Banks Too Big to Jail? Homeowners Occupy U.S. Department of Justice

IMAG0634Update as of May 22, 2013: 34 arrested so far.


IMAG0633Hundreds of Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters and supporters from the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), the Home Defenders League, and other organizations occupied the U.S. Department of Justice building in Washington, D.C., on May 20, 2013, to demand justice by prosecuting the banks for their crimes. Some of the protestors were arrested.

Actions in support of the Washington, D.C., protest took place in San Francisco and elsewhere.

Between 400 and 500 protesters rallied at the Department of Justice (DOJ), closing Constitution Avenue and the three main entrances to DOJ. Folks demanded that Attorney General Eric Holder “Jail the Banksters” and “Not to Big to Jail”. Leaders of the CA ACCE-lad Home Defenders League and Occupy Our Homes struggled with police for access to DOJ. Members were tased (!!!), and seventeen were arrested, including our sister Rose Dennis of Oakland ACCE. A large contingent are occupying the main DOJ entrance tonight, and anticipate arrest tomorrow morning. Viv was quoted in the national Huffington Post report below. ALL of the press led with “Homeowners Occupy DOJ.” Here in SF, twenty SF ACCE members occupied the N CA office of DOJ, and after a confrontation, forced the Attorney in Charge to FAX our demand letter to Attorney General Eric Holder. Highlights of the local TV coverage included an interview with Vivian Richardson in DC; a 2011 tape from back when she had long hair; and a classic Ross Rhodes preach/speech.

Links:    Media Coverage    Videos    Photos

Media Coverage

Huffington Post    Washington Post    PressTV    Common Dreams    ABC 7    Color Lines    Moyers and Company    Bold Progressives    Huffington Post       In These Times       Oakland Post    Hullabaloo    Daily Kos    Deadly Clear    Fire Dog Lake    Raw Story    Rolling Stone    Huffington Post

Videos

Photos

And check this out: Jail the Bankers Light Show

Occupy the Banks for Housing Justice on April 27, 2013

IMG_3484_1Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters took the struggle for housing justice to the Mission neighborhood in San Francisco on April 27, 2013, with an Occupy the Banks for Housing Justice bank crawl.

The crowd visited the Bank of America branch near 29th and Mission Streets, the JP Morgan Chase branch at 26th and Mission Streets, the Bank of America branch at 23rd and Mission Streets, the US Bank branch at 22nd and Mission Streets, and the Wells Fargo branch at 22nd and Missions Streets.

At each branch, Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters delivered a letter to be faxed to bank executives. The group leafleted the Mission in Spanish and English.

Many thanks to the Brass Liberation Orchestra which provided festive music for the event and to Reverend Billy and the Stop Bank of America Gospel Choir (aka Stop Shopping Choir) visiting from New York City who joined up with us at the second Bank of America branch.

ACCE and Occupy Take on Fortress Investment Group and PNC Bank

About 40 strong, ACCE and Occupy Bernal Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters and supporters demonstrated on August 27, 2012, at the San Francisco offices of PNC Bank and Fortress Investment Group, which owns 77 percent of Nationstar.

Links: Videos    Photos    Media Coverage    Press Release

Videos

Thanks to Peter Menchini for the first video.

Photos

Media Coverage

KQED Article

San Francisco Business Times Article

Action: Nationstar 7 Take on Fortress Hedge-Fund Billionaire Peter Briger to Save Foreclosed Homes

For Immediate Release

Contact:

Nationstar 7 Take on Fortress Hedge-Fund Billionaire Peter Briger to Save Foreclosed Homes

Growing Number of Nationstar and PNC Bank Homeowners Stand Together Against Mistakes in Foreclosure and Loan Modifications

SAN FRANCISCO — This Monday, August 27, members of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), Occupy Bernal, and supporters will protest at Fortress Investment Group, majority owners of Nationstar Mortgage, and at PNC Bank offices in San Francisco for foreclosing on and attempting to evict eight San Francisco Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters (FEFs).

Homeowners facing foreclosure and eviction will call on billionaire Peter Briger, Board Co-Chair of the Fortress Investment Group, to halt Fortress’ “Great Liquidation” strategy for acquiring distressed credit, which they refer to as “Financial Services Garbage Collection”.

Seven of these FEFs, known as the “Nationstar 7”, have made repeated attempts to reach Nationstar in the last month, when Aurora Loan Servicing sold their entire loan portfolio to Nationstar. A recent Denver Post article reports that this sale was a re-branding attempt by Aurora, perhaps in an attempt to avoid lawsuits from Aurora mortgage holders nationwide. So far, Nationstar has responded only with eviction notices, such as the one received by Nationstar 7 FEF Denise Collins scheduled for this Wednesday, August 29.

“Billionaire Peter Briger over at the Fortress better not try to take us out with the trash,” said Denise Collins. “We’re not garbage — we’re homeowners trying to make our payments and take care of our families.”

PNC Bank previously postponed the eviction of Yin Wong and her family six times, but instead of following up with an offer of a fair deal loan modification, they have issued another eviction notice for this Wednesday, August 29.

Press Conference

WHEN:   Monday, August 27 at 12:00pm (noon)
WHERE:  Fortress Investment Group Offices, One Market Plaza, Spear Tower, San Francisco, CA
WHO:    ACCE and Occupy Bernal Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters, the Nationstar 7, Yin Wong, and supporters

PNC Protest–

WHEN:   Monday, August 27 at 10:00am
WHERE:  PNC Bank Offices, meet in front of 575 Market St., San Francisco, CA
(at 11:00am, a march to One Market Plaza)

Nationstar Protest–

WHEN:   Monday, August 27 at 12:00pm (noon)
WHERE:  Fortress Investment Group Offices, One Market Plaza, Spear Tower, San Francisco, CA

Background on Nationstar Cases

Nationstar is one of the largest home mortgage loan servicers in the United States. The Fortress Investment Group, a humongous hedge fund operation run by many former Goldman Sachs employees, owns 77 percent of Nationstar. James Briger is a billionaire hedge-fund strategist, Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Fortress Investment Group, and a former partner at Goldman Sachs, known for its role in financial malfeasance that led to the current economic crash.

The San Francisco City Attorney’s Office previously investigated the role of Fortress Investment Group in the wake of housing advocates’ concerns that tenants have been issued a high volume of notices warning that they could face eviction due to unpaid utility fees just after Fortress acquired a controlling interest in the 3,221-unit San Francisco residential compound at Park Merced. Housing activists report that Fortress is evading San Francisco rent control laws, forcing out current tenants to renovate or build new units without rent control protections.

Kim Mitchell purchased his home on 8 Le Conte Cir. in 2005, after living in Bayview Hunters Point his whole life. When Kim’s loan payments begin to increase, Kim called Aurora to apply for a modification. He was told that he needed to be behind for 6 months to qualify for a modification. After 6 months of holding on to his payments, he applied for modification and entered into a trial modification. He paid on the trial modification for one year, never missing a payment. In December 2010, Kim reached out to Aurora about his last payment and if he was going to receive a permanent modification. He was informed to not to bother sending this last payment in as they were not going to approve his modification request because he was missing paperwork.

“After three years of fighting for my home, Aurora let me believe that if I got behind, I would qualify for a modification,” says Denise Collins, an ACCE FEF who is also one of the Nationstar 7. “They had committed to rescind my foreclosure and modify my loan, but a week before Aurora ‘sold’ its loans to Nationstar, they told me they had changed their mind and I no longer qualify.”

In mid-January 2011, a potential buyer approached Kim Mitchell’s home and informed him that his home was up for auction that day. This was the first he had heard of a sale date after a year of paying on a trial modification. However, it’s still unclear who exactly homes the note on the home as Aurora Loan Services, according to its website, is closed and “transitioned all accounts to new servicers”. Aurora continues to be named as the party evicting Kim Mitchell.

But according to the Denver Post article on July 5, 2012, as many as 1,400 Aurora Loan Servicer employee would be retained as employees to Nationstar.

“At this point, I’m not sure who is evicting me, Nationstar, Aurora…” said Kim Mitchell, “We’ve tried to call both. But I’m going to fight to keep my home.”

Last Wednesday, August 22, 2012, about 40 ACCE and Occupy organizers showed up at the Mitchell’s home and succeeded in pressuring Nationstar to fax the San Francisco Sheriff to postpone the eviction of Kim Mitchell and his family that day.

The activists are now continuing to pressure Nationstar to rescind the foreclosure and offer Kim Mitchell, as well as the rest of the Nationstar 7, affordable loan modifications.

Nationstar and PNC Bank Foreclosure and Evictions Fighters will be available for interviews at the press conference.

The Nationstar 7 are Denise Collins (60 Garnett Terrace), Vivian Richardson (1479 Quesada Ave.), Mike Doyle (1471 18th Ave.), Daniel Pociernicki (324 Bocana St.), Sherrell Fennell-Murphy (400 Alemany, Unit 5), Kim Mitchell (8 LeConte Ct.), and John Nolan (1175 Palou).

Background on PNC Cases

PNC Bank is illegally foreclosing on the home of Yin Wong, a disabled senior, after National City Mortgage sold the loan on her home to PNC Bank. The first she heard of PNC’s purchase of the loan was a foreclosure notice in the mail. Even though Yin Wong has the money to pay the loan and has tried to get PNC Bank to accept it, PNC has refused and has pushed eviction proceedings forward even after four prior court appearances during which the Superior Court judge urged PNC to correct the problem. Yin Wong has tried over and over to work with PNC, but PNC has refused to work with her.

“I paid every month,” said Yin Wong, ACCE Foreclosure Fighter, “PNC never called or talked to me until they foreclosed on my home. PNC is trying to steal my home.”

PNC Bank did the exact same thing with the Cruz family in Minneapolis… thousands of people protested their eviction, organizing to re-occupy their home with dozens of arrests.

Organizations and Campaign

ACCE is the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment and is a network of dozens of community based organizations across California working in 14 different counties to raise the voice of low income, immigrant and working families across the state  for better jobs, schools, healthcare and housing.  In San Francisco, ACCE chapters work in the city’s lowest income communities to bring accountable and transparent investment back to their communities to achieve these goals.  For more information visit www.calorganize.org.

Occupy Bernal is a neighborhood-based Occupy currently focusing on preventing the banks from throwing our neighbors out of their homes. Web: www.occupybernal.org

Occupy the Auctions/Evictions is a campaign to halt for-profit and predatory evictions, foreclosures, and foreclosure auctions in San Francisco and beyond. Web: www.occupytheauctions.org and www.occupyevictions.org

Updates and Photos

For updates, photos, and for this release on the web: http://occupytheauctions.org/wordpress/?p=4096

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    Bay Area Fighters Outside San Francisco    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