Edgewood: Eviction Free Zone

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.

Tacco's Celebration Cookout!

Last week Tacco Cullens and her 11 children moved into a southwest Atlanta home with running water, working electricity, and plenty of space. She and her family now have time and space to think about things other than imminent homelessness. Some of the older children are focused on finding jobs, or better jobs, and returning to school. Tacco is looking into starting a daycare. 

To celebrate their housing victory and get more people involved with Occupy Our Homes ATL, Tacco and her family hosted a cookout yesterday.

Lot's of folks came out and the vibe was great. Tacco was surprised by one of the unexpected guests, Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein came by and met the family and congratulated Tacco.

As almost all the children get ready to start school Tacco's next challenge is finding steady work that fits into her busy life as a mother. Tacco is also excited about working on her memoirs, which she has already completed over 30 pages of.

AFSC plans to stay involved, working with the children to explore post high school career paths and other opportunities.

Tim Franzen

American Friends Service Committee

The People vs Wells Fargo

Despite, or perhaps because of, Wells Fargo’s cavalier and callous actions towards someone taking extraordinary measures to comply with the bank’s demands and stay in his home, Steve Boudreaux is refusing to give up his home to the bank. He has been occupying his home despite the recent commencement of eviction proceedings and taking a stand, the first of its kind in Cobb County, GA, for what is right and just. He is fighting for rescinding the foreclosure sale and a halt to the eviction proceedings.

 

While Georgia recorded the highest number of foreclosures in the country recently, Steve claims that many homeowners in his area are ashamed to admit they are going through the same thing. “I look forward to breaking the cycle of silence that keeps so many Cobb residents from standing up to the banks and defending their homes,” he said when asked about his decision to take his fight public.

Steve, who is now employed and getting back on his feet, needs your help to fight this unjust foreclosure eviction. Just ten days ago after a day of phone calls and emails to Wells Fargo big wigs Adam Lawmen, a Wells Fargo representative, committed to work on rescinding Steve’s foreclosure and moving forward with a modification.

As of yesterday Wells Fargo refused to rescind Steve's foreclosure, which means they are willing to stand by and watch him get kicked out of his home.

So we decided to head over to a Wells Fargo branch and give them a taste of some shame therapy. While several of us met with the branch manager and demanded he contact his higher ups to resolve the matter, over a dozen people participated in a direct action training right outside the bank.

The bank manager agreed to follow up with us and Steve on the matter. Ultimately we know it’s not his call, nor can any of the workers have a real say in whether a foreclosure eviction goes down. Our message was to the higher ups at Wells Fargo.

 

We will no longer allow foreclosures and evictions to go down in our communities without a fight. We simply can’t afford another boarded up house while so many need a roof over their heads. If financial institutions and our government can’t figure out a way to truly address the housing crisis then it’s up to regular everyday people to enact our own measures, it’s up to us to fight for our neighborhood.

Please sign the petition to save Steve’s home HERE

Tim Franzen

American Friends Service Committee

Brunch For Housing A Success!

AFSC Atlanta has been proud to be a part of the Occupy Our Homes National movement, and especially excited about the outcomes of Occupy Our Homes ATL's (OOHA)work locally. We've seen homeowners, renters, even Churches stand up to slumlords and big banks and win. These victories are important, and we know they have a real impact on others decision to stand up and fight.

With Georgia's housing crisis reaching historic proportions, we all realize how vital this work is, so it was a no brainier when OOHA asked for some help with their Sunday brunch. AFSC provided food and a cook for the waffle brunch, which took place today and had a few simple goals; to provide space to create dialogue about the housing crisis, give updates on current resident led campaigns, and raise a little funds to sustain OOHA's work.

Everyone who showed up was also asked to sign our online petition to save Steve Boudreaux's home( sign by clicking here), and a delicious time was had by all.

We're all excited about several of OOHA's upcoming resident led campaigns that seek to take home defense work in Atlanta to the next level.




Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee

A Major Win For Tacco Cullins And Her Children

Just one month ago Tacco Cullins, single mother of 11, faced homelessness after being scammed by a fake landlord.

With no public housing in Atlanta, a moratorium on section 8 housing vouchers, and no organizations able or willing to take on a family of 12 in crisis, Tacco had almost nowhere to turn.

After reaching out to Occupy Our Homes ATL Tacco decided to fight for fair housing for her and her children.

After countless press interviews, hundreds of phone calls, fundraisers, and community meetings enough money was raised to get Tacco in a much larger house that's furnished with everything the family needs.
After much public pressure it also looks like the Atlanta Housing Authority might temporarily end the section 8 freeze in order to grant the Cullen's family an emergency voucher.

This is just a start for Tacco and her children, a new beginning. Now new challenges face the family as they look for jobs, or better jobs in some cases. Tacco is excited about her weekly life skills/jobs skills sessions she started attending two weeks ago, and she has expressed wanting to become an organizer with Occupy Our Homes ATL, maybe writing a book about her experiences as a mother, and one day opening a day care center.

The Cullen's family is hosting a victory party Saturday 8/4 at 2pm at their new home at 2259 Polar Rock Terrace.

American Friends Service Committee has been excited to be a part of the campaign keep this loving family together, and we hope to stay involved over the next three months as the family makes this transition.


This campaign definitely brought a diverse group of individuals and organizers together. So many folks played super key roles in keeping this family off the streets. "Able" Mable Thomas, Atlanta Travelers Aid, Antioch Baptist Church,  Community Ministry Christian Church, Joe Beasley, Derrick Boazman, WOAK, V103, Frank and Wanda, Pittsburgh Resurrection, and countless individuals are all had the communities back, and who knows what kind ripple effect preventing Tacco and 11 children from becoming homeless will have. It's a win for humanity, and we need more of those these days.


Tim Franzen
American Friends Service Committee