FHFA, Remove the Roadblocks to Recovery for Millions of Struggling Americans

Today American Friends Service Committee joined the Home Defenders League and Occupy Our Homes Atlanta in an effort to deliver a letter and petitions to Georgia Congressmen John Lewis, David Scott, and Hank Johnson. Similar deliveries are happening in 15 states today concerning the very serious issue of our governments approach to housing; more specifically Fannie Mae and Freddy Macs unwillingness to work with struggling Americans.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were created as government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) with the mission of expanding access to homeownership and affordable housing. After the housing bubble burst in 2008, Fannie and Freddie were bailed out with $180billion of tax-payer funds and placed under the conservatorship of the newly established Federal Housing Finance Agency. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which together are now 79% tax payer owned, own or control over half of all mortgages- over 90% of new mortgages- in the United States.

In the time since the crisis began the FHFA, under the leadership of acting director Ed DeMarco, served as a roadblock in the path to recovery, instituting policies that harm families, hurt communities, and violate federal law. For example, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have refused to offer principal reduction for underwater homeowners, a move that according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) would save the federal government $2.8 billion, pump $101.7 billion back into the economy, and prevent tens of thousands of foreclosures.Additionally, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have refused to allow buybacks of homes post-foreclosure or accept rent from former homeowners, choosing to sell the homes to investors for pennies on the dollar instead. These are just a few examples of current polices in place at the FHFA that continue displace families and destroy communities across our city and as an organization dedicated
to housing justice in Atlanta, we see this impact firsthand every day.

Today, with the help of the American people, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have returned to profitability, earning the US Treasury billions of dollars. In January, after a two year campaign to remove acting FHFA director Ed Demarco, North Carolina Congressman Mel Watt- was confirmed as the new permanent director of the FHFA, signaling the possibility for changes at the agency. While some progress has been made, for many struggling homeowners, relief is not coming fast enough. The changes we are calling for immediately include:
• Accepting rent from tenants and former owners after foreclosure
• Providing loan modifications that include principal reduction to the current market value
• Selling homes back to occupants post-foreclosure at the current market value
• Donating vacant homes to community organizations to create affordable housing
• Putting more than $570million into the National Housing Trust Fund that has been withheld by Mr.
Watt’s predecessor, Ed DeMarco.
• Reject legislation or proposals that would mandate discrimination by federal agencies against mortgage
loans made in communities that may implement local principal reduction programs.

After delivery a letter and a petition to pressure Mel Watt, we also left petitions with each congressman that were for individual local housing justice campaigns that were in their perspective districts. I hope you will consider signing each of those petitions!
Nancy Daniells
Zannie Jackson
Nazim Abdul-Latif

Atlanta Homeowners Tasered and Arrested While Protesting Eric Holder in Washington DC

On Monday, May 20th, 500 residents and activists took the streets in our nation's capital to demand that Eric Holder hold Wall Street accountable and the Department of Justice actually serve justice to the bankers that are taking our homes.

The march blocked the main door of the Department of Justice as we demanded an audience with Eric Holder, so he could respond to the letter we sent him last week. Since the Attorney General decided not to show his face, we decided to wait for him outside.

As we waited over the course of two days 25 residents and activists that were either fighting for homes, or had fought for homes, were arrested. Instead of giving their actual names they gave their jailors the names of bank executives that the Department of Justice should spend its resources prosecuting instead of homeowners fighting for justice.

Yesterday an additional 7 homeowners, including Atlanta Homeowner Mildred Garrison Obi, were arrested outside of Covington and Burling, Eric Holders old stomping grounds.

Because of our bold action in concert with other organizations like the Home Defenders League, and brave residents willing to risk arrest and police violence in the name of real justice, homeowners going by the name of Jamie Dimon and other nefarious executives have arrest hearings in Washington DC today.

35 Atlantan’s made the trip including 10 homeowners who have lost their homes or are currently fighting foreclosure. The action made national news after footage of Atlanta foreclosure fighter, Carmen Pittman, was tasered at point blank without warning but Homeland security officers while nonviolently protesting.

Rolling Stone Article: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/why-are-homeowners-being-jailed-for-demanding-wall-street-prosecutions-20130522

Huffpo Article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/21/doj-protest-taser_n_3312879.html

AFSC Participates In National Housing Justice Gathering

This past weekend, the American Friends Service Committee joined representatives from Occupy Our Homes Groups, Occupy Fights Foreclosure, Chicago Anti-Eviction Campaign, Home Defenders League, Springfield No One Leaves, and the Housing Justice Foundation.

 The gathering was organized by the Housing Justice Foundation with a simple goal; to bring leaders in the housing justice movement together in order to share our successes and shortcomings, and begin to build a stronger collective vision of what more organized national coordination could look like.

One thing that struck me was that many group's struggles were other groups strengths; this dynamic offered lots of practical skill shares.

Perhaps more important then anything is the opportunity to put a name to a face and build real relationships with folks doing this work around the country. A big thanks to the Housing Justice Foundation for making the gathering happen!

Wells Fargo and US Bank are celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness Month by trying to evict cancer survivors from their homes.

 After retried APD detective and Cancer survivor Jacqueline Baber’s story hit the airwaves and newspapers other cancer survivors facing eviction across the country started reaching out to her, and had more than cancer and eviction in common. It seems there’s a trend emerging that links cancer, US Bank, and Wells Fargo.

One of those is Ana Casas Wilson who has lived in the same home near Los Angeles for 40 years. In 2009, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and her husband had to take some time off to care for her. Their income quickly rebounded, but they missed some mortgage payments. They tried to get back on track and work with the bank on modifications.  Ana was born with cerebral palsy, and has been a passionate and effective advocate for the disabled.

Wells Fargo foreclosed on her anyway, refusing to accept her payments.

Jacqueline Barber spent 20 years on the Atlanta police force, only retiring when injured by a car while on duty. In 2009, the predatory loan on her home caused her payment to go up $1500, and she fought to stay current. Then she was diagnosed with bone marrow cancer and had to undergo aggressive treatment to save her life. She fought back against the disease, and spent months filling out forms and asking for modifications to her mortgage.

A Wells Fargo Executive Vice President assured her they were working on her case. Instead, they sold her loan to US Bank at foreclosure auction, and now she's fighting imminent eviction. The banks are refusing even to sell the home to friends and family who have banded together to help Jacqueline.

“While the banks do all this cancer awareness lip service with the pink ribbons they’re trying to evict cancer patients like me and Ana”, Said Jacqueline Barber. “In my case, if I had committed the fraud that US Bank did, I’d be in a federal jail. They do whatever they want and get away with it.” Jacqueline is now moving forward with a lawsuit against US Bank for wrongful foreclosure.

“Foreclosure is a cancer of our communities; one way of curing it is to keep people in their homes by working with them through tough times.” Says Jacqueline’s attorney Joshua Davis, who’s filing a lawsuit on Jacqueline’s behalf this week.

“The matter of Wells Fargo and US Bank in Ana and Jacqueline’s case suggests the insensitivity of these banks,” said SE regional Rainbow Push President Joe Beasley. “It’s time for them to do the right thing.”

“I’m surprised the Banks could be so cruel, my mom fought so hard and now this stress has taken her cancer out of remission” said Jacqueline’s daughter Yhonna Flowers

We're in the last week of Breast Cancer awareness month, but it seems like the only awareness Wall Street bankers have is of their foreclosure lists.

Please sign and share Jacqueline's online petition: http://start2.occupyourhomes.org/petitions/us-bank-don-t-evict-cancer-patient-jaqueline-barber-keep-her-in-her-home-1?time=1349475040

Tim Franzen

American Friends Service Committee

Brigitte Walker and Chris Frazer Go To Washington!!!

Yesterday, community leaders, advocates and housing experts traveled the Nation’s Capital to meet with White House officials about implementing the necessary solutions to the housing crisis that has enveloped Georgia.

American families continue to face a crisis in housing, with 2 million foreclosure filings this year, and millions more at risk. Over 15 million homeowners are underwater, meaning that their home is worth less than they owe on their mortgage. Georgia is projected to be one of the hardest hit states in the nation this year.

The crisis is rooted in wrongdoing by lenders and Wall Street and inadequate rules and enforcement. The misconduct included predatory sub-prime lending, targeting of senior citizens, veterans, and communities of color, and bundling and pawning off flawed mortgages, avoiding accountability. Those forces combined with record long-term unemployment to bring our economy to the brink of collapse, and continue to jeopardize our economic recovery.

The White House invited Brigitte Walker and Christine Frazer, both with Occupy Our Homes, ATL to discuss their priorities and possible solutions to the crisis moving forward. They were joined by over 150 other advocates and experts from across the country. 

Brigitte Walker had the special honor of addressing the whole delegation, which included senor White House staff. She received a standing ovation on more than one occasion. 

Brigitte and Christine met with key White House officials, including about specific solutions ranging from principle reduction and affordable housing.

After the White House meeting, participants visited the offices of Senators to urge them to lead on bills currently under consideration, and other potential solutions to the housing crisis.

We are very excited that Christine and Brigitte where the ones who were chosen to represent Georgia and find them to be extremely appropriate choices as they both have struggled hard through our states historic housing crisis. We are also very grateful to the Home Defenders League for making their trip possible! 

Building A Housing Justice Movement In Atlanta

This evening around twenty volunteers staffed the phones as over 14,000 calls were made to underwater home owners in the metro Atlanta area in an effort to bring folks together for a town hall meeting to address Atlanta's historic housing crisis.

The robo calls were set up courtesy of the Home Defenders League, which is supporting grass roots efforts around housing justice all over the country.

After two hours of hard work staffing the phones volunteers took a break to enjoy dinner together and debrief on the experience talking to so many who are silently struggling with loosing their home.

American Friends Service Committee is excited to sponsor the town hall along with Senator Vincent Fort and Occupy Our Homes ATL.

More on the Town Hall:

What: Atlanta Townhall meeting to address mortgage assistance and general housing issues

When: Saturday August 25th at 10:30am

Where: Wheat Street Baptist Church, 359 Auburn Ave, Atlanta Ga 30312

Facebook Event Link



Georgia continues to be battered by the foreclosure crisis, consistently rated as one of the most affected states. Despite this fact, there seems to be little to no relief for the people who are struggling the most. From Governor Nathan Deal's remarks that responsible homeowners don't need assistance, to Edward DeMarco's recent statement against principle reduction to prevent intentional default, it is clear that our politicians are out of touch and unwilling to do what it takes to help solve the problem.

 In 2010, the federal government designated billions of dollars to be used to help homeowners in states like Georgia, called the "Hardest Hit Funds." To date, that money is not being used to help those who need it most. It's time we stop waiting for this help to come around, and start coming together to demand it. At the Townhall event on Saturday, we'll figure out ways to do just that.