ALERT: Save a Family From Foreclosure and Preserve San Francisco’s Jazz Club Culture

Update as of December 1, 2012: The CEO of Sterling Bank of Spokane told Pascal Thiam that he has directed his staff to halt any foreclosure auction of Pascal’s home and the Savanna Jazz Club so that the bank can negotiate with Pascal. Please continue calling and emailing until Sterling Bank provides Pascal with a fair deal loan modification.


For the past 10 years, Pascal Thiam and his fellow educators have successfully run the Savanna Jazz Club — an institution committed to preserving an African-American art form: jazz. Dedicated to this mission, Pascal — who also resides above the club — has spent time, savings, and effort to create a space where the community and families can have access to award-winning jazz performances and musicians.

However, in the last year, like so many families in our neighborhoods, Pascal Thiam found out that he, his family, and the Savanna Jazz Club are at risk of foreclosure. When we lose folks like Pascal and an institution like the Savanna Jazz Club, we lose an integral part of our community.

“The current flow of misery and degradation inflicted by the banks’ rush to auction and foreclose on our communities and their cultural institutions is beyond alarming and is unacceptable,” said Dr. Amos Brown, San Francisco Chapter President and National Board Member of the NAACP.

Last year, Sonoma National Bank agreed to modify his loan after Pascal fell two months behind on payments. But after buying Sonoma National’s assets, Sterling Bank refused to work with Pascal. Now, Sterling Bank is foreclosing on the Savanna Jazz Club and Pascal Thiam in the next two weeks. We demand that Sterling Bank work with Pascal Thiam and offer him an affordable loan modification!

Please take action to help Pascal Thiam and his family stay in their home and keep running the Savanna Jazz Club during the holidays–-

  1. Call and email Sterling Bank and key investor Warburg Pincus with the following message:
    • Joe Smith, Executive VP, +1 707-579-2265 office or +1 707-494-9530 cell
    • Lori Crechriou, VP, +1 707-568-1880
    • Greg Seibly, CEO, +1 800-650-7141
    • David Coulter, Financial Director of Warburg Pincus, +1 415-796-5200

     
    Sample email:

    To: joe.smith@bankwithsonoma.com, Lori.crechriou@bankwithsterling.com, Greg.seibly@bankwithsterling.com, david.coulter@warburgpincus.com
    Cc: action@occupytheauctions.org
    Subject: Stop Sterling’s Holiday Foreclosure Auction and Offer Pascal Thiam and the Savanna Jazz Club a Fair Deal Loan Modification

    Please get Sterling Bank to stop the holiday foreclosure auction of the home Pascal Thiam and the Savanna Jazz Club at 2937 Mission Street in San Francisco’s Mission neighborhood. Pascal and the jazz club he and his associates operate are important cultural treasures in our community. Please offer Pascal Thiam and his family a fair deal loan modification (loan# 498135035-60723 and 90186340-06) so they can rest secure in their home during this holiday season and beyond.

    Sincerely,

    your name

Links: Savanna Action Flyer (4 per page)

For updates and this action alert: http://occupytheauctions.org/savanna