Oakland Residents Call for Freeze on Foreclosures

“Oakland residents converged Tuesday on an East Oakland street that has been blighted by foreclosures, calling for a freeze on foreclosures until the Homeowners Bill of Rights comes into effect in January, 2013. California Governor Jerry Brown signed the bill into law on July 2, which and will prevent banks from forcing families from their homes while they are still negotiating mortgages settlements.

“Chanting slogans and carrying placards, at least 35 residents and homeowners demanded that the City of Oakland be declared a foreclosure-free zone until the Homeowners Bill of Rights comes into effect. Among other consumer protections, the bill will require banks to provide mortgage holders with a single point of contact when they are negotiating their loans or loan modifications, as opposed to the current situation in which homeowners say they have been bounced from one customer service agent to another. Banks and lenders would also be required to give a clear explanation to mortgage holders and borrowers when they deny requests for loan modifications.

“The bill would also end the current practice known as “dual tracking,” in which banks and lending institutions can proceed with action to foreclose on a home at the same time as they actively engage a homeowner in negotiations to repay their mortgage.

“‘Even if people get the modifications, there still is a possibility of them losing their homes,’ said Katt Hoban, an organizer with advocacy group the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) which organized the protest.

“The protest was held in the Maxwell Park neighborhood of East Oakland, a neighborhood that the group says has been scarred by foreclosures in recent months. In particular, the venue was chosen to save the home of retired postal worker Lola Daniels, 62, who is at the verge of losing her home on Maxwell Street over a $360,000 mortgage to Bank of America and OneWest (IndyMac)….”

Link: OaklandNorth Article

Foreclosure Moratorium Petition

Join the [cfdb-count form=”Petition”] signers of this foreclosure moratorium petition below.

Links: Sign Petition    Petition Signers

To Wells Fargo, Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, and other home mortgage loan originators and servicers–

I urge you to implement an immediate moratorium on residential foreclosures pending passage of a Homeowner Bill of Rights that implements:

  • Basic standards of fairness in the mortgage process, including an end to dual tracking foreclosures
  • Transparency in the mortgage process, including a single point of contact for homeowners
  • Community tools to prevent blight after banks foreclose upon homes
  • Tenant protections after foreclosures
  • Enhanced law enforcement to defend homeowner rights – paid for by fees imposed on banks
  • A special grand jury to investigate financial and foreclosure crime

as well as instituting a mortgage principal reduction or deferral program to keep our neighbors in their homes.

I join the California State Attorney General, the entire San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the Mayor of San Francisco, and many other concerned people in urging you to stop predatory foreclosures and related auctions and evictions immediately.
 
[si-contact-form form=’14’]

 

Petition Signers

[cfdb-datatable form=”Petition” show=”name,city” orderby=”name” dt_options=”bJQueryUI:true, iDisplayLength:300″]

Auction Company and Trustee Company Pledge to Stop Handling Foreclosure Auctions

Links: Sign Pledge    Pledge Signers

We pledge to no longer handle any residential foreclosure auctions until passage of a Homeowner Bill of Rights that implements:

  • Basic standards of fairness in the mortgage process, including an end to dual tracking foreclosures
  • Transparency in the mortgage process, including a single point of contact for homeowners
  • Community tools to prevent blight after banks foreclose upon homes
  • Tenant protections after foreclosures
  • Enhanced law enforcement to defend homeowner rights – paid for by fees imposed on banks
  • A special grand jury to investigate financial and foreclosure crime

as well as instituting a mortgage principal reduction or deferral program to keep our neighbors in their homes.

We join the California State Attorney General, the entire San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and the Mayor of San Francisco in urging mortgage loan originators and servicers to stop predatory foreclosures and related auctions and evictions immediately.
 
[si-contact-form form=’17’]

 

Pledge Signers

[cfdb-datatable form=”Auction Company and Trustee Company Pledge” show=”company,city” orderby=”name” dt_options=”bJQueryUI:true, iDisplayLength:300″]

Auction Crier Pledge to Stop Residential Foreclosure Auctions

Links: Sign Pledge    Pledge Signers

I pledge to no longer be a crier for any residential foreclosure auctions until passage of a Homeowner Bill of Rights that implements:

  • Basic standards of fairness in the mortgage process, including an end to dual tracking foreclosures
  • Transparency in the mortgage process, including a single point of contact for homeowners
  • Community tools to prevent blight after banks foreclose upon homes
  • Tenant protections after foreclosures
  • Enhanced law enforcement to defend homeowner rights – paid for by fees imposed on banks
  • A special grand jury to investigate financial and foreclosure crime

as well as instituting a mortgage principal reduction or deferral program to keep our neighbors in their homes.

I join the California State Attorney General, the entire San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and the Mayor of San Francisco in urging mortgage loan originators and servicers to stop predatory foreclosures and related auctions and evictions immediately.
 
[si-contact-form form=’15’]

 

Pledge Signers

[cfdb-datatable form=”Auction Crier Pledge” show=”from_name,city” orderby=”name” dt_options=”bJQueryUI:true, iDisplayLength:300″]

City Hall Tells Foreclosure Auctioneers No More Auctions on City Hall Steps

The Occupy the Auction Dance Party at San Francisco City Hall steps went fabulously well at first today, April 27, 2012, with two auctioneers leaving once they realized protestors would react loudly whenever they tried to sell off another home for the banks.

We organized to follow up on the Foreclosure Moratorium Resolution passed unanimously by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and on the Mayor’s request for the banks to “pause” on foreclosures until the California legislature passes the State Homeowner Bill of Rights.

We danced and made lots of noise and had fun stopping some auctions.

However, one crafty auctioneer named Terry Redmon pretended to drive off, then returned later to auction off one property on Moraga to investors for $700K+ with another property sold to the bank. She falsely told Sheriff’s deputies that protestors were assaulting her, so the deputies prevented protestors from participating in the “public” auction.

One surprise came when City Hall Building Manager Robert Reiter told auctioneer Terry Redmon that she and other foreclosure auctioneers are no longer welcome on City Hall steps. They have to take their business elsewhere. See her reaction in the last picture posted below.

Thanks to all the amazing folks from Occupy SF Housing, ACCE, SF Tenant’s Union, Occupy Bernal, Occupy SF and other groups who helped plan the action and showed up today… we sent another message the banks will hear loud and clear!


Thanks also to Peter Menchini for the great video of the Occupy the Auctions Dance Party action below:

Link: Coverage from KCBS Radio

Thanks to Becca Gourevich of the San Francisco Tenant’s Union for snapping a lot of the photos below:

San Francisco Board of Supervisors Unanimously Passes Foreclosure Moratorium Resolution

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on April 10 voted unanimously to pass a resolution calling for “support for state and federal measures to protect homeowners and suspension of foreclosure activities in San Francisco”. The resolution supports the Homeowner Bill of Rights legislation before the state legislature and urges city and county officials and departments to protect homeowners from unlawful foreclosures. The resolution also urges all mortgage and banking institutions to suspend foreclosure activities and related auctions and evictions until state and federal measures to protect homeowners from unfair and unlawful practices, as well as provisions for principal reductions, are in place.

Link: More info and photos

Foreclosure Legislation

This page gathers references to local, state, and federal legislation regarding foreclosures and related auctions and evictions, as well as strategies and protests to halt foreclosures.

San Francisco Foreclosure Legislation California Foreclosure Legislation U.S. Foreclosure Legislation Other Related Legislation

San Francisco Foreclosure Legislation

California Foreclosure Legislation

U.S. Foreclosure Legislation

Other Related Legislation

Foreclosure Laws

This page gathers references to local, state, and federal law regarding foreclosures and related auctions and evictions, as well as strategies and protests to halt foreclosures.

San Francisco Foreclosure Laws California Foreclosure Laws U.S. Foreclosure Laws Other Related Laws

San Francisco Foreclosure Laws

California Foreclosure Laws

U.S. Foreclosure Laws

Other Related Laws