Zannie Jackson Fights For His Home and His Life

 
Zannie Jackson bought a home for his family in 2005, he invested countless dollars in fixing it up only to see the market crash as a result of irresponsible and fraudulent bank practices.

In 2012 Zannie was diagnosed with renal kidney failure.

Zannie Jackson is now fighting to save his life and stay in his home. With failing kidneys, he spends four hours a day, three days a week, in dialysis treatment. Zannie has been undergoing dialysis treatment for two year now. In the meantime, Bank of America, Seterus Corporation, and Fannie Mae, are trying to take his home. As a single parent his home has provided shelter for his son and a safe heaven for him to get healthy. Just recently Zannie made it onto a kidney donor list at Emory hospital, giving him a light at the end of the tunnel. However, Bank of America is getting in the way of that. They are refusing to work with him on the second mortgage that has made his home unaffordable on his fixed income. Instead of working with him they are actively trying to put him on the streets and take away his safe haven, which would harm his health even further and possibly cost him his life.

The callousness of our financial institutions is made apparent in situations like these. The paradigm that Bank of America, and their government-owned backers like Fannie Mae, operate under is one in which health problems and crises of any kind result in near-immediate homelessness. Zannie has been trying to work with Bank of America for months, and they have refused to budge. They would rather see an ill man die in the streets before accepting lower payments while he waits for a kidney transplant.

Today Zannie made a commitment to stand up to Bank of America and Seterus stating, "I have no where else to go, there's no plan B".

We urge Bank of America and Seterus to do the right thing and work with Zannie. Our communities need real solutions, not evictions.  

Next Thursday at 3pm Zannie and his supporters are planning a rally in from of Bank of America downtown. Click here for details.

Please sign and share Zannie's online petition.

Struggling Residents From Across the Southeast Storm Senator Isakson's Office to Demand No Filibuster of FHFA Director Confirmation Vote

Today struggling homeowners fighting mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, along with housing justice activists from across the southeast, converged at the office of Senator Johnny Isakson in Atlanta to demand that he does not block a vote to confirm a permanent director for the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) which oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

 This group includes Mark Harris, a Desert Storm veteran evicted at gunpoint by Fannie Mae last August from his home in Avondale Estates, Nancy Daniell, a senior citizen whose Duluth home was wrongfully foreclosed on by Nationstar on behalf of Freddie Mac, and Zannie Jackson, a Fannie Mae homeowner and dialysis patient worried about keeping a roof over his head in addition to fighting for his life. Monday's action is the culmination of Atlanta's Housing Justice Academy, a three day training in home defense and non-violent direct action, attended by homeowners, renters, and activists from around the Southeast organized by the American Friends Service Committee and Occupy Our Homes Atlanta.  

At around 1pm fourty home defenders, many of whom are at risk of losing their homes, entered Johnny Isakson's office building where we were immediately told that we would not be allowed into his office despite the fact that folks had driven hundreds of miles to meet with someone from the Senator's office. Finally we decided to go up to the senator's office anyway. Once outside his office we were refused admittance and told no one would meet with us today, which didn't stop us. We stood outside the office until someone met with us. A staff opened the door and offered to meet with us in the doorway without allowing us through the door. They basically wanted to take whatever information we had on paper and be done with us, instead we had a line of struggling residents ready to tell their stories and let Senator Isakson's staff understand what appointing a permanent FHFA director could mean for folks. After several residents shared their story's we then unrolled a large banner that said "#not1moreeviction".

The group spent another hour or so outside the senators office holding signs and granting press interviews.

A vote in the Senate to confirm a new director of the FHFA will happen early this week.  As this confirmation hearing approaches residents are advocating for a confirmation of a permanent Director of the FHFA. Since Senator Isakson and his fellow Republican congresspeople have threatened to filibuster Watt's confirmation, the residents staged a "filibuster" at Isakson’s office, by sharing the laundry list of violations and injustices of the FHFA. The confirmation of a permanent director FHFA  could mean principal reduction for hundreds of thousands of struggling American homeowners. It could also mean the turning over of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac vacant properties over the community organizations for the use of affordable housing.

Similar protests will be taking place around the country on Monday as part of a national day of action to demand that there is "Not 1 More Eviction" until a new permanent director is confirmed by the Senate. These actions are part of the larger movement to "Dump Ed DeMarco," acting Director of FHFA, and reverse his policies that have been devastating to both homeowners and renters.  More than half of all mortgages in the US are managed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Even with all the current talk of housing recovery, 13 million homeowners are still underwater.FHFA’s continued  refusal to reduce principal to current value has hurt the economy, pushing millions of homeowners into the streets.  

Click here for Mark Harris' story and petition. 

Click here for Nancy Daniell's story and petition. 

Click here for Zannie Jackson's story and petition. 

Click here for Sherri Joubert's story and petition.

Click here for more information on the Housing Justice Academy. 

Senior Citizen's Home Foreclosed Due To Mortgage Servicer's Mistake.

Nancy Daniell, a senior citizen in Gwinnett County, has been an active community member at Berkeley Woods Condominiums since 1996, serving on the Board of Directors of her homeowner’s association and using her condo as a communal gathering space. After being laid off from her job in 2008, and facing an abysmal job market, her income from social security and a string of temporary jobs was no longer enough to keep up with her mortgage. She was denied a loan modification by her initial mortgage holder, Bank of America, forcing her to deplete her savings and file for bankruptcy.

Two weeks ago, just days before her home was scheduled to be auctioned off on the Gwinnett County courthouse steps, Nancy attended an Occupy Our Homes Atlanta meeting at our AFSC Atlanta office, scared of losing her home and seeing her belongings put out on the street. With some last minute phone calls and help from the Rainbow Push Coalition, our coalition was able to get the foreclosure sale postponed indefinitely, giving Nancy more time to work out a solution. Her new servicer, Nationstar Mortgage, even sent her a letter confirming the sale was cancelled, and notifying her of her new single point of contact. From there, everything has gone downhill.

When Nancy tried to call the single point of contact listed, she was transferred from one person to the next, all of whom told her that her home had been sold in foreclosure and there was nothing they could do to help. Freddie Mac, who owns Nancy's mortgage, sent out a real estate agent to post a notice on her door, offering her cash for keys to get out. A few days later she received a loan modification package from Nationstar. Although it seems impossible for Nancy to know what's going on, one thing is clear- the banks are still up to the same old tricks, misleading homeowners down a rabbithole that all too often results in foreclosure.

Nancy's story is just one of thousands that prove that the banks are still using the same deceptive practices that the multiple government settlements were supposed to put an end to. The big banks have repeatedly violated the settlement terms, using every loophole they can find to prevent them from complying with the new rules, or transferring servicing rights to specialty companies like Nationstar, who collect more profits from foreclosing than from completing successful loan modifications. 

Now instead of planning for retirement, Nancy like so many other seniors in her situation is faced with the threat of losing her home. American Friends Service Committee stands with Nancy Daniell, and over 3,000 supporters have signed an online petition calling on Nationstar Mortgage and Freddie Mac to do the right thing and work out a deal that keeps Nancy in her home so she can continue to make her community a better place for all it's residents. 

Sign and ShareNancy's Petiton

South Eastern Housing Justice Academy In Atlanta!

American Friends Service Committee and Occupy Our Homes would like to invite you to attend our first ever Housing Justice Academy in Atlanta October 26-28.

The housing crisis has hit the Southeast especially hard. Thousands of families have already lost their homes, neighborhoods have been destroyed, and despite the media’s attempt to claim a recovery, foreclosures still continue at three times their pre-2007 levels.

Over the last two years, Occupy Our Homes groups around the country have helped hundreds of families fight to stay in their homes- and win with! In Atlanta the American Friends Service Committee has played a key role in providing resources and organizing experience to the movement. We’ve had dozens of victories, winning homes, farms, and even churches back from the bank. We know that the only way to hold Wall Street accountable is to come together and organize–to create a world where people, not banks, have control over their communities.

 For three days this month, we’ll bring together people together to learn tactics and strategies to defend our homes, participate in non-violent direct action, and work on building a housing justice movement in the Southeast.

Click here to register!

The academy is open to anyone who would like to attend.  The registration fee for the general public is $50, which will cover the cost of the trainings, materials, space, and meals each day as well as help provide scholarships to those needing assistance traveling to Atlanta.  For students, senior citizens, or residents facing foreclosure or eviction, the cost is $20. We would like to encourage those who can pay this fee to do so to help support others who cannot. However, no one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Childcare will be provided, and we will strive to provide lodging in Atlanta for those who need it as well. Please indicate on the registration page if you need assistance with lodging or transportation and someone will follow up with you soon to arrange it.

ccupy Our Homes Atlanta and the American Friends Service Committee would like to invite you to attend our first ever Housing Justice Academy in Atlanta October 26-28.

The housing crisis has hit the Southeast especially hard. Thousands of families have already lost their homes, neighborhoods have been destroyed, and despite the media’s attempt to claim a recovery, foreclosures still continue at three times their pre-2007 levels.
Over the last two years, Occupy Our Homes groups around the country have helped hundreds of families fight to stay in their homes- and win! In Atlanta we’ve had dozens of victories, winning homes, farms, and even churches back from the bank. We know that the only way to hold Wall Street accountable is to come together and organize–to create a world where people, not banks, have control over their communities.

 For three days this month, we’ll bring together people together to learn tactics and strategies to defend our homes, participate in non-violent direct action, and work on building a housing justice movement in the Southeast.

Click on the green button to register!

The academy is open to anyone who would like to attend.  The registration fee for the general public is $50, which will cover the cost of the trainings, materials, space, and meals each day as well as help provide scholarships to those needing assistance traveling to Atlanta.  For students, senior citizens, or residents facing foreclosure or eviction, the cost is $20. We would like to encourage those who can pay this fee to do so to help support others who cannot. However, no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Childcare will be provided, and we will strive to provide lodging in Atlanta for those who need it as well. Please indicate on the registration page if you need assistance with lodging or transportation  and someone will follow up with you soon to arrange it.
- See more at: http://occupyourhomesatl.org/housing-justice-academy/#sthash.T7c4PTQu.dpuf

ccupy Our Homes Atlanta and the American Friends Service Committee would like to invite you to attend our first ever Housing Justice Academy in Atlanta October 26-28.

The housing crisis has hit the Southeast especially hard. Thousands of families have already lost their homes, neighborhoods have been destroyed, and despite the media’s attempt to claim a recovery, foreclosures still continue at three times their pre-2007 levels.
Over the last two years, Occupy Our Homes groups around the country have helped hundreds of families fight to stay in their homes- and win! In Atlanta we’ve had dozens of victories, winning homes, farms, and even churches back from the bank. We know that the only way to hold Wall Street accountable is to come together and organize–to create a world where people, not banks, have control over their communities.

 For three days this month, we’ll bring together people together to learn tactics and strategies to defend our homes, participate in non-violent direct action, and work on building a housing justice movement in the Southeast.

Click on the green button to register!

The academy is open to anyone who would like to attend.  The registration fee for the general public is $50, which will cover the cost of the trainings, materials, space, and meals each day as well as help provide scholarships to those needing assistance traveling to Atlanta.  For students, senior citizens, or residents facing foreclosure or eviction, the cost is $20. We would like to encourage those who can pay this fee to do so to help support others who cannot. However, no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
Childcare will be provided, and we will strive to provide lodging in Atlanta for those who need it as well. Please indicate on the registration page if you need assistance with lodging or transportation  and someone will follow up with you soon to arrange it.
- See more at: http://occupyourhomesatl.org/housing-justice-academy/#sthash.T7c4PTQu.dpuf

Homeless Veteran's Struggle Continues

On August 9th 2013 Fannie Mae evicted veteran Mark Harris at gunpoint. Since then he has been holding solemn weekly candlelight vigils outside of Fannie Mae VP Candy Lasher's house to demand that Fannie Mae come back to the negotiating table to get him back in his home.

It's been nine weeks since Mark's eviction, and the ninth week of his vigil. Since Fannie Mae suddenly stopped negotiating with Mark, Congress has shut down the Federal Government leaving only so-called "essential" services operating. Fannie Mae, operating under the Federal Housing Finance Agency, continues to perform foreclosures and evictions.

As a result of the Government shut down our national parks are closed, over 80,000 Americans are unpaid, new social security recipients are not receiving promised and needed funds, yet Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac continue put people like Mark Harris out of their homes.

Today our message was clear; we will not go away until Fannie Mae meets with Mark Harris to discuss a way to get him back in his home. Atlanta doesn’t need another homeless veteran.

Please Sign Mark’s online petition. 

Bringing the Movement to Florida Pt 2

Over the last three days I've visited residents in Lake Worth, Miami, and Florida. Each stop is part listening project, part housing justice workshop with one goal; to build the housing justice movement in Florida and the South East in general.

This trip has been extremely inspiring. With very little notice or outreach groups of homeowners facing foreclosure/eviction have come together to learn how to use public pressure and direct action to stop financial institutions from taking their homes, and taking their neighbor's homes. It's been especially exciting to see the conversations about affordable housing, challenging the commoditization of housing, and local strategies to build a sustainable movement in Florida.

At each stop the discussion eventually went to what communities believe they need to build a local housing justice movement with a focus on using nonviolent direct action and public pressure. I feel confident we will be seeing not only a handful of new housing justice campaigns launched all over Florida, but I believe that we have at least two strong new groups emerging, maybe more.

Florida has consistently been on the top of the list with foreclosure rates, and one or the most underwater. Florida has also become ground zero for Wall Street's new strategy of buying up bank owned vacants for a fraction of what they were worth just a few years ago.

One of the goals of the tour is to encourage folks to attend a South Eastern Housing Justice Academy organized by American Friends Service Committee and Occupy Our Homes Atlanta. At the academy we hope to provide trainings and direct action experience designed to help folks come up with an action plan to get work started in their communities.

Tomorrow I will be making one last stop In Orlando before heading back to Atlanta.

Bringing the Movement to Florida

We know that the only way to hold Wall Street accountable is to come together and organize--to create a world where people, not banks, have control over their communities.

In October, American Friends Service Committee and Occupy Our Homes will bring people together to do just that by hosting our first ever Housing Justice Academy. We’ll come together to learn how we can fight back, strengthen our connections to each other, and build a movement that has the power to fight back against these institutions. From October 26 through October 28, trainings and actions will be taking place in at the CWA hall at 279 Logan St, SE, Atlanta 30312.

As the academy approaches it’s been an opportunity to explore putting more energy into building a stronger South Eastern Housing Justice Movement. Florida is a key state and I know a lot of Floridians have faced serious challenges building housing justice work that’s sustainable.

  This past weekend I took the time to meet with folks interested in Housing Justice Work in Tampa and Jacksonville. Both communities have been rocked by the housing crash. I took a driving tour in both cities and was hard pressed to find one street that didn’t have at least one bank owned vacant, many of which had been sitting there for years. Both cities have seen an explosion in their homeless populations and have seen new measures but their city governments to further criminalize homelessness.

One extreme example of this in the hot city of Tampa was the fact that the downtown area has one public water fountain. In Jacksonville I had the pleasure of meeting Jeffery Noice who has been fighting Bank of America around his foreclosure. It was exciting to spend a few hours with Jeffery planning his campaign, which he hope to launch in the next few weeks.

                    I'm going to be rolling through Florida over the Saturday October 5th-Monday October 7th . My goal is to listen to folks on the ground, hear the challenges Floridians have faced and continue to face, and explore what resources you think might help spark sustainable work in Florida. 

Schedule:

Saturday at 2pm 301 N Dixie hwy, Lake Worth Fl 33460

Saturday Evening: Would LOVE to meet folks South of Palm County, close to Miami! Please email tfranzen@afsc if you are interested!

Sunday is wide open, would like to visit to locations between Miami and Orlando. I can definitely visit at least two locations. I Could go to Sarasota, Port St. Lucie, Cocoa or surrounding areas.

Monday Evening: 5pm Millers Filed,  7958 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando, FL 32819

To register for the housing Justice Academy click here.