Helicopters and Home Defense In Dekalb County Ga

At the home of A 62 year old women threatened with being evicted, Occupiers are fighting to save her home to keep a roof over her family's head.



Today, March 22nd, while working to save this home from illegal eviction everyone was greeted by multiple police cars and helicopters looming over head. Rather than investigating the clearly evident fraud perpetrated Investors One Corporation, the company that's attempting to claim Chris Frazers home, DeKalb police have turned a blind eye on the one's that needed it most.


Shapiro & Swertfeger, the counsel representing Investor One Corporation, have had all of the proper paperwork and knew of the fraud taking place through the chain of title but refuse to expose the injustices. A very predictable move on their part being that lawfirms receive 10% profit from all foreclosures. In addition, the magistrate court judge that handled the dispossessory glossed over the fact that a foreclosure deed wasn't presented at the hearing which is cause for immediate dismissal the paperwork remained unfiled until a week before the appeal was heard.



There is currently a lawsuit being filed against all parties that had a hand in these clandestine business practices. The Dekalb County Sheriff's office still didn't hesitate to send out multiple squad cars to stay stationed outside of the Frazer residence. Despite severe budget cuts the county is facing there were cops told to, "bring a book or a movie" to stay entertained throughout the day there were also about five instances where a helicopter was circling the house, hovering for about 10-15 minutes at a time costing the county thousands of dollars. Tomorrow we are expecting an even more blatant show of force on the side of the Dekalb County Police Department.



One of the officers camped outside Chris Frazer's home claimed that the police force was present to make sure activist campaigning to save the home weren't being violent. Since Occupy Atlanta have been working with the local community we have been nothing but helpful, organizing community meetings where neighbors can share ideas on how to create the change they want to see, facilitating clean up days, and addressing the issue of abandoned homes on Wellhaun road.


American Friends Service Committee is calling on folks to join Chris Frazer and stand against this eviction. We need folks there between 8am and 5pm, which is the time frame that an eviction can occur. Will you join us?



Video Clip of Helicopter circling Chris Frazer's home:


Facebook Event page Link


Leila Abadir
Guest Writer, Occupy Atlanta


Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee

Faces Of Foreclosure

The state of Georgia ranks 4th in the nation for foreclosures at the end of last year, with 350,000 foreclosures expected this calender year. Along with many other metro Atlanta counties, DeKalb County and South Decatur have especially been hit hard by the housing bubble and crash. Ms. Christine Frazer, a 62 year old widow, along with four generations of the Frazer family is being threatened with eviction from the place they have called home since 1994. A notice was signed that ordered a writ of possession be issued on the 15th. Allowing armed marshal's to forcibly remove this family from their home of 18 yrs leaving them without a place to go.




As part of a national day of action, Occupy Atlanta along with other organizations will be gathering for a Speak Out against foreclosures to stand up for not only this family but all families in similar dire situations. We will hear their personal stories as well as them condemning the process that allows for these injustices to occur. We plan to expose those responsible for the heinous crimes that are robbing the working class people.



Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee

First Community Meeting For Chris Frazers Home

About a dozen folks showed up to the first community meeting held at Occupy Atlanta's newest home occupation in South Dekalb yesterday.

The community meetings have become a staple for home occupations, bringing folks from the neighborhood together to get to know each other, discuss the things they would like to see change in the community, and make a plan to work on it.

Several big ideas were discussed, including problems with the k-12 school system, and the juvenile justice system. At the end of our first meeting we decided to start small by addressing the issue of apathy and trash. The concern was brought up that many in the community had simply checked out. Houses have been abanded for years on Wellhaun road, and trash pills up. So next Saturday at 8am we want the community to see us doing what hasn't been do in a while, cleaning stuff up!

We also decided to host a speak out against foreclosures this Thursday at 11am at The Frazer house(3662 Wellhaun Rd, Decatur) we will have several video cameras to record the stories of folks facing foreclosure/eviction and the people fighting side by side with them.

AFSC was able to pitch in and support this new occupation with some resources but they need more. Here's a short list created by folks occupying the home, will you pitch in?

tents, bedsheets (for banners), bread and jelly, folders, paper, binders, sugar, a half gallon container, cooking oil, rice, pasta

Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee