Occupy Our Homes Atlanta, American Friends Service Committee, and Civil Rights leader Joe Beasley to held Press Conference today at Toni's home.
On May 7th of this year, Toni Furman was in her Lithonia home when she heard someone breaking down her door. It was DeKalb Sheriff’s deputies who came to evict Toni from her home of almost 20 years. Toni was a victim of wrongful foreclosure by a notorious mortgage lender called Cenlar.
After working with Occupy Our Homes Atlanta Toni decided to lead a march to her to her home and move back in on June 10th of this year, Since then there have been at least 1000 calls, countless emails, over 5,000 have signed an online petition, and media inquiries to Cenar with zero response.
Last week officers under Sheriff Browns jurisdiction showed up with an Intrusion warrant and tacked it on Toni’s door. They have been back several times since. Toni and several of her neighbors have made it clear today, she will not be leaving her home, even if it means risking her freedom, she is taking a stand.
American Friends Service Committee's Atlanta Economic Justice Program is proud to stand with Toni and we continue to be inspired by everyday Americans who risk everything to stand up to the financial giants that have ravaged communities all over the country with impunity.
This past Tuesday Chris Frazer and community allies introduced a proposal that would not only make 3am evictions illegal in DeKalb County, it would also force more accountability on banks and investors to ensure the safety and dignity of folks facing eviction.
Know one know's the issue of inhumane eviction like Chris Frazer, who had her home raided by 40 armed DeKalb County deputies at 3am earlier this year. The Sheriff came with animal control for her pets, but had no where for her, her 86 year old mother, and 3 year old son to go. Chris is committed to fight against this inhumane behavior until it no longer a legal option for law enforcement to disregard basic decency.
We would like to encourage you to call Commissioner Larry Johnson(404 371-2425) and Commissioner Stan Watson (404-371-3681) and encourage them to pass this simple resolution.
Below is the text of the policy:
The people of Dekalb County are facing a depression era housing
crisis. Sadly, there is a need to protect citizens from unscrupulous behavior
with regard to evictions. This effort is designed to prevent landlords from
placing tenants in harm’s way by evicting them at hours when they would be
unable to obtain a means of securing their belongings after the eviction or
obtaining permanent and/or temporary housing due to the hours of eviction.
This proposal would make
it illegal to evict a tenant between the hours of 5:00PM and 9:00AM.
We also propose that
landlords must meet the following basic criteria when moving forward with an
eviction.
1.The
landlord must have an order of eviction from the appropriate court.
2.The
landlord must have a permit issued by a designated agency and/or court within
Dekalb County. The landlord would be responsible for the cost, if any, of
obtaining such a permit.
3.There
must be a certified law enforcement officer present during such eviction, the
costs of which are the responsibility of the landlord. The name of the officer
and their certification must accompany the permit application.
4.Prior
to obtaining such a permit, the landlord will:
a.Provide
a pre-paid storage facility capable of holding furniture for the number of rooms
at the residence where the eviction is to occur. In other words, if the
residence is a 3 bedroom, the storage facility will be capable of securing a 3
bedroom residence. The storage facility will be within 5 miles of the residence
where the eviction is taking place.
b.Provide
a pre-paid moving truck capable of moving the contents of the residence in one
trip.
c.Provide
at minimum a prepaid 3 star hotel room for a period of not less than 36 hours.
These measures shouldn’t be considered radical notions, as
they are already points of policy for other parts of the country.
Today
the Edgewood neighborhood was declared an eviction free zone by community
members and several organizations doing work around housing issue. What
prompted this declaration, besides being under the lash of a historic housing
crisis, was particularly cruel eviction that came with no warning at all.
Around 8:30 AM on Friday August 3rd
Sherrye Calhoun woke up to Sheriff’s Deputies knocking on her door. They
demanded that she leave her home immediately. Over the course of the morning
Sheriff Thomas Brown’s deputies supervised her eviction. They had no warrant or
writ of possession. She has lived in the home for 30 years.
Within hours, Ms. Calhoun’s possessions were moved back into
her house with the help of Edgewood residents and supporters. She is currently
still residing in that house, determined to resist eviction should it again be
attempted.
That evening, Edgewood residents formed a group, Eviction
Free Edgewood (EFE), determined to resist eviction of Edgewood residents. On
Sunday, EFE, with Ms. Calhoun, hosted a barbeque to build community resistance.
About 100 people were in attendance throughout the day.
Today Sherrye hosted an
eviction free cookout that ended up packing her yard with folks that committed
to stand with Sherrye should any more crimes (by Sheriff Browns deputies) be
committed against her.
Join us at 11:00AM on Monday August 6th at Sherrye’s home, 39 Aberdeen Street Atlanta, GA 30307 to hear Sherrye tell her story alongside neighbors and community members deeply concerned by this eviction, and other housing issues in their community.
Earlier today several dozen members of the metro Atlanta community converged at DeKalb County Sheriff Thomas Brown's office to deliver him a People's Citation for his actions against DeKalb County Resident Chris Frazer and her family.
On May 2nd Sheriff Brown and 40 of his armed officers stormed the Frazer home and evicted Chris along with her 3 year old grandson, 25 year old daughter, and her 85 year old mother. 18 years of their lives in that home were tossed in the yard like trash while members of the community watched helplessly. Many tried to help pick up Chris's belongings, but where threatened with arrest for doing so.
Last week, after much negative press, Sheriff Thomas Brown reached out to several organizers and asked what he could do to de-escalate the conflict between Occupy Atlanta, Chris Frazer, and his office. Sheriff Brown offered to accept a people's citation from the community, face Chris Frazer face to face and apologize for the pain he caused her, and contribute to her legal fees as she continues to fight Investors One Corporation.
With some skepticism, Chris Frazer agreed. As an organizer working with Chris, I was honestly excited to de-escalate with the Sheriff's office, as it feels like our energy really should be focused on the extremely shady Investors One Corporation.
Things did not play out the way any of us expected. Joe Beasley, Attorney Joshua Davis, Chris Frazer, and myself were allowed to meet with the Sheriff in his lobby while around 30 others watched from outside the glass walls. Sheriff Brown's face had no signs of reconciliation on it.
The first sign that he was backing down on his word was that he refused any media admittance to the meeting, which we had agreed he would allow. The Sheriff began to attempt to apologize, but it appeared that he just couldn't resist sharing his true remorseless feelings. At one point, as Chris Frazer had begun to weep, Sheriff Brown simply stated, "If I had to do it over again, with all the information I have now, I wouldn't have done anything differently".
In a sense Chris Frazer was forced to relive the bullying she experienced under the lash of Sheriff Brown a second time. Those of us in the room found ourselves in total bewilderment, as just days earlier Sheriff Brown had reached out to us in an attempt to make amends for the 3 a.m eviction.
After the meeting several folks, including myself, where accosted by an overwhelming number of Sheriff's officers who harassed us, demanding to take pictures of every activist who showed up, even forcing one person to show them all his tattoos.
Today was a shameful day for anyone that cares about justice in DeKalb County. We can't afford a Sheriff that disrespects folks in the community like Thomas Brown continues to.
Tomorrow(6/12) We plan to join Chris Frazer at the DeKalb County Commissioners meeting at 9am at 1300 commerce drive in the Maloof auditorium. Please come if you can.
Today, on Mothers Day, several of us came out to visit Chris Frazer, her mom Daisy, and Grandson Malachi at their new house, which is temporary. We brought Mothers Day flowers and offered our labor as there's still much moving around that needs to be done.
It's been just over a week since the Frazer family was evicted at gunpoint by Sheriff Thomas Brown and 40 of his officers at 3am. The trauma that the unprecedented action caused the Frazer family undeniably lingers strong. It was a tough scene to observe for anyone, but one can only imagine what it's like having you doors knocked in, physically forced out, and see all you belongings carelessly tossed onto the lawn.
Given the circumstances the Frazer family is making the best of the situation. The family's first priority was getting everyone under the same roof again.
There are needs.
The unexpected move has brought many expenses, from moving trucks, movers, broken and damaged property, first and last months rent, and turning on new utilities, the Frazers money is stretched very thin. We've set up a wepay account that goes directly into Chris Frazers account. Our hope is to get at least 2,500 by the end of the week, can you help?
There are also specific items that the family needs. They Include:
Window Treatments
Clothing hangers
Sink stoppers
Night Lights
Twin Bed, and sheets
Queen Bed and sheets
Frame for a king sized bed
Full sized bed foot board
Next steps.
This Thursday(5/17) at 7:30pm there will be a candlelight vigil in front of the home(3662 wellhaun rd, Decatur) Chris Frazer's family was evicted from in the middle of the night at 3am. We invite all who are concerned with foreclosures, evictions, and housing in general to stand with Chris Frazer and her family.
During the eviction the Frazer family had several items stolen from them, they include:
Three gold watches
Ipod
Wii video game system
Three machetes that belonged to Chris's deceased husband
An 18 inch solid gold necklace and pennant
What Sheriff Thomas Brown did was just wrong. We're asking folks to call his office and let them know that we can't afford that kind of behavior in our communities. Call his office at this number:
404-298-8145
Occupy Atlanta and community allies organized a rally outside of Sheriff Thomas Browns office at 4415 Memorial Drive today.
Over 100 people showed up with signs and carrying some of the wreckage that Sheriff Brown and his officers left in Chris Frazer's lawn less than a week ago. The furniture was place in front the entrance to the Sheriff's department with the idea of bring the housing crisis right to the Sheriff's doorstep.
The Sheriff's office locked the door and refused to respond to community concerns. Chris Frazer, Carmen Pittman, and Pastor Johnson all spoke to the crowd outside of the Sheriffs department demanding that Sheriff Brown apologize and let Chris Frazer back in her home.
After the demonstration Dekalb Sheriff Officers pulled over one of the lead organizers for no reason,threatened anyone who attempted to film the scene, impounded the vehicle, and cuffed an activists that refused to stop recorded Sheriff Browns officers as they obstructed the law. Later that activist was taken to Grady hospital for injuries and released from custody.
Chris’ house was foreclosed on fraudulently by Investors One Corporation in October 2011, and she a case currently in federal court disputing the foreclosure. In March, activists with Occupy Atlanta set up camp on her lawn and committed to stay to defend Chris’ home from eviction.
Using what sheriff Thomas Brown himself referred to as “intelligence,” Dekalb County law enforcement waited until activists were not present at the home, and the neighbors would be asleep, to serve an unprecedented eviction after hours, putting 4 generations including her 85 year old mother, and 3 year old grandson out on the curb. They refused to allow Chris to shower or for her mother to get dressed; they told Chris to behave as if it were a fire drill. They even rounded up her dogs and took them to the pound. The police blockaded the neighborhood and wouldn’t allow anyone to help secure the family’s valuable personal belongings from the side of the road, and they stole many of Chris’s valuables.
Once again, it is clear that the government and our law enforcement officials are being used to serve and protect the interest of the 1% and not of ordinary people or even the laws that they have put in place. Occupy Atlanta and community allies are more committed than ever to the fight for Chris Frazer’s home, and the thousands of other homeowners just like her who are being disrespected every day.
We cannot afford to allow Sheriff Thomas Brown to disrespect are communities in this fashion. We demand that he lets the family back into the place they've called home for the past 18 yrs. We will be meeting outside of his office Monday evening, 4-6pm, carrying signs and banners asking why he would choose to leave a family homeless at 3 in the morning at gun point and allowed her valuables to be stolen.
There are a lot of unexpected charges adding up now dealing with the
eviction. Chris is scrambling to find a place for her family to stay,
a storage unit for all of their belongings, and even has to pay to get
the dogs out of the pound. Please donate to help in anyway you can.
https://www.wepay.com/x2tg0qn/donations/193827
After working with Occupy Our Homes Atlanta Toni decided to lead a march to her to her home and move back in on June 10th of this year, Since then there have been at least 1000 calls, countless emails, over 5,000 have signed an online petition, and media inquiries to Cenar with zero response.
