We had accomplished great things. Everybody was happy.

Then the police told us again we could not be there because, “You don’t have a permit.”

“To wait for the bus?!”

“You can’t hold signs.”

“But that’s silly.”

“If you don’t put away the signs and disperse I will have to call for more officers.”

We collected the signs. The problem was clear: the powerful officials who hold so much responsibility are afraid of us because we want to be protected by law from the banks. The bus arrived after a few minutes and we went home.

It had been a good day’s work. We want the attorney general to prosecute predatory lenders. We want equal protection of the laws. We want reinstatement of the First Amendment and the Bill of Rights. We will keep it up.

Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ejw7jA3ZCEE

#TrentonNJ #Foreclosures #WellsFargo #HousingStruggles #AfricanLiberation #BankOfAmerica

Orange, NJ – Over 30 people turned out, March 30, to protest the scheduled eviction of Susie Johnson, 77, from the home in which she has lived for 30 years. Their strong stand drew media coverage to the case. The eviction was not carried out today because the protest exposed injustice. A postponement until May 15 is in effect.

The protest was called by the Coalition to Save Our Homes.

The postponement is a people’s victory, but the struggle continues. The banks and the courts think they can ignore the rights of an elderly low-income African-American woman.

Mrs. Johnson is represented by her daughter, Cynthia Johnson. Foreclosure was filed by Wells Fargo but the documents carry the names of several banks. JP Morgan Chase also wants an account number on the case. At this point it is not even clear what bank the Johnson family must deal with. The banks must be forced to clean their act up.

The case has a long, messy history of abuses but the people’s forces don’t need a lot of details to act. We know banks have abused tens of millions of borrowers and gotten bailed out for trillions of dollars when their crazy, crooked schemes failed. We know it doesn’t matter what the banks do, prosecutors will look the other way. We have had it. This is a question of human rights. Our line is, “Don’t evict grandma, don’t evict Susie Johnson,” and that’s it.

The explosion in foreclosure cases started seven years ago but at no official level has anything effective been done for victims. The latest “settlement” with state Attorneys General and five big banks is typical. The banks are trying to buy immunity from prosecution for their violations in exchange for expenses they would bear anyway being counted as a “settlement.”

It’s like they’re looking for a way to pay ten bucks to avoid a business loss of twelve bucks. It’s not justice. It’s a fake. It’s official collusion. The people are the losers. We won’t stand for it.

There are millions of Susie Johnsons who have had their human and economic rights violated by fraud and crimes by the banks. Her case shows the only way to get economic justice, or any other kind of justice for the 99%, is through the power of the people.

People showed up at the March 30 protest for many reasons and from many organizations. There were victims of predatory lending who see the injustice to themselves in terms of a broad social issue. Women’s equality, human and civil rights organizations, organized labor, the Occupy movement, veteran activists and those newly come to struggle – all were represented.

Lawrence Hamm of the People’s Organization for Progress called for a moratorium by the sheriff’s office on foreclosure evictions, as in Cook County, Illinois. He blamed the foreclosure epidemic exclusively on the banks and their predatory lending practices. Maretta Short of NOW-NJ told about the devastating impact on low-income women and children of trillions of dollars in human services budget cuts. Another person said college students now bear over a trillion dollars of educational debt. A student told of facing 179 months of payments for her education.

Harry Perryman from nearby Irvington told how Irvington General Hospital was closed a few years ago. Now there is a plan to build a medical waste disposal plant there. “They close our hospital but give us the trash,” he said. There is strong community opposition to the proposed plant.

Another speaker pointed out that all of these abuses stem from the same cause. Investment capital in the United States amounts to many, many trillions of dollars. There is so much capital that its ravenous appetite for profit swallows up the money for every human need.

When the deputies from the sheriff’s office appeared they did not insist on proceeding with the eviction. Instead they called their supervisor for instructions. He came and asked Cynthia Johnson procedural questions about the courts. The outcome was the postponement of any action until May 15.

The protesters cheered at the victory. Even the deputies seemed relieved. A Legal Services attorney who came to the protest agreed to help organize Susie Johnson’s case and assist with her defense. In the past she has not been able to afford to hire an attorney.

The day showed the power of the people is a real force, not just a nice slogan. We must remain vigilant. There is no justice without people’s struggle.

#OrangeNJ #PoorPeoplesMovements #Foreclosures #HousingStruggles #AfricanLiberation #CoalitionToSaveOurHomes #JPMorganChase

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 – About 50 people rallied here at People’s Plaza, the encampment of Occupy MN, and proceeded to south Minneapolis where they occupied a foreclosed home, November 19. In the early evening Minneapolis police, arrested two participants, and attempted to board up the home. Activists surrounded the home, police left, and occupiers re-entered the home. The occupation is ongoing.

This is the second foreclosed home to be occupied in recent weeks. On Nov. 8, an occupation began at the home of Monique White. White, who lives at 3310 N 6th St, is facing imminent eviction from her foreclosed home.

#MinneapolisMN #Foreclosures #HousingStruggles #OccupyWallStreet #OccupyMinneapolis

The occupation is organized and endorsed by members of SEIU and other sectors, including churches, community organizations and activists at OccupyMN.

Monique White has lived in her home and worked in the community for the last eight years. Helping her buy her home is the last thing her father did before he died. One year ago she was laid off from her job at a group home because it was de-funded by the state due to the budget crisis. Although she has a part time job, she fell behind in her house payments to US Bank Corp. They have been unwilling to work with her. According to the greedy bank’s last financial report, they made $1.2 billion. At the same time, 393 homes in Hennepin County went into foreclosure.

Mel Reeves reminded the crowd, “During the time I have been speaking, 7 more families in the U.S. went into foreclosure.

Nick Espinosa, an organizer of the occupation, said, “We are not leaving until they negotiate.”

Nick Muhamud, from the North Side said, “These are the moments the 1% dread – look around you – when the people of all races and ages come together to fight back.”

A small contingent will be on alert at the house 24/7 and when and if the sheriff comes an emergency call will go to come to White’s home to protect it.

The event ended with a spirited march through the neighborhood.

#MinneapolisMN #Foreclosures #HousingStruggles #OccupyWallStreet #OccupyMN

Irvington, NJ – In spite of a winter storm, the Coalition to Save Our Homes marched and rallied here, Oct. 29, against home foreclosures. The group maintains the wave of foreclosures is due to overpricing of the home market by mortgage lenders. They want mortgage principals reduced to amounts that homeowners can pay.

“The citizens didn’t cause the foreclosure crisis, the banks did,” said Sharon Hands of the People’s Organization for Progress. “Greed and corruption did it. People living in their homes didn’t say, ‘Oh, I want to live in a box’ or ‘I want to be homeless.’” She said that the Irvington administration should do more to keep residents in their homes. Members of the Newark Teachers’ Association and Residents for a Better Community of Irvington also participated.

The Coalition is gathering signatures on a petition to New Jersey Attorney General Paula Dow demanding that she take action against lenders for overpricing the market. They want the penalty to be reduction of principal to a true market value.

Irvington police escorted the marchers through heavy snow and traffic on Clinton Avenue. The group also chanted demands for better health care and jobs for all. In spite of difficult driving conditions drivers waved and honked their horns to show approval.

Kathleen Witcher of the Irvington NAACP spoke at a closing rally. She cited big increases in property taxes as an additional burden on homeowners and said action must be taken to keep Irvington from turning into a ghost town. The event ended with the call on the banks to “give the money back” that they had overpriced.

#IrvingtonNJ #Foreclosures #HousingStruggles #CoalitionToSaveOurHomes

The protest is being organized by the Coalition to Save Our Homes, which includes People’s Organization for Progress; NAACP, Irvington Branch; Newark Teachers’ Association (NJEA); and Residents for a Better Community of Irvington.

According to the Coalition to Save Our Homes (C2SOH), “the financial system created the mortgage mess and it has to take the weight. The mortgage market was rigged and that happens to be illegal. If a buyer was misled into paying $300,000 for a house that was worth only $180,000, the mortgage must be reduced by $120,000. Sorry, bank, you just got no right to that dough. They have to give the difference back. We are heartily sure Adam Smith would agree. We want NJ Attorney General Paula Dow to agree also and take action to compel a fair market write down of mortgage principals.”

New Jersey is one of the states hardest hit by the foreclosure crisis in the country. Irvington is as hard hit as any municipality in the state.

The collapse of the housing bubble began in 2005. First to go was the subprime mortgage market. It led up to the great financial crisis of 2008.

After that home prices dropped drastically. Now more than 10 million mortgages are much higher than current prices, i.e., ‘underwater.’ That’s because the houses were never really worth what they were sold for.

There is also another side of predatory lending: banks abusively concentrated subprime mortgages on minorities. After all, they have always redlined against lending in African American and Latino neighborhoods.

Irvington is dead center on all counts. It is a 95% black African American/Haitian/Latino community. Two years ago 9% of all its homes had been foreclosed since 2005. That is more than four times the rate in mostly white census tracts.

Banks got bailed out because they are too politically connected to fail. They didn’t get all that money because anybody loves them and it didn’t lead to recovery. By the same token home buyers must gain economic justice by their own efforts, i.e., by people power. There will be no recovery until home buyers gain economic justice.

#IrvingtonNJ #Foreclosures #HousingStruggles #CoalitionToSaveOurHomesC2SOH

Trenton, NJ – People gathered here to rally and hold a press conference, March 29, on the need for uncompensated write-down of overpriced mortgages contracted during the housing bubble, the period after 1997. The event marked a court hearing aimed at elimination of ‘robo-signing,’ foreclosures undertaken by banks that cannot prove ownership of the mortgage.

Participating organizations included the People's Organization for Progress (POP), the Irvington Branch of the NAACP, the Newark Teachers' Association, New Jersey Citizen Action (NJCA) and the Fair Share Housing Center.

Robo-signing is a terrible abuse. Rally participants all said it must be ended. But the end of robo-signing will prevent no one from being foreclosed. In fact the stated aim of the court hearing was to make the foreclosure process in New Jersey more efficient.

In the hearing a court-appointed attorney presented an agreement he had worked out with six of the largest mortgage lenders. The essential point is the banks agreed to proceed only in foreclosures based on “personal knowledge and accurate business records.” Several homeowner advocates objected that the agreement was vague or that it was procedurally inadequate to protect homeowners. Judge Mary C. Jacobson found in favor of the agreement. Whether or not it eliminates robo-signing will have to be seen from experience.

The people's forces said at their press conference that what really has to happen is enforced write-down of overpriced mortgages to the level of true market value at the time they were contracted. A POP statement was read by Debby Strong. It said the banks had harmed millions of people. They didn't care at all about the terrible risks into which they dragged home buyers. Lenders lured borrowers into mortgages they knew full well the borrowers could not pay. They did things like sell a house for $300,000 when it was only worth $180,000. The banks have been rewarded for it and the victims have been left without help.

POP announced that it will launch a mass campaign to enlist victims of the housing bubble to demand that New Jersey Attorney General Paula Dow prosecute mortgage lenders for manipulation of the housing market. Penalty upon conviction will be write-down of mortgage principals to reflect true market value by an objective and uniform standard.

Kathleen Witcher of the Irvington NAACP gave a vivid picture of the suffering caused by the housing bubble. She said that 40% of the houses in Irvington have been foreclosed and the rate may go as high as 80%. Drastic rates in property taxes have resulted. Many homeowners cannot pay the higher taxes, which creates another risk of loss of homes.

Phyllis Salowe-Kaye of NJCA noted that all 50 state attorneys general have submitted an “Accountability Proposal” to resolve the ‘robogate’ problem, but without any requirement for principal write-downs in programs like the Home Affordable Mortgage Program (HAMP.) The AGs set no specific goals or quotas for write-downs. They need to institute mandatory measures for loan servicers. 60% of homeowners could remain in their homes if the mortgage was reduced to the actual market value. “Allowing significant principle modifications would stem the flow of foreclosures and reduce the uncertainty about the housing market and mortgage securities, giving more time to devise approaches to the messy problem of clouded titles and faulty loan conveyances,” she said.

A basis for legal action in existing law and practice was given by people’s attorney Bennet Zurofsky. He said, “The lenders and investors were the ones in the best position to know that they were profiting from a bubble that they themselves were inflating. The law calls this unjust enrichment and the New Jersey Attorney General has the power to do something about it by bringing a lawsuit against the lenders and the investors on behalf of the people of New Jersey to return the riches they have unjustly obtained from the people of New Jersey.” He noted that actions have been brought against persons who benefited from the Bernard Madoff ponzi scheme on the basis of unjust enrichment.

A POP member said that there is a power that can act effectively against entities as powerful as big banks. It is the power of the people! Not even the administration of reactionary New Jersey Governor Christopher Christie can ignore the will of the people who have been harmed by the housing bubble, once they are aware and united. It was also noted that the total overvaluation of the housing market was about $2 trillion, and that no recovery from the depression is possible until this burden in removed.

Cries of “power to the people!” and “mortgage write-down now!” rang out. It is clear that the people of New Jersey can make write-down their issue and their demand and create a powerful mass movement for it.

#TrentonNJ #POP #Foreclosures #HousingStruggles #mortgageCrisis #PeoplesOrganizationForProgress #housingBubble

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

Within the last few years Newark, New Jersey and nearby communities have been devastated as thousands of homes have been foreclosed and tens of thousands made homeless. An Oct. 24 protest at Bank of America here, sponsored by the People's Organization for Progress, charged Bank of America and other banks are responsible for these calamities.

“We have come to hold Bank of America, Chase, Wachovia and other banks responsible,” People's Organization for Progress Chairman Lawrence Hamm told the rally. “Bank of America got a $45 billion bailout but what have they done? They have foreclosed homeowners, put elderly people in the streets, little kids, foreclosed small landlords with two or three tenants and put the tenants in the streets. They have raised credit card rates, late fees and finance charges.

“Workers, the working poor, the middle class, all are hurting,” he said. “And what did the bankers do? They went out and had a party,” referring to the lavish party the management of AIG threw for themselves after their massive government bailout.

Sweeping demands for Bank of America to repair the damage it has caused were presented to the branch manager in the form of an open letter to Bank of America Chief Executive Officer Kenneth D. Lewis. Protest signs demanded “Stop foreclosure,” and “Stop eviction.” One sign simply displayed the Bank of America logo above the huge word, “greedy.” Protesters chanted, “Help the needy, not the greedy” and “Bail out the homeless, the hungry, the jobless.” Literature was passed out that described the People's Mortgage Rescue Plan, a concrete proposal for a government bailout of homeowners.

Though the day was overcast and rainy the protest drew excellent attendance. The direct and militant confrontation with monopoly capitalism lent a meaning to the event felt by all. One passerby told protest organizers he did not want to hear anything but an attack on capitalism. He wound up staying through the whole protest. Several people spontaneously joined the protest and carried signs.

“A day of reckoning is coming,” Chairman Hamm said. “This is a problem not of just one wicked person but of a wicked system, the system of capitalism.” He said the protest is only the first and promised Chase, Wachovia and other banks that they too would get visits from People’s Organization for Progress.

Open Letter

People's Organization for Progress

PO Box 22505, Newark, NJ 07101

973-801-0001

24 October, 2009

Mr. Kenneth D. Lewis

Chief Executive Officer

Bank of America

Dear Mr. Lewis:

The People's Organization for Progress is a civil and human rights organization with chapters in New Jersey and New York. We are greatly concerned with the mortgage and foreclosure crises that have gripped our area and the entire country.

Bank of America and other lending institutions share responsibility for these crises. It is our understanding for example that Countrywide Finance, since acquired by Bank of America, was the largest originator of subprime mortgages in Newark.

We hold that during the housing bubble of 1999-2008 lending institutions used their great financial powers to drive residential price increases to levels that bore no relation to increases for any other goods or services. For instance the Consumer Price Index rose by only 22.1% from 1999 to 2006. Standard & Poor's Case-Shiller Housing Price Index, however, rose by 134.7% in the New York extended region in the same period, more than six times as much!

We accept no excuses for the housing bubble. The financial institutions caused it. They must shoulder the burdens of its consequences particularly in light of the huge public bailouts they have received, including Bank of America’s $45 billion. We will present the following measures to other banks as well.

Mortgage amounts were driven to artificially high levels. Therefore the principals must be written down to true market values. The human disaster of foreclosure must be met with a moratorium on foreclosure until adequate measures of general recovery are taken.

These are painful solutions for lending institutions and will require extensive reform and reorganization. The economy requires it for overall recovery, however. We demand that lending institutions including Bank of America undertake substantive initiatives toward these ends. Either we preserve the United States in its present form but not the banks in their present form, or else we rescue the banks but not the country.

Banks, including Bank of America, should reciprocate the bailout given them by the public with measures to bailout mortgage-holders. In view of the worst economic crisis since the 1930s mortgage-holders in danger of falling into delinquency should be given a 6-month exemption from mortgage payments.

The recent explosion of credit card fees and interest rates damages the consumer economy and makes recovery harder. Reductions in credit limits should be cancelled, and customers in good standing should not be terminated. Banks should look for other means to invest in local communities in the interests of general recovery.

We request a meeting with representatives of Bank of America to discuss these measures. We look forward to your early response. Otherwise we will be forced to continue our protests.

Sincerely,

Lawrence Hamm

Chairman

People's Organization for Progress

#NewarkNJ #EconomicCrisis #Foreclosures #HousingStruggles #PeoplesOrganizationForProgress #BankOfAmerica

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

San José, CA – Layoffs continued to hammer workers and their communities in July and August. Job losses are leading to more and more home foreclosures. State and local governments are losing tax revenues and making more cuts to education and social services. At the same time the stock market has been on a tear, as the profits of big businesses have benefited from layoffs, furloughs, wage cuts and benefit cuts.

Businesses cut almost 250,000 more jobs in July, bringing the total number of job losses to more than 6.5 million since the recession began in December of 2007. The unemployed continued to have a harder and harder time finding jobs, as the number of people out of work for more than six months rose by more than a half million in July, to a total of 5 million. By August there were more than 9 million Americans either collecting state unemployment insurance benefits or the federal extended benefits.

The rising tide of cuts to jobs, hours and wages are causing the home foreclosure rate to rise to record highs. In the second quarter (April through June) of this year, more than 13% of all home mortgages where late or in foreclosure, the highest since records began in 1972. Leading the way was Florida, where the housing boom and bust and double-digit unemployment have led to almost a quarter of all mortgages to be late or in the foreclosure process. While so-called subprime mortgages are still the most likely to be in trouble, the fastest growing group of late mortgages are prime mortgages that were made to households with better credit and income, but which are now falling behind due to loss of income and falling home prices.

State governments are estimated to have a total budget shortfall of $350 billion over the next two years as job losses (and the resulting loss of income and sales) cut state tax revenues. Local governments are also feeling the pain as sales tax revenues fall, states cut back on local spending and the housing bust cuts into property taxes. Here in California, which has one of the worst fiscal situations of all the states, state workers have been furloughed three days a month, which is almost a 15% pay cut. Colleges and K-12 schools are laying off instructors and staff while cutting wages and benefits. College students face higher fees, with community college and California State University fees up by almost one-third from a year ago and the budge cuts mean many are able to get the classes that they need to graduate. Health care, welfare and aid to disabled and seniors are also getting chopped.

The growing economic pain has been most intense for African Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans and other oppressed nationalities. Black unemployment is almost twice that of whites, while the unemployment rates for Latinos and Asians have been increasing most rapidly. Foreclosures are concentrated in African American and Latino communities, which were targeted by banks and mortgage lenders for risky subprime loans. Service and education cuts are hitting oppressed nationality and immigrant communities the hardest as the right wing tries to scapegoat them for causing state and local government’s budget problems.

For the last few months, the corporate media and government officials have been talking about the ‘green shoots’ of economic growth and the ‘end of the recession.’ The stock market has bounced back from its lows of earlier this year. The grain of truth in the ‘green shoots’ claim is based on the rebound in corporate profits. Big businesses have cut their costs and boosted their profits by cutting jobs, hours and pay, while getting more work out of their remaining workers. This has showed up in higher labor productivity and boosted the bottom line. Big banks have responded by giving out thousands of millions of dollars in bonuses and raising the pay of their chief executives.

But much of the ‘good news’ on the economy has a downside. The unemployment rate dropped slightly – from 9.5% in June to 9.4% in July. But this was because so many jobless workers gave up looking for work, as the official unemployment rate only counts those without work and who are actively looking for work. The increase in home sales this year has been largely due to investors snapping up foreclosed properties at low prices, and it is estimated that as much as 90% of sellers are either foreclosures or other sales due to economic distress. State and local governments who thought that they balanced their budgets over the summer are staring in the face of hundreds of billions of dollars in deficits.

Government programs designed to soften the blow of the recession are being overwhelmed by the sheer size of the economic downturn. Despite the total of about a year and half of benefits available to workers who lost their jobs in higher-unemployment states, up to a 1.5 million unemployed workers could lose their benefits by the end of this year. The federal government mortgage programs have helped more than 200,000 households, but that was only 10% of those borrowers who are eligible. More and more home buyers who are falling behind on their mortgages are not eligible, as falling home prices and job losses prevent them from refinancing with the government programs. Even conservative economist Martin Feldstein, a former economic advisor to President Reagan, worries that the economy could tank again as the federal stimulus spending winds down next year.

With economic pain rising and government programs failing to help or being cut back, there are more and more outbreaks of people fighting back, demanding to put the burden of the crisis back on the big banks and corporations. In Chicago, the plant occupation by the Republic Window and Door workers won a better layoff package and was an inspiration to the labor movement. Homeowners such as Rosemary Williams in Minneapolis are fighting the banks who profited from the mortgage boom and are now trying to put the burden on home buyers and their communities. Students across the country are organizing against the cuts in their schools and against higher fees. Many of these struggles involve and/or are led by African Americans and Latinos who are being hardest hit by the crisis. This grassroots fight back needs to grow and become more organized as it becomes more and more clear that there is no economic recovery for working people.

#SanJoséCA #Unemployment #Foreclosures #BudgetShortfall