Category Archives: disabled

Occupy Fanny Mae to Stop Evictions of Betty Davis and Alfred Richardson

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On November 2, 2012, Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters from the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), Occupy Bernal, and the Occupy the Auctions and Evictions Campaign, visited the office of Fannie Mae in San Francisco to demand the halt of the evictions of African-American senior Betty Davis and African-American, senior, disabled veteran Alfred Richardson.

The protestors made it to the front door of the 30th floor office of Fannie Mae at 50 California Street in San Francisco, but unfortunately no one answered the door when they rang and knocked. So, Betty Davis slid her statement and demands under the door and the participants tacked posters to the walls surrounding the Fannie Mae and other 30th floor offices, as well as the bathroom and elevators.

Links: Action Alert       Occupy Senior and Veteran Evictions and Foreclosures (Occupy Anniversary)    Prior Occupy Fannie Mae Action    Betty Davis Profile    Alfred Richardson Profile

Occupy Wells Fargo Headquarters to Save the Faulks Home

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Supporters of Foreclosure and Eviction Fighter Larry Faulks gathered at the Wells Fargo headquarters in downtown San Francisco on October 30, 2012, to demand that Wells Fargo rescind the sale of the Faulks home to DMG Asset Management and offer Larry a fair deal loan modification. Larry and his brother are elderly and disabled and don’t deserve to be thrown to the curb after Wells Fargo illegally sold their home at auction while negotiating a loan modification with them (a practice called “dual tracking”). The group also voiced support for Bernetta Adolph of San Francisco, Jacqueline Barber of Georgia, and Ana Casas Wilson in Los Angeles, California, all of whom Wells Fargo is trying to evict.

The group presented more than five hundred signatures to a representative of the bank who accepted them on behalf of Wells Fargo Community Relations Director Brenda Wright and Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf.

The action was organized by Occupy Noe, Occupy Bernal, and the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) with participation from the Occupy Direct Action Workgroup (DAWG) and Community Not Commodity.

Occupy Wells Fargo to Save the Faulks Home

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Supporters of Foreclosure and Eviction Fighter Larry Faulks gathered at the Wells Fargo branch in the Noe Valley neighborhood of San Francisco to demand that Wells Fargo rescind the sale of the Faulks home to DMG Asset Management and offer Larry a fair deal loan modification. Larry and his brother are elderly and disabled and don’t deserve to be thrown to the curb after Wells Fargo illegally sold their home at auction while negotiating a loan modification with them (a practice called “dual tracking”).

The group gathered hundreds of signatures to present to Wells Fargo Community Relations Director Brenda Wright and Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf.

Susan McDonough of Occupy Noe explains the situation with Wells Fargo, DMG Asset Management, and the Faulks family. She invites supporters to join an action at an open house of Climb Real Estate, the company that flips the homes DMG Asset Management evicts families like the Faulks family from. The protest will take place 12:00pm to 3:00pm on Sunday, October 28, at 1272 Rhode Island Street on Potrero Hill in San Francisco.

Larry Faulks talks about his situation and expresses his thanks to supporters.

The action was organized by Occupy Noe, Occupy Bernal, and the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) with participation from the Occupy Direct Action Workgroup (DAWG) and Community Not Commodity.

Links: Bay Area Reporter coverage

Wells Fargo Persuades Orange County Sheriff’s Department to Illegally Evict a Woman With Terminal Cancer in a Wheelchair

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According to the Orange County Weekly, on the morning of October 10, Orange County deputies broke down Niko Black’s door despite a court order taped to it forbidding them to do so, put a gun in her face and crumpled up the court order. They then carried her out of the home in her wheel chair and left her on the sidewalk while they locked up her home. The deputies locked her medication and medical equipment in the house as well, denying her access to it.

Media Coverage: Huffington Post    Orange County Weekly

Occupy the Home of Kathy Galves: From Foreclosure to Homelessness

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Dozens of protesters held a press conference at the former home of Kathy Galves at 12:00 noon on October 23, 2012, to tell the story of thousands of disabled elders and families that end up homeless when they lose their homes. Wells Fargo foreclosed on the home of Kathy Galves, then evicted her and her sister in December 2012. Since then, she has been staying with friends and paying out of her pension to stay at hotels. “I have nowhere else to go,” says Galves. Kathy, a disabled, African-American senior, needs a safe, secure, and affordable home.

Thousands of elders and families have lots their homes to foreclosure here in San Francisco and they often end up homeless staying in motels, their cars, shelters, and even sometimes on the streets. Many of the foreclosures happen when someone in the family becomes ill and the family can no longer afford skyrocketing medical bills.

The event also highlighted the plight of 82-year-old Dr. Lehmann Brightmann, a Native American scholar and educator who is in the hospital while his family teeters on the edge of foreclosure and 80-year-old Fred Wahpepah, a Native American medicine-giver who needs financial assistance to prevent his home from going into foreclosure after his wife became ill and could no longer work.

The event was co-sponsored by POOR Magazine / Prensa POBRE, The Manilatown Heritage Foundation, The Idriss Stelley Foundation, and the San Francisco Bay View newspaper, with speakers from some of those organizations, as well as the Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco, the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), Occupy Bernal, and the Occupy the Auctions and Evictions Campaign.

Brother Robles of Poor Magazine and Manilatown Heritage Foundation speaks.

“Tiny” aka Lisa Gray-Garcia of POOR Magazine speaks.

Kathy Galves speaks.

Son of Dr. Lehmann Brightmann speaks.

Son of Dr. Lehmann Brightmann continues.

Tommi Avicolli-Mecca of Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco speaks.

Tommi Avicolli-Mecca of Housing Rights Committee of San Francisco continues.

Fred Wahpepah speaks.

Devina Estrella O Jai speaks.

Ross Rhodes of the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), Occupy Bernal, and Occupy Noe speaks.

Fred Wahpepah offers a closing ceremony.

ALERT: Demand Deutsche Bank Stop Eviction of William Bailes and Caregiver Gigi Ellis

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Update as of October 8, 2012: Deutsche Bank has agreed to postpone the eviction of William Bailes and Gigi Ellis in order to hopefully come to a mutually agreeable solution, so we have postponed the October 9 protest and all phone calls and emails for the action alert.

Deutsche Bank has pursued a protracted battle to evict disabled renter William Bailes and his niece, caregiver, and homeowner Gigi Ellis from their Bernal home in San Francisco. Bill and Gigi want to remain in their home, where Bill’s doctor says he must remain to receive the nearly round-the-clock care he requires for life-threatening illnesses including hepatitis C, interstitial lung disease, and pulmonary fibrosis, which has him on an oxygen tank.

The eviction is scheduled for Wednesday, October 10.

Please take action to help the Bill and Gigi:

1) EMERGENCY RALLY
When: 9:00am on Tuesday, October 9
Where: Deutsche Bank office, 101 California Street at Davis Street, San Francisco (one to two blocks from Embarcadero BART station)

2) Call and email Deutsche Bank with the following message:

* Seth Waugh, CEO, +1 212-250-5646 or main line +1 212-250-2500

* Jeffrey Ruiz, Director, +1 212-250-3667

* Duncan King, Head of Press & Media Relations, +1 212-250-4864

* Randall Naiman, Eviction Attorney for Deutsche Bank, +1 858-535-4808

Sample messsage:

To: seth.waugh@db.com, jeffrey.ruiz@db.com, duncan.king@db.com, info@naimanlaw.com
Cc: action@occupytheauctions.org
Subject: Stop the Eviction of William Bailes and Caregiver Gigi Ellis at 433 Nevada Street in San Francisco

Please stop the eviction of disabled renter William Bailes and his niece, caregiver, and homeowner Gigi Ellis from their home at 433 Nevada Street in San Francisco. Bill and Gigi want to remain in their home, where Bill’s doctor says he must remain to receive the nearly round-the-clock care he requires for life-threatening illnesses including hepatitis C, interstitial lung disease, and pulmonary fibrosis, which has him on an oxygen tank. The eviction is scheduled for Wednesday, October 10.

Gigi Ellis was in negotiations for a loan modification from Washington Mutual (which took over the loan from Long Beach Mortgage and was later acquired by JP Morgan Chase) when Deutsche Bank foreclosed on the home without Gigi’s knowledge. Please stop the eviction and negotiate with Bill and Gigi so that they can obtain a loan modification or have a third party purchase the home so they can remain in their home.

Please don’t put disabled people out on the streets.

3) Please mark your calendars for possible eviction defense on Wednesday, October 10.

For updates and this action alert: http://occupytheauctions.org/wordpress/?p=4873

ALERT: Demand DMG Assets Stop Eviction of Faulks Family

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Update as of October 8, 2012: DMG Assets has agreed to postpone the eviction of the Faulks family for two weeks to try to reach a mutually acceptable settlement, so we have postponed the protest at the DMG office tomorrow, as well as the calls and emails from the action alert.

Update as of October 2, 2012: Mary Ann Serrano and her disabled daughter and DMG Assets “have reached a mutually agreeable solution”. However, the Faulks family wants to stop the eviction and remain in their home, so please come to protest actions and respond to the action alert below.

Investment firm DMG Asset Management is threatening a San Francisco family with eviction even though disabled family members can’t find housing elsewhere.

Larry Faulks and his brother — both disabled — as well as their renter want to stay in the home their parents purchased in 1962. DMG plans to evict them on Wednesday, October 10.

Please take action to help the Faulks family:

1) EMERGENCY RALLY
When: 4:00pm=6:00pm on Tuesday, October 9
Where: Home of DMG Principal Daniel Woo, 566-568 16th Avenue, between Anza and Balboa Streets, San Francisco

2) Call DMG management, their real estate agent, and their attorney with the following message:

* Daniel Woo, 415-298-7298 or 415-706-6170

* Angela Woo Lee, 415-420-8881

* Gilbert Chung, 916-947-8625

* Marcus Lee, +1 415-999-2022 (real estate agent)

* Jak Marquez, 415-495-8500 x12 (attorney)

Sample message:

Please stop the eviction of Larry Faulks and his brother — both disabled — as well as their renter. The Faulks family has lived in the family home at 25 Cameo Way in San Francisco for 50 years. Wells Fargo promised in writing not to foreclose on the Faulks during the modification process, but instead sold the property to you. Please sell the property back to Wells Fargo at the price you paid, so that Wells Fargo can offer the Faulks family a loan modification to remain in their home.

Please don’t put disabled people or seniors out onto the streets.

3) Please mark your calendar for a possible eviction defense at 7:00am on Wednesday, October 10.

For updates and this action alert: http://occupytheauctions.org/wordpress/?p=4769

Links: Profile

Occupy DMG Assets Action to Save Faulks Family Home

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Foreclosure and Evictions Fighters and their supporters from Occupy Noe, Occupy Bernal, and the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) gathered at the home of DMG Assets Principal Angela Woo Lee at 370 San Benito Way, St Francis Wood
Neighborhood, San Francisco, yesterday to ask her to stop the eviction of the Faulks family. Protestors took their message to the neighbors, many of whom said they would respond to the action alert on this case by calling and emailing DMG Assets.

Larry Faulks and his brother — both disabled — as well as their renter want to stay in the home their parents purchased in 1962. Wells Fargo sold their house at foreclosure auction without their knowledge. They have the funds to make payments on a fair deal loan modification. DMG plans to evict them on Wednesday, October 10.

Links: Profile    Alert    Media Coverage

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

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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.

September 17 OccuAnniversary Events

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The Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters of Occupy Bernal, Occupy Noe, and ACCE-SF consensed on the following three OccuAnniversary events at the regular Saturday 10am meeting on September 1, 2012:

EVENT#1) Occupy Senior and Veterans Foreclosures and Evictions

What: Press Conference and Protest

Time/Date: 12:00pm (noon) – 1:00pm on Monday, September 17

Venue: San Francisco War Memorial Building

Address: 401 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94102

Description: Please join the Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters and supporters of Occupy Bernal, Occupy Noe, and the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) for a press conference on and protest of bank’s foreclosures and evictions of seniors, veterans, and disabled folks. The press conference and rally will take place at 12:00pm (noon) on Monday, September 17. This action is in cooperation with the OccuAnniversary events and the Occupy Action Council of San Francisco.

Contact: Occupy Bernal, info@occupybernal.org


EVENT#2) Occupy Fortress Investment Group

What: Protest

Time/Date: 3:00pm – 4:30pm on Monday, September 17

Venue: Fortress Investment Group Offices

Address: One Market Plaza, Spear Tower, San Francisco, CA 94105

Description: Fortress Investment Group (FIG) is a multi-billion-dollar corporation run by vulture capitalists like Peter Briger, FIG Board Co-Chair, who developed the corporation’s “Financial Services Garbage Collection” strategy. Who’s the garbage according to Briger? That’s homeowners in foreclosure, students who can’t pay their loans, etc. FIG owns 77 percent of Nationstar Mortgage, which has been purchasing distressed home mortgage debt and foreclosing on homeowners at an accelerating pace. Seven San Francisco homeowners, dubbed the “Nationstar 7” face evictions and foreclosures by Nationstar at the moment, and FIG has a long history of poor treatment of tenants and alleged violations of tenants rights laws at Park Merced and elsewhere. Please join us to protest the billionaire “garbage” collectors like Peter Briger who are throwing our neighbors out of their homes. Bring a large garbage bag if you can! Brought to you by the Foreclosure and Evictions Fighters of Occupy Bernal, Occupy Noe, and the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) San Francisco, in cooperation with the San Francisco Tenant’s Union, the Occupy SF Housing Coalition, and the Occupy Action Council of San Francisco.

EVENT#3) Occupy Anniversary Mass Convergence

What: Protest

Time/Date: 5:00pm – 7:00pm on Monday, September 17

Venue: Bank of America and Goldman Sachs Offices

Address: 555 California Street @ Kearny Street, San Francisco, CA 94104

Description: OCCUPY WALLS ST (WEST): 1 YEAR! MON SEPT 17, 5pm
Monday, September 17, 2012
555 California st @ Kearny st, San Francisco

Join us on Facebook!

Commit in the coming year to keep building a movement of the 99% to end the rule by the 1%

OCCUPY THE BANKS
All Day: Occupy, move your money, take creative nonviolent action to confront the banks’ theft and destruction of our communities, homes, environment, education, health care and democracy. Plan an action with your neighbors, group, friends, family, co-workers, congregation, or classmates. Let us
know when/where/what and we will include in our list of actions.

HELL NO, WE WON’T PAY! STRIKE DEBT

5PM MASS CONVERGENCE
Debt Burning (Bring Copies of Your Debt Papers to Burn Symbolically), March, Casserole (Bring Your Pots, Pans and Spoons in the tradition of Argentina, Iceland and Quebec rebellions against 1% austerity), Celebration, Music, Guerilla Movies…

“Debt affects us all. Student debt, mortgage debt, health care debt, credit-card debt, and more: debt is the tie that binds the 99%, and it is a primary engine of Wall Street profits. Are the promises we believed in order to take this debt — of prosperity, of stability, of enfranchisement — even worth the paper our statements are printed on? Debt is ruining the lives of individuals, families, and communities while banks get bailed out. We say enough! Join us as we begin to build a people’s movement to strike debt, break the chains of debt, and to create new bonds of solidarity.”
­from StrikeDebt.org in New York City

All occupy groups, allies and supporters are invited to join and mobilize.

Planning Meetings: The SF Occupy Action Council has agreed to be its organizing/planning hub. The SF Occupy Action Council meets every Sunday, 2-4pm at HERE/UNITE Local 2, 209 Golden Gate Avenue (between Leavenworth/Hyde).

Sponsored by (to date): Foreclosure Fighters of Occupy Bernal, ACCE and Occupy Noe, Occupy SF Direct Action Work Group, Occupy Education­ Northern California, Occupy Action Council SF, Occupride/Community Not Commodity, Occupy Monterey, Occupy Bay Area United, Occupy SF Environmental Justice Work Group

Occupy Anniversary: Mass Converge with Me 17 Sept 2012 #S17 from Peter Menchini on Vimeo.