Action: SFERS, Please Stop Investing in Wells Fargo!

Update: ACCE, Occupy Bernal, and Occupy Noe Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters and supporters provided important testimony about the illegal, predatory, and discriminatory practices of banks like Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, and Bank of America at the meeting of the San Francisco Employee Retirement System Retirement Board on January 9, 2013.

The group asked the Retirement Board to investigate the illegal, predatory, and discriminatory practices of the banks, to request that the banks stop these practices, to sponsor shareholder resolutions if they don’t stop, and to divest from the banks’ stocks if the shareholder resolutions do not succeed. Some of the Commissioners responded favorably to the public comment testimony.

Media coverage: San Francisco Business Times    KCBS (including audio segment)

Videos and photos:


01#1 in SF Foreclosures and Related Evictions: Racist and Predatory

Who: (Retired and Current) City Employees, especially those facing foreclosure/eviction and supporters
What: Public Comment at San Francisco Employees Retirement System (SFERS) Retirement Board Meeting (2 minute limit)
When: 2:00pm, Wednesday, January 9
Where: 30 Van Ness Avenue, 3rd floor (near Market Street)

We are asking SFERS to do the following:

  • Investigate investments in Wells Fargo, which is #1 in foreclosures and related evictions in San Francisco and elsewhere, as well as other lenders foreclosing on and evicting San Francisco homeowners..
  • Prepare and submit a Wells Fargo shareholder resolution to stop predatory and/or racist foreclosures and related evictions for consideration at the next annual Wells Fargo shareholder meeting (probably in April 2013).
  • If Wells Fargo doesn’t adopt the shareholder resolution at its next shareholder meeting and take immediate steps to implement policies and practices in line with the resolution, then divest from any investment in Wells Fargo within three months after that shareholder meeting.

We are asking San Francisco Mayor Lee to do the following:

  • Appoint only qualified candidates to the SFERS Retirement Board who are not executives or employees at Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase, or Bank of America (the top three in predatory foreclosures and related evictions in San Francisco).
  • Issue a statement in support of divestment from Wells Fargo of all San Francisco City and County funds, including employee retirement and disability funds.

Background:

The San Francisco Employee Retirement Systems (SFERS) handles investments for pension funds for current and retired San Francisco city employees. SFERS has policies that include “Social Investment Procedures” adopted at the SFERS Retirement Board meeting of September 27, 1988, which requires the SFERS Retirement Board when making investments in stocks, mutual funds, and so on, to consider:

“Community Relations: the relationship of the corporation to the communities in which it operates shall be maintained as a good corporate citizen through observing proper environmental standards, supporting the local economic, social and cultural climate, conducting acquisitions and reorganizations to minimize adverse effects and not discriminate in making loans or writing insurance.” (emphasis added by Occupy the Auctions)

Wells Fargo is #1 in San Francisco foreclosures. San Francisco’s Mayor and Board of Supervisors have unanimously requested a halt to foreclosures and related evictions, especially since San Francisco Assessor-Recorder’s report showing that 84% of foreclosures have at least one legal violation and due to Wells’ $175 million settlement with the United States Department of Justice paid in response to allegations of racial discrimination in providing mortgage loans in San Francisco’s Bayview-Hunters Point and other neighborhoods.

Wells Fargo’s “waterfall” model, along with similar policies from other lenders, ensures that the bank can squeeze the most money possible from homeowners struggling to make payments while finally discarding them like trash if the bank can’t make a profit on every single loan. Running a mortgage loan business means assuming risks, especially after receiving billions in bailout funds from the taxpayers, many of whom are Wells’ mortgage loan borrowers.

Wells Fargo is putting 29 families at risk of losing their homes due to foreclosure and related evictions during this holiday season. Wells Fargo is foreclosing on and evicting veterans and disabled and senior homeowners and families with children, as well as targeting homeowners with life-threatening illnesses. Wells Fargo has engaged in predatory, fraudulent, and racist lending practices and has contributed to a rash of foreclosure deaths.


This alert brought to you by ACCE, Occupy Bernal, and other supportive organizations coordinated within the Occupy the Auctions and Evictions campaign.

Links: Wells 29 Action Alert    Wells 29 Action Flyer (four to page)    Wells Pays $175 Million to Resolve Allegations of Racial Discrimination in Providing Mortgage Loans    Occupy Our Homes Wells Fargo Bayview Branch Action    Occupy Wells Fargo Noe Branch    Occupy Wells Fargo HQ    Occupy Senior and Veteran Evictions and Foreclosures (Occupy Anniversary)    Upcoming Bank Auctions of Foreclosure/Eviction Fighter Homes    Foreclosure/Eviction Fighter Profiles

For updates and this action alert: http://occupytheauctions.org/wordpress/?p=7719

Occupy Senior and Veteran Evictions and Foreclosures in San Francisco (Occupy Anniversary)

Elderly Foreclosure and Evictions Fighters from the San Francisco Bay Area held a press conference at 12:00 noon on Monday, September 17, at the San Francisco War Memorial Building at 401 Van Ness Avenue. MC Archbishop Franzo King, of the St. John Coltrane Church, kicked off the event by describing and analyzing his own foreclosure situation with Wells Fargo bank and the plight of seniors, veterans, and disabled folks preyed upon by the banks.

92-year-old disabled Navy veteran Robert Moses spoke about the multiple attempts he made to obtain a fair deal loan modification from loan servicer Homeward Residential (formerly American Home Mortgage) and from loan owner Deutsche Bank for his Visitacion Valley home where he has lived since 1972.

Don and Tina Baird spoke about their struggle to hold on to the home in Redwood City they purchased in 1966. Don served in the US Coast Guard in the Pacific, and will turn 90 this month. They face a foreclosure auction scheduled for September 24. He has heart surgery on September 27.

Benjamin Reed, Jr., spoke on his father’s behalf about a similar struggle with the bank. Benjamin Reed, Sr., was a Tuskegee Air Man. He and his wife Irma have lived Twin Peaks for 27 years.

Finally, senior Alfred Richardson talked about the bank’s auction of his home at the War Memorial Building last Tuesday.

After some rousing speeches from Archbishop King and Grace Martinez of ACCE, the press took individual interviews and much of the crowd marched over to the nearby JP Morgan Chase bank branch at 500 Van Ness Ave.

July 20 at the Auctions

On July 20, 2012, Lender Processing Services / Agency Sales And Postings (LPS/ASAP) auctioneer Terry Redmon went ahead with sales of two family’s homes in San Francisco (653-655 Fell St. went to the investor allegedly known as Memo of RWW Properties and none went to the bank) despite blowing whistles and yelling in protest.

We had a close call when Walls Fargo dual-tracked the home of Archbishop Franzo King by not postponing his auction with the trustee company until less than a half hour before auction time, even though they had sent him a letter on June 29, 2012, saying that they planned to postpone until September 24. Come the enactment of the California Homeowner Bill of Rights on January 1, 2013, we’ll be able to sue the banks for behavior like this.

Thanks to everyone who helped out!

June 21 at the Auctions: Solidarity With the Cruz Family, Celebrating Auction Postponements for Archbishop King and Sheila Walsh

On June 21, 2012, we celebrated the postponement of the sale of Archbishop Franzo King’s home and Sheila Walsh’s home and continued with our mission of protesting all of the banks’ residential foreclosure auctions in San Francisco.

On June 21, 2012, the auctioneers went ahead with the sale of one family’s homes in San Francisco (41 Federal St #22 went to investor Thomas Redmond and none went to the bank) despite blowing whistles, playing loud music, and yelling in protest.

In solidarity with the thrice-evicted Cruz family in Minneapolis, some of us went over to the PNC Bank office at 575 Market St, 28th floor, to demand that PNC reverse the eviction, especially since the bank itself admits it made an error. A few of us made it into the office and tried to get the office manager to fax our demand to reverse the auction and eviction of the Cruz’s home to PNC’s CEO. The administrative assistant who greeted us told us that the office manager was out of the office and that she didn’t have the authority to send a fax to the CEO’s office. We trust that PNC got the message loud and clear in any case and we’re prepared to return as necessary if they didn’t. San Francisco wishes the best of luck to the Cruz family in securing their home.

Thanks to everyone who helped out (including Peter Menchini who provided the final four photos below)!

ALERT: Save Archbishop Franzo King’s Home This Thursday (June 21)

Update: Wells Fargo finally got the trustee to postpone the auction of Archbishop King’s home to July 20, 2012.


Please show up to defend the Bayview home of Archbishop Franzo King and family at 1:30pm to prepare for the auction which starts promptly at 2:00pm at City Hall sidewalk, 400 Van Ness Ave., in San Francisco.

Although a Wells Fargo representative apparently told Archbishop Franzo King the bank was postponing the auction of his home, the trustee in charge of the auction still lists the bank auction for Thursday, June 21. A recent court ruling seemed to hold that verbal agreements from bank representatives aren’t worth anything, so that means we have to defend the home of Archbishop Franzo King and his family.

Archbishop King pastors the John Coltrane Church, located in the Western Addition community of San Francisco. He is a community leader and a member of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE).

Links: Profile of Archbishop King    San Francisco Bayview article (by Carol Harvey)

Foreclosure and Eviction Fighter Profile: Archbishop Franzo and Marina King


Archbishop Franzo King pastors the John Coltrane Church, located in the Western Addition community of San Francisco. He is a life-long resident of the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood. He has owned his house for over 20 years. He is a community leader and a member of Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE).

Archbishop Franzo King and Marina King have a Wells Fargo (World Saving pick-a-payment) loan. Archbishop King reports that one of his loan documents was altered and forged.

The NAACP has appointed Archbishop King as their Foreclosure Chairperson.

Demands:

  1. Stop Foreclosure Auction scheduled for June 21, 2012
  2. Modify loan with principle reduction and reduced interest rate

Video of Archbishop King speaking at December 6, 2012, Occupy Our Homes Wells Fargo Bayview branch action:

Upcoming Bank Auctions/Evictions of Foreclosure/Eviction Fighters

The banks are planning to auction off the homes or evict the following Foreclosure and Eviction Fighter families on the dates listed below. To help defend their homes, please show up at the Occupy the Auction action at 1:45pm on the date listed with a whistle (or other noisemaker) and earplugs. San Francisco Occupy the Auctions actions take place at 1:45pm every weekday (not holidays) on the sidewalk in front of City Hall at 400 Van Ness Ave., unless another time and location is specified or if there are no residential foreclosure auctions scheduled that day. San Francisco evictions usually take place on Wednesdays, starting as early as 6:00am.

Link: Upcoming Auctions/Evictions in San Francisco Ā Ā  Upcoming Bay Area Auctions/Evictions Outside San Francisco Ā Ā  Sold or Cancelled Auctions/Evictions

Upcoming Auctions/Evictions in San Francisco

 

Photo Date Name Status / Alert
photo71.rotated February 2, 2013 Jemal and Jamila Mohamed Getu Eviction Postponed, Negotiating Home Purchase, Profile
? February 13, 2013 ? Yin Wong Eviction Postponed, Negotiating With Bank
? February 13, 2013 ? Maria Elena Rosales and Carolina Castillo Eviction Pending
? February 13, 2013 ? Betty Davis Alert, Eviction Pending, Bank Negotiations
? February 13, 2013 ? Alfred Richardson Alert, Eviction Pending, Bank Negotiations
? February 13, 2013 ? Alice Smith Eviction Postponed, Bank Negotiations
February 19, 2013 Delmy and Jenny Ramos Auction, Bankruptcy
February 26, 2012 Benjamin and Irma Reed Auction
February 28, 2013 Emilia Hughetti Auction
acce.foreclosure.romeo-baful March 1, 2012 Romeo Baful Auction, Alert
acce.foreclosure.bernetta-adolph March 3, 2013 Bernetta Adolph Eviction, Profile

Upcoming Auctions in Bay Area Outside San Francisco

 

Photo Date Name Status / Alert
February 28, 2013 Kathrina and Donald Baird Redwood City

Sold, Evicted, or Auction/Eviction Cancelled

Photo Date Name Status / Alert
9am February 27, 2013 Ian Haddow Auction Cancelled, Needs Fair Loan Modification Alert
February 5, 2013 Peter Fairfield Auction Cancelled, Was Dual Tracking
February 4, 2013 Alberto del Rio Alert, Negotiation Sale Rescission of Sale, Sold at Auction, Was Dual Tracking
January 30, 2012 Roxie Harris Auction Cancelled
January 22, 2013 Segundina San Juan Auction Cancelled
December 18, 2012 Thida Chan Auction Cancelled, Trial Loan Modification, Was Dual Tracking
December 18, 2012 Amparo Hidalgo Auction Cancelled
December 13, 2012 Larry Faulks Evicted, Seeking Recission and Loan Modification, Alert, Was Dual Tracked
December 26, 2012 Daniel Pociernicki Auction Cancelled, Trial Loan Modification
December 18, 2012 Jesus Juarez Auction Cancelled, Trial Loan Modification (still wants affordable loan)
December 13, 2012 Mike Doyle Auction Cancelled, Trial Loan Modification
November 13, 2012 Tommie German Auction Cancelled, Loan Modification Signed, Was Dual Tracking, Alert
November 13, 2012 Enrique and Aracely Rodriguez Auction Apparently Postponed or Cancelled, Bank Negotiations
November 7, 2012 Maureen McClendon Accepted Eviction, Obtained Courtesy Delay
October 15, 2012 Reyna Aguilar Sold at Auction
October 15, 2012 Merrie Jo and Edzel Musni Auction Cancelled, Trial Loan Modification, Bank Was Dual Tracking
October 10, 2012 Gigi Ellis Eviction Postponed Indefinitely, Bank Negotiations
October 10, 2012 Ross Rhodes Auction Cancelled, Loan Modification Signed, Bank Was Dual Tracking
October 9, 2012 Ernesto Viscarra Auction Cancelled, Obtained Loan Modification, Bank Was Dual Tracking
June 20, 2012 Maria and Washington Davila Sold to Bank
Alert
June 29, 2012 Eric and John Auction Cancelled, Trial Modification, Modification Denied, Was Bank Dual Tracking
July 3, 2012 Emma Castro Cancelled
? September 5, 2012 Veronica Carranza Auction, Litigation to Return Home to Constance Bridgewater
July 23, 2012 Sheila Walsh Alert, Cancelled
September 5, 2012 Sheila McInnis Eviction Postponed, Pursuing Short Sale, HOA
September 5 or 12?, 2012 Denise Collins Eviction Postponed, Negotiating With Bank
September 20, 2012 Ana and Nelson Ramos Auction Cancelled, Negotiating With Bank
September 24, 2012 Archbishop Franzo King Auction Cancelled, Negotiating With Bank
August 22, 2012 Kim Mitchell Eviction Cancelled, Short Sale From Bank, Rent-to-Buy in SUN Initiative

June 1 at the Auctions

On June 1, 2012, an auctioneer must have lied to the protestors and went ahead with the sale of a multi-unit apartment building in San Francisco (none went to investors and 311 Lincoln Way went to the bank), instead of just auctioning off the commercial property we had agreed not to protest.

Video in English (thanks to Peter Menchini):

A large number of folks turned out to stop the auction of the home of Bernal neighbor Alberto del Rio and his family. Fortunately, his family managed to file bankruptcy in time to postpone the auction of his home until July 6, 2012.

The protestors unfurled large banners and many people driving by on Van Ness Ave. honked their horns in support. In addition, the protestors yelled “Shame” and held up mirrors with messages such as “Evicting People From Their Homes is Not Just a Job” toward the investors and auctioneers.

Many Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters (FEFs) spoke on the people’s mic and told their stories to the large crowd assembled in front of City Hall, who demanded an end to residential foreclosures and passage of the California Homeowner Bill of Rights. Beth Stephens and Annie Sprinkle of Occupy Bernal presented Good Neighbor Awards to FEFs such as Archbishop Franzo King.

Thanks to everyone who helped out!

Video en espanol: Indignados protestan frente alcaldĆ­a para impedir embargo de vecino

Videos in English (thanks to Carol Harvey):

More videos in English:

Thanks to Peg Hunter for the before-the-next-to-last 54 photos, to Peter Menchini for the nexc-to-last 25 photos, to Grace Martinez of ACCE for the last 5 photos.

Foreclosure/Eviction Fighter Profiles

Here are some profiles of active Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters in San Francisco.

Links: Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters in San Francisco Ā Ā  Bay Area Fighters Outside San Francisco Ā Ā  Sign up as a Foreclosure/Eviction Fighter or a Home Defender

Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters in San Francisco

#  a  b  c  d  e  f  g  h  i  j  k  l  m  n  o  p  q  r  s  t  u  v  w  x  y  z 

Pic Name Lender Loan # Profile Home Defenders  
Bernetta Adolph Wells Fargo Profile ACCE
Julie Anderson (and Hanson Lee)  Wells Fargo Profile ACCE
Constance Bridgewater Chase / Diversified Mortgage Consultants Profile ACCE
acce.foreclosure.romeo-baful Romeo Bufal Chase / Washington Mutual  1835186059 Profile, Alert ACCE
Nora Carrasco Wells Fargo Profile ACCE
Dexter Cato American Home Mortgage / Wells Fargo Profile ACCE
Thida Chan Bank of America Profile ACCE
Denise Collins Nationstar (Fortress/Aurora) Alert ACCE
Dorothy Crawford Wells Fargo (World Savings Pick-a-Payment)  Profile ACCE
Maria and Washington Davila Wells Fargo 0044522993 (owner’s name is Felisa Yambao) Profile Occupy Bernal
Betty Davis Fannie Mae, previously Bank of America / Countrywide Profile, Alert ACCE
Alberto del Rio Wells Fargo 47339080 (owner’s name is Gloria Lomeli) Alert    Profile Occupy Bernal
acce.foreclosure.gladys-dewitt Gladys Dewitt Wells Fargo (World Savings Pick-a-Payment) 0041103565 Profile ACCE
Pei Jun Ding and Michael Dow Wells Fargo Profile ACCE
   Mike Doyle Nationstar (Fortress/Aurora) Profile ACCE
Peter Fairfield Wells Fargo Profile ACCE
Larry Faulks Wells Fargo Profile Alert ACCE
  Sherrell Fennell-Murphy Nationstar (Fortress/Aurora) Profile ACCE
Kathryn Galves Wells Fargo 0044722973 Evicted March 28, 2012
Mary Gebrian JP Morgan Chase Profile ACCE
Tommie German Wells Fargo 44751501 Profile Occupy Bernal
photo71.rotated-cropped Jemal and Jamila Mohamed Getu Vericrest 9800937154 Profile, Alert ACCE
Victor Granados  Wells Fargo 5000039031 Profile Occupy Bernal
Ian Haddow JP Morgan Chase / Washington Mutual Alert ACCE
Roxie Harris Bank of America / Countrywide Profile ACCE
Amparo Hildago Bank of America Profile ACCE
  Emilia Hughetti Wells Fargo Profile ACCE
Henry Johnson Wells Fargo Profile ACCE
  Jesus Juarez Chase / Washington Mutual Profile ACCE
Monica Kenney Wells Fargo / Fannie Mae Profile ACCE
  Archbishop Franzo King Wells Fargo Profile ACCE
Hanson Lee (and Julie Anderson) Citibank Profile ACCE
David Lewis Wells Fargo Profile ACCE
Eric Wells Fargo Occupy Bernal
DeDe Martinez Wells Fargo 0046809208 Profile Occupy Bernal
Sheila McInnis Wells Fargo Alert ACCE
Joseph Melton Bank of America / NY Mellon Profile ACCE
Kim Mitchell Nationstar (Fortress/Aurora) Alert ACCE
Robert Moses Homeward (American Home Mortgage) Alert ACCE
    Merrie Jo and Edzel Musni Bank of America Profile ACCE
Daniel Pociernicki Nationstar (Fortress/Aurora) Profile ACCE
Ana and Nelson Ramos Chase / Washington Mutual Profile ACCE
Delmy and Jenny Ramos Citibank Profile ACCE
Benjamin and Irma Reed Wells Fargo Profile ACCE
Ross Rhodes Wells Fargo Profile Occupy Bernal
Alfred Richardson Bank of America Profile ACCE
  Vivian Richardson Nationstar (Fortress/Aurora) Profile ACCE
Myrna Sebastian Wells Fargo Profile ACCE
Mary Ann Serrano Wells Fargo Alert ACCE
Alice Smith Citigroup / PennyMac Alert Profile ACCE
  Dawn Swidorski OneWest (Indy Mac) Profile ACCE
Pascal Thiam Sterling Bank (of Spokane, WA) Profile ACCE
   Josephine Tolbert Bank of America Profile ACCE
  Ernesto Viscarra Wells Fargo 46110532 Profile Occupy Bernal
Sheila Walsh Wells Fargo 0999083991 Profile ACCE
    Yin Wong PNC Profile ACCE

Bay Area Fighters Outside San Francisco

 

Pic Name Lender Loan # Profile Home Defenders
Don and Tina Baird Chase (Washington Mutual) ACCE