Fulton County Drops Case Against Tim Franzen

Almost four years ago Occupy Our Homes Atlanta, now rebranded as the Housing Justice League, launched an ambitious campaign to liberate vacant homes in Atlanta. The first campaign we launched was led by Michelene Meusa, Renika Wheeler, and their two amazing children Dillon and Jahla.

After occupying the house for seven days M&T bank flew down executives from New York and worked with Atlanta Police to evict the family despite community support. Renika and Michelene refused to leave and several other supporters, including myself, refused to leave as well. We knew that arrests were very likely but we also knew that half of the homes in the neighborhood were bank owned vacants that had been sitting empty for years while the Atlanta homeless populations was multiplying. It was a time for drastic measures. 

In the end four of us were arrested but we managed to bring a lot of media attention to Michelene and Renika's struggle and the housing crisis facing thousands of Atlantans. I'm happy to report that many people in the movement stepped up to support Michelene and Renika and they have been living in a home with their children, totally self sufficent, for years.


After that campaign we quickly won our next two home liberations and we started to see more people around the country use that model.

The four of us arrested were charged with criminal trespass. Eventually everyone's charges, except mine, were dropped. Over the years I've had countless court dates related to this charge, some of which I showed up to and no judge was present. There have been two separate occasions in which I was arrested on a failure to appear warrant, both times were extremely suspicious as they were right in the middle of protests or organizing meetings. Another time I was detained for over an hour after being followed by police after an organizing meeting. The officer claimed I didn't appear at a court proceeding related to the charge, thankfully I was able to call my lawyer and a friend from the back seat of the officers car before they attempted to book me.

Today I had to go to court, it was time to set a trail date. It's rare that I get any kind of pleasant surprise from the state but today I did; they decided to drop the case all together! In the paper work they cited: " An assessment has been made by the prosecutor and it's determined that in the best interest of justice the prosecution should be terminated"

I have no doubt that a major factor in this outcome is the fact the cities best movement lawyer, Mawuli Mel Davis of the Davis/Bozeman lawfirm represented me.

Despite the difficulties this specific arrest has brought me over the years I want to be clear that it was 100% worth all the trouble. Doing the right thing can never be wrong and the positive outcomes radically outweigh the personal issues I have endured. That being said I'm grateful to close the book on this one. Thanks to everyone that supported me through the process!

Love and Service,

Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee

M&T Eviction Leaves Another Vacant Home in Pittsburgh Community

Yesterday M&T bank representatives, police and a local organization raided a home in the Pittsburgh area of Atlanta. On December 6, Occupy Our Homes Atlanta and members of the Pittsburgh community decided to give the vacant house to a family that needed a place to call home. OOHA Immediately contacted the bank to ask them to donate the house to a non-profit organization for a tax write-off. Calls and emails to the bank were never returned.

Atlanta, which has been shredded by the foreclosure epidemic, is now home to a growing population of displaced citizens. Instead of putting some of these homes into use, their actions showed that M & T Bank, along with the Pittsburgh Community Improvement Association (PCIA), want to keep these homes empty. M&T Bank, in Buffalo, New York, spent the money to fly down a bank representative. Accompanied by countless APD squad cars, the fire department, and the PCIA., he arrived at the house with no notice, and issued a criminal trespass warning. As volunteers loaded the family’s valuables into the OOHA bus, Renika, a resident of the house, was arrested for refusing to leave. Her partner, Michelene, and two members of OOHA were later arrested for criminal trespass. Renika and Michelene’s two children were picked up by an assigned guardian.

Occupy Our Homes Atlanta has set out to address issues within the housing crisis that led to massive foreclosures and plunging home values that stripped communities of homes and wealth. Pittsburgh is among thousands of neighborhoods that have been the preying grounds for banks, investors and even community organizations to distribute wealth and capital between themselves, while ignoring the needs of those that have true investment in the community. There is no reason for the City of Atlanta to loan police officers to M&T Bank for forced evictions when there are 7 vacant homes for every shelterless person. 

One cruel irony is that the cost of the plane tickets to fly the M&T executives, the overwhelming police presence, the private contractors, and the PCIA CEO, was likely more than enough to buy the house outright.

It's truly sad the PCIA, which presents it's self as an organization that lifts up the community, clearly worked closely with the bank and law enforcement to execute the eviction. The PCIA CEO who came hand in hand into Renika and Michelene's home came off as insincere being that he waited till a media spotlight was on the house before any assistance was offered to the family.

What happened yesterday at 1043 Windsor is more evidence that our city and country's economic priorities have driven over a moral cliff. When an out of state Bank's right to toss out a family and board up a house commands thousands of dollars of city and community resources and the overwhelming number of displaced people on Atlanta's streets goes unaddressed it's safe to say we're not in a crisis of resources; rather a crisis of priority.

The American Friends Service Committee believes housing is a human right, and that there are more then enough resources to ensure a roof over everyone's head. We're not broke, in fact there's never been so many resources in the world.

There's a better way, and it starts with looking at our local and national budgets not as a random shopping list, but a list of moral priorities. Do we spend more on systems of violence and oppression, or should we invest more in housing, education, and healthcare? Do we provide more resources to protect the banks, or do we invest energy into protecting struggling human being with beating hearts?

That better way is worth fighting for, it's worth making personal sacrifice. Yesterday I decided to take off my AFSC hat and join with others in an act of civil disobedience and refuse to leave the home. That decision landing me with a 14 hour shift at the Fulton County jail(something none of the bankers who crashed our economy have experienced) and a criminal trespass charge. It's a decision that was personal, it's something I'm deeply proud of, and It's something I will gladly do again. 

Tim Franzen

American Friends Service Commitee

Reclaiming Our Homes, Reclaiming Our Future!

One year ago today the Occupy Our Homes movement launched, signaling a fundamental shift in how homeowners responded to banks trying to take their homes.

As the new housing justice movement enters it's second year, with scores of homes saved and dozens of ongoing fights happening as you read this, Occupy Our Homes is celebrating the courage of every individual and family in housing crisis who has stood up and told the banks, “I’m not leaving.” 

American Friends Service Committee has been there every step of the way, exploring ways to provide resources and capacity to help Occupy Our Homes Atlanta build real power in some of the hardest hit communities. 

Last year on December 6th Atlantans severely disrupted three foreclosure auctions and began two home occupations.

This year Occupy Our Homes Atlanta recalled the actions of last year and pushed the envelope with bold creative actions.

The day started with a victory press conference we will be holding a press conference to announce the victory of the Pittman family. One year after they started their fight which brought together hundreds across the city, shut down multiple Chase Bank branches on multiple occasions, and included numerous acts of civil disobedience, the Pittman's have now wrested control of their home from Chase, just in time for the holidays. They faced eviction as recently as two weeks ago, now the home will be safe for generations to come. 

Directly after the press conference a group of us piled into a bus and paid a visist to Bank of America for a flash demonstration in solidarity with JoSelf Freeman, who's facing eviction.

Later in the day, people will gathered in Pittman Park to march to a vacant bank owned home and liberate it. A same sex couple, Michelene Meusa and Reneka Wheeler, that has spent months bouncing between shelters with their two children will be enforcing their moral right to housing by moving into and repairing a vacant one in a neighborhood where more homes sit empty than occupied. This is an act of civil disobedience that has support from surrounding residents, churches, and community leaders.

Banks and other financial institutions have wrongly foreclosed and evicted millions and millions of people from their homes after crashing our economy, neighborhoods in South Atlanta have been the hardest hit. For every homeless person in Atlanta there are seven empty homes, we believe that's a crime.

Today on this December 6th, housing justice actions have taken place around the country as part of Occupy Our Homes' second anniversary day of action. From Minneapolis to Atlanta, Baltimore to Los Angeles, Denver to San Francisco and in cities and towns large and small, communities are committing to reclaiming our homes and our futures from the grips of Wall Street greed. People around the country are standing up and saying:

“I’m not leaving because this is my home, not the bank’s.”

“I’m not leaving because Wall Street broke the economy, not me.”

“I’m not leaving because the bank can’t prove they have a right to foreclose.”

“I’m not leaving because housing is a human right.”

Please take the time to sign and share Reneka and Michelene's online petition.

Tim Franzen

American Friends Service Committee