Solidarity With JoSelf Freeman

This past week small delegations and individuals all over the country delivered a letter to Banks of America branches written by Georgia home owner JoSelf Freeman.

Bank of America branches all over including Georgia, New York, California, Florida, Texas, and Minnesota, received visits from folks with one simple message; make a deal that keeps a roof over JoSelf and his family.

While Bank of America representatives have been calling JoSelf as a result of all the visits, there has yet to be a solution found. We hope that Bank of America will step back from their plan of eviction, but it's clear that folks from JoSelf's community, and people around the country, are down to stand beside JoSelf if Bank of America decides to move forward with their eviction plan.

It's not too late to send your own message to Bank of America in solidarity with JoSelf. Just click here for some creative ideas!

Help Deliver a Message to Bank Of America

A couple of weeks ago, Joself penned a heartfelt letter to an executive at the bank, pleading with them not to take his home. He sent the letter off, and has yet to hear a response back from the bank. We think he deserves a reply. Can you help us make sure they get the message? We’ve included the letter at the bottom of this post, but you can also download a version for easier printing by clicking here. You can choose to do one or all of the options below!

1.) Print a copy of this letter and deliver it to your local Bank of America branch. Get a group of friends together, or go by yourself. Speak to a teller, or if you can, ask to speak to a branch manager. Tell them you’re concerned about the way they are treating Mr. Freeman, and that you want to make sure this letter gets to where it’s supposed to go. 

2.) Like Bank of America’s Facebook page (we know, it hurts, but you can unlike it later). https://www.facebook.com/BankofAmerica

Copy and paste the letter on their wall, or post it on your own timeline and tag Bank of America in the post. Post it in the comments of their posts. Let’s blow up their Facebook page with the letter. 

3.) Email the letter to the following addresses at Bank of America:

brian.t.moynihan@bankofamerica.com

janay.carswell@bankofamerica.com 

ron.d.sturzenegger@bankofamerica.com 

tj.crawford@bankofamerica.com 

diane.wagner@bankofamerica.com 

nicole.nastacie@bankofamerica.com 

britney.w.sheehan@bankofamerica.com 

colleen.haggerty@bankofamerica.com 

pressroom@bankofamerica.com 

dan.b.frahm@bankofamerica.com 

jumana.bauwens@bankofamerica.com 

rick.simon@bankofamerica.com 

patrick.donaldson@bankofamerica.com 

scott.silvestri@bankofamerica.com 

4.) Fax a copy of the letter to 1-866-449-4515. In the cover letter, explain your concern and that you want Bank of America to work out a deal that keeps Joself in his home.

With your help, we can get Bank of America’s attention and help JoSelf stay in his home for the new year and many years to come.

Mr. Brian Gertz
Specialty Servicing Advocate
Office of the CEO & President
Bank of America Home Loans
CA6-919-01-41
475 Crosspoint Parkway
Getzville, NY 14068

Bank of America account ending: 6422

Dear Mr. Gertz,

For many reasons, I ask that you abandon your quest to remove me from my home. This is very difficult for me. You are so persistent, I’m beginning to believe that you have discovered oil on this property. What’s up?!

My son, Burundi-Soweto, is 14 and made his school’s basketball team… now, how do I ask him to leave to go to another school? How do you move from a house, with a garage and storage, into an apartment? What do you do with the lawn equipment and thousands of tools for home maintenance? How do you justify your actions when you know that this process is illegal?

I’m too old to move. I don’t have the energy and I’m scheduled for knee replacement surgery. I must have shelter, so I can’t think of a better place than where I am. This is the first time I’ve had neighbors in the true sense of the word. Don’t ask me to leave! My son and I are happy with our neighborhood! Put yourself in my place.

Think about it?

Respectfully submitted,

JoSelf Freeman
395 Highway 279
Fayetteville, Ga 30214
(404) 210-5472

Dear Bank Of America

After fighting to stay in his home for over a year, JoSelf Freeman reached out to Occupy Our Homes Atlanta and American Friends Service committee for help. With JoSelf leading the charge we organized several demonstrations in front of the bank, we started an online petition, and hundreds of people across the country called and emailed the bank asking them to make a deal to keep JoSelf in his home.

Bank of America claimed that they would work on a modification for JoSelf, them turned around and offered him a cash for keys deal to get him of his home.

JoSelf just sent the following letter to Bank of America's Special Servicing Advocate Brian Gertz and hasn't yet received a reply:


Dear Mr. Gertz,

For many reasons, I ask that you abandon your quest to remove me from my home. This is very difficult for me. You are so persistent, I'm beginning to believe that you have discovered oil on this property.What's up?!

My son, Burundi-Soweto, is 14 and made his school basket ball team...now, how do I ask him to leave to go to another school? How do you move from a house, with a garage and storage, into an apartment? What do with the lawn equipment and thousands of tools for home maintenance? How do you justify your actions when you know that this process is illegal.

I'm to old to move. I don't have the energy and I'm scheduled for a knee replacement surgery. I must have shelter, so I can't think of a better place then where I am. This is the first time I've had neighbors in the true sense of the word.  Don't ask me to leave! My son and I are happy with my Neighborhood. Put yourself in my place.

Think about it.

Respectfully submitted,

JoSelf Freeman

To sign JoSelf's petition Click here

JoSelf Freeman Stands Up To Bank Of America

Today a delegation of struggling homeowners, led by JoSelf Freeman, went to the Bank of America branch closest to JoSelf's home in Fayetteville to deliver a simple message.

Bank of America caught wind of our plans to stop by and decided to make the inside of their bank closed to all costumers, and they hired an armed guard to circle the building.

We decided not to let that stop us. JoSelf led us right up to the door. We were greeted by an armed guard and the bank manager, who came outside to ask us what our business was. The bank manager informed us that there was a security situation.

We let the manager know that we were not there to cause any harm to him or the other workers in the branch, that we knew they were low on the pay scale and had little decision making power. We were there to make sure the Higher ups at BofA knew that we were not going to sit back while they evicted a senior citizen who is loved and needed in his community.

It seems that BofA is so frightened by us that the mere possibility of small delegation of us going to a branch to deliver a letter is cause to hire armed men and lock the doors. Seems like it would be a lot easier to just except a fair monthly payment from JoSelf.

JoSelf has a hearing tomorrow, the outcome could mean immediate eviction. Please sign his online petition and consider making a call on his behalf tomorrow:

Call/email Ja'Nay Carswell with Bank of America  at : 877-471-4367 ext 225756 and ask her to rescind the foreclosure of JoSelf Freeman at 395 Highway 279, Fayetteville, Georgia 30214 and grant him the modification he needs to stay in his home. Georgia doesn’t need another boarded up house! 
Email Ja’Nay Carswell at janay.carswell@bankofamerica.com