Minneapolis, MN – About 250 community members gathered in the front yard of the Ceballos home, July 29, for a concert and rally to show support for the Ceballos family. The family, with the help of community supporters, fended off an eviction attempt by 30 sheriff deputies sent by JPMorgan Chase July 24. They expect another eviction attempt at any time.

The concert marked the three-week anniversary of a round-the-clock occupation of the housemounted by housing justice group Occupy Homes Minnesota. When sheriffs came to evict July 24, more than 75 home defenders gathered in half an hour and easily moved back into the house. Occupy Homes MN has pledged to defend the home until Chase Bank negotiates with the Ceballos family.

The concert included performances by internationally known hip hop artist Brother Ali, as well as local rapper Haphduzn. City Councilmember Elizabeth Glidden and State Representative Ray Dehn also spoke in support of the eviction defense.

Sergio Ceballos, who has lived in his house for 13 years with his family, asked JPMorgan Chase Bank for a loan modification in 2010 after a divorce halved the family’s income. Chase told the Ceballos family 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.

Brother Ali voiced his full support for the occupation. “This really does make a difference,” he said to the crowd. “The narrative they’ve built around working class people is that they’re irresponsible, that they’re lazy – that they don’t fight back. This is us taking control of the narrative.”

#MinneapolisMN #HousingStruggles #OccupyHomes #BrotherAli #CommunityActivism #CeballosFamily #OccupyHomesMinnesota #JPMorganChaseBank #Banks

“Houses are for keeping families together, not for tearing communities apart,” said English. “As Wells Fargo turns its back on vacant homes that add blight to the community, one in 45 children is homeless every night. I think it’s time that we start asking why and start providing the answers to do something about it.”

With the full support of the neighbors on the block, Jessica and Occupy Homes fixed up the home, cleaning up broken glass, tearing up carpet stained with human waste, and turning the water back on. A housewarming party attracted 50 neighbors and supporters. Several days later, a march on Wells Fargo Home Mortgage from Jessica’s house drew 200, with 13 people peacefully arrested.

Wells Fargo, however, has repeatedly sent management to change the locks on the property, in flagrant disregard of due process laws. Minnesota law states that only a judge can order the eviction of a resident from a property. On March 8, three Minneapolis police officers attempted to carry out an illegal eviction of the home, telling the four volunteers occupying it they had to leave. The supporters turned the police away, telling them they needed permission from a judge and a warrant to enter the home. The police left, but they could return at any time.

“Homelessness in Hennepin County is at a six-year high. Shelters are overflowing, and it’s been another brutal winter,” said Nick Espinosa, an organizer with Occupy Homes MN. “Our demand to turn the home over to a community group for affordable housing is a common sense solution that makes sense for everyone.”

#MinneapolisMN #WellsFargo #HousingStruggles #HomeForeclosures #OccupyHomes #JessicaEnglish

Newby was charged after attempting to help the law firm employee, who fell during a protest where dozens of supporters demanded justice for Minneapolis homeowner Monique White. Monique was then facing imminent eviction at the hands of Freddie Mac – the government- sponsored mortgage giant known for its enormous taxpayer bailout and consistent refusal to negotiate with struggling homeowners.

Around 40 supporters packed the courtroom to support Newby, a founding member of Occupy Homes MN. When asked if he had any final words for the court, Newby said: “I look forward to the day when the executives who crashed our financial system receive the same degree of scrutiny I did over the past week.”

This trial is part of an aggressive trend of prosecutions by the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul targeting the non-violent Occupy Homes movement. It comes on the heels of the outrageous riot charges leveled by the city of Minneapolis at the peaceful protesters arrested defending the Cruz family home last spring. These charges all represent attacks by elected officials on those working to prevent foreclosures and evictions in the Twin Cities.

“The only assault I see happening here is the assault on our right to protest,” said Nick Espinosa, who testified on Newby’s behalf this week.

On Feb. 1 the judge threw out the disorderly conduct charge based on a lack of evidence. On Feb. 4 the jury acquitted Newby of assault and found him guilty of trespassing. He will pay a small fine and the charges will drop from his record within a year if he complies with the terms of his sentence.

“Today’s victory in court has renewed my commitment to stand against the corruption and greed of the financial industry,” said Newby. “I’m ready to get back to work building a more just and equitable world for hardworking families across Minnesota.”

#StPaulMN #HousingStruggles #HomeForeclosures #OccupyHomes #MinnesotaNeighborhoodsOrganizingForChange #AnthonyNewby

Minneapolis, MN – 200 community members successfully took over a vacant home in South Minneapolis the night of Dec. 6, for a veteran made homeless by foreclosure. They are demanding that the house be turned over to community control through a nonprofit, as the Occupy Homes movement marked its first birthday. Internationally renowned hip-hop artists Brother Ali and Chuck D of Public Enemy led the anniversary celebration.

Community members gathered at the nearby home of Bobby Hull, a veteran who won his home from Bank of America last year, for a dinner and celebration of victories of the past year. “We took over this house last year,” said Hull, “and this year I want to take over this neighborhood.”

“I see boarded-up cribs, and I see people in the streets, and I see banks that get bigger and bigger,” said Public Enemy’s Chuck D, speaking at the celebration. “And it’s the most criminal thing that ever could happen. Never have so many been screwed by so few.”

Homelessness in Hennepin County is at a six-year-high, a near crisis situation. One in four people who are homeless are veterans. Nationwide, there are 3.5 million homeless people and nearly 19 million vacant homes. “Why not put homeless people, or people who have gone through foreclosure like us, into these vacant homes?” asked John Vinje. “At least they’ve got somewhere safe and warm to live.”

During his performance inside Bobby’s house, Brother Ali, who made headlines in June for his arrest defending the Cruz house, spoke movingly about the time he and his son spent homeless. “Anyone who’s lived in a house that the police have smashed through, where someone comes into your house with a gun, you know that traumatizes you for life. I still have to sleep away from the door when I stay in a hotel.”

The community then marched to a nearby home made vacant by the foreclosure crisis, where John Vinje told the story of how US Bank and Freddie Mac foreclosed on and then evicted him rather than modify his loan – in spite of their programs to help veterans. “Because of US Bank and Freddie Mac, my family is now split up in three different parts of the metro area,” he said. “It wasn’t my fault. It wasn’t your fault. It was their fault. This is not the country that I fought for.”

50 people were still in the house as of 9:30 pm. “Whose house?” they chanted. “Our house!”

#MinneapolisMN #Minneapolis #HousingStruggles #HomeForeclosures #OccupyHomes #ChuckD #BrotherAli