Of late, Occupy Bernal has not been active. Until this changes, this website is in archive mode. Feel free to peruse the website, but please don’t expect a rapid response by filling out any of the forms or contacting Occupy Bernal.
Please take action:
Sample message:
To: brenda.wright@wellsfargo.com, alfredo.pedroza@wellsfargo.com, ruben.pulido@wellsfargo.com, john.g.stumpf@wellsfargo.com
Cc: action@occupybernal.org
Subject: Stop the Auction of Alberto Del Rio’s Home!
Dear Wells Fargo staff,
Postpone the auction of Alberto Del Rio’s home at 565 Banks St., San Francisco, loan # 47339080 (owner’s name is Gloria Lomeli) and offer the family a fair deal loan modification so they can remain in their home.
Sincerely,
Your name here
Together we can stop predatory banks and help our neighbors!
In the past few months we’ve stalled/stopped dozens of home auctions.
Background
Alberto Del Rio is a Bernal Heights resident who grew up in his family home. He lives there with his wife and 3 kids. To help his mother have a decent retirement, the Del Rio family took equity out of the home and refinanced. But their loan from World Savings was a Pick-a-Payment loan. Lawsuits have found these sorts of loans to be predatory. World Savings sold the loan to Wachovia, which was then acquired by Wells Fargo. “Wells took advantage of me like they did so many other people. They promised us the moon,” says Alberto, who has been trying to get a loan modification since 2000. The bank has continually lost his paperwork, and refused to negotiate in good faith. The bank even advised him to stop making payments in order to qualify for a loan modification, which triggered the foreclosure process. Alberto has been working hard and succeeded in raising his income so he can qualify for a fair deal loan modification. Now, Wells Fargo is scheduled to auction his home on January 31. But we won’t let them.
As #1 in foreclosures in San Francisco, Wells Fargo is putting 29 families at risk of losing their homes due to foreclosure and related evictions. Wells Fargo is foreclosing on and evicting veterans and disabled and senior homeowners and families with children, as well as targeting homeowners with life-threatening illnesses. Wells Fargo has engaged in predatory, fraudulent, and racist lending practices and has contributed to a rash of foreclosure deaths.
Links: Stop the Foreclosures and Evictions of the “Wells 29” Prior Auction Stopped (photos and videos) Profile (old auction date)
For more info and updates: http://occupytheauctions.org/wordpress/?p=8143 or call Occupy Bernal at 415-483-9138.
The home of Larry Faulks at 25 Cameo Way in San Francisco is protected by Occupy.
Prospective buyers and realtors should be aware that Wells Fargo sold the property illegally at a foreclosure auction to DMG Asset Management, which then illegally evicted Larry from the home.
Realtors should provide buyers with full disclosure about the illegal foreclosure and eviction before showing the property to any potential buyer.
There are currently three federal agencies investigating the case, since Larry never received notice of the foreclosure sale from the trustee and only heard about it when an auction investor visited his home less than an hour before the foreclosure auction.
Update: Check out this amazing video from Peter Menchini–
Dozens of Occupiers and other supporters, including Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters Jamila Mohamed, Carolyn Gage, Ross Rhodes, Archbishop Franzo King, Allen Stowers, and Thida Chan and San Francisco Supervisors John Avalos and David Chiu, attended a festive fundraiser for the San Francisco chapter of Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) on the evening of December 13, 2012, at the Savanna Jazz Club in the Mission neighborhood.
Foreclosure and Eviction Fighter Pascal Thiam, co-owner of the Savanna Club which is facing foreclosure, took to a stage bedecked with foreclosure fighter banners for some delightful jazz improvisations with Archbishop King. Thanks to the other musicians including Occupy organizer Elaine.
ACCE staff members Grace Martinez, Erin Franey, John Eller, and new executive director Christina Livingston were on hand with a bunch of volunteers who helped organize the event, including Gale Rosboro and Buck Bagot.
Occupy videographer Peter Menchini prepared a special video, which unfortunately didn’t get shown with proper audio speakers and will hopefully get broad exposure at another event soon.
Other notable attendees including Sister E, Julie Anderson, Hanson Lee, Jackson, Christie Hakim, Diane Ross, Becca Gourevich, Tim Poulson, Deborah Gerson, Kathy Lipscomb, Susan McDonough, Julien Ball, Judy Kurtz, Lisa Prochello, and many others who I didn’t catch or left before I arrived.
The event raised more than $10,000 for the organization, which has partnered effectively with Occupy Bernal, Occupy Noe, and other Occupiers to fight predatory foreclosures and evictions in San Francisco. Thanks to everyone who made it happen and to everyone who gave generously to save people’s homes!
Occupy Bernal presented a forum on the Fight for Affordable Housing in Bernal Heights and Beyond at the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center in San Francisco on November 29, 2012.
Speakers included:
What: Occupy Chase to Prevent Homelessness, Foreclosures, and Evictions with a soup kitchen, street theater, foreclosure and eviction fighters and other speakers
When: 2:00pm on Saturday, November 17
Where: We’ll announce the surprise! location in San Francisco the morning of the action at http://www.occupytheauctions.org/chase.
Who: So far, we’ve got bread donated from Arizmendi and Ryan and the Space Transformers folks are setting up a soup kitchen, Bob on transport, Lisa and David on signage, music including guitarists Francis Collins and Tommi Avicolli-Mecca.
Join Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/events/492628647435647.
Brought to you by Occupy Bernal, ACCE-SF, Occupy Direct Action Workgroup, Occupy Action Council of SF, Occupy SF Environmental Justice Workgroup, Community Not Commodity, Occupy Noe, San Francisco Tenants Union, Senior and Disability Action, Manilatown Heritage Foundation, Communities United in Defense of Olmsted, and others coming soon.
Update as of 12:10pm on November 14, 2012: Larry Faulks’ eviction postponed by two weeks until Wednesday, November 28. Please mark your calendar in case DMG and Wells haven’t come to their senses! Keep those calls to DMG coming (see numbers below).
Investment firm DMG Asset Management plans to evict disabled African-American senior Larry Faulks today even after they agreed to postpone the eviction to work with him and his family on negotiations with Wells Fargo.
Larry Faulks and his brother — both disabled — as well as their renter want to stay in the home their parents purchased in 1962.
DMG plans to evict Larry at 1:00pm today, Wednesday, November 14.
Please take action to help the Faulks family–
Sample message:
Please stop the eviction of Larry Faulks and his brother — both disabled — as well as their renter. The Faulks family has lived in the family home at 25 Cameo Way in San Francisco for 50 years. Wells Fargo promised in writing not to foreclose on the Faulks during the modification process, but instead sold the property to you. DMG agreed to postpone the eviction to work out a plan to sell the property back to Wells Fargo at the price you paid, so that Wells Fargo can offer the Faulks family a loan modification to remain in their home.
Please don’t put disabled African-American seniors out onto the streets.
For updates and this action alert: http://occupytheauctions.org/wordpress/?p=5948
Links: Larry Faulks Profile DMG Asset Management Profile Occupy DMG Home Action Occupy Wells Fargo Noe Branch Bay Area Reporter Coverage Occupy Wells Fargo HQ Occupy Senior and Veteran Evictions and Foreclosures (Occupy Anniversary)
Update as of October 8, 2012: Deutsche Bank has agreed to postpone the eviction of William Bailes and Gigi Ellis in order to hopefully come to a mutually agreeable solution, so we have postponed the October 9 protest and all phone calls and emails for the action alert.
Deutsche Bank has pursued a protracted battle to evict disabled renter William Bailes and his niece, caregiver, and homeowner Gigi Ellis from their Bernal home in San Francisco. Bill and Gigi want to remain in their home, where Bill’s doctor says he must remain to receive the nearly round-the-clock care he requires for life-threatening illnesses including hepatitis C, interstitial lung disease, and pulmonary fibrosis, which has him on an oxygen tank.
The eviction is scheduled for Wednesday, October 10.
Please take action to help the Bill and Gigi:
1) EMERGENCY RALLY
When: 9:00am on Tuesday, October 9
Where: Deutsche Bank office, 101 California Street at Davis Street, San Francisco (one to two blocks from Embarcadero BART station)
2) Call and email Deutsche Bank with the following message:
* Seth Waugh, CEO, +1 212-250-5646 or main line +1 212-250-2500
* Jeffrey Ruiz, Director, +1 212-250-3667
* Duncan King, Head of Press & Media Relations, +1 212-250-4864
* Randall Naiman, Eviction Attorney for Deutsche Bank, +1 858-535-4808
Sample messsage:
To: seth.waugh@db.com, jeffrey.ruiz@db.com, duncan.king@db.com, info@naimanlaw.com
Cc: action@occupytheauctions.org
Subject: Stop the Eviction of William Bailes and Caregiver Gigi Ellis at 433 Nevada Street in San Francisco
Please stop the eviction of disabled renter William Bailes and his niece, caregiver, and homeowner Gigi Ellis from their home at 433 Nevada Street in San Francisco. Bill and Gigi want to remain in their home, where Bill’s doctor says he must remain to receive the nearly round-the-clock care he requires for life-threatening illnesses including hepatitis C, interstitial lung disease, and pulmonary fibrosis, which has him on an oxygen tank. The eviction is scheduled for Wednesday, October 10.
Gigi Ellis was in negotiations for a loan modification from Washington Mutual (which took over the loan from Long Beach Mortgage and was later acquired by JP Morgan Chase) when Deutsche Bank foreclosed on the home without Gigi’s knowledge. Please stop the eviction and negotiate with Bill and Gigi so that they can obtain a loan modification or have a third party purchase the home so they can remain in their home.
Please don’t put disabled people out on the streets.
3) Please mark your calendars for possible eviction defense on Wednesday, October 10.
For updates and this action alert: http://occupytheauctions.org/wordpress/?p=4873
Below is some independent media coverage of Occupy Anniversary actions in San Francisco (with a couple on NYC Wall St) followed by a sampling of the extensive corporate media coverage of the planned afternoon events.
Banks Threaten Elderly Veterans With Foreclosure
New America Media, News Report, Viji Sundaram
http://newamericamedia.org/2012/09/elderly-veterans-fight-home-foreclosures.php
http://www.alternet.org/activism/its-alive-occupy-actions-across-country-show-movements-impact
Occupy San Francisco One Year Anniversary
CNN Ireprot
http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-843017
by Liz Highleyman
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/09/18/18721913.php
by D. Boyer
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/09/18/18721946.php
Occupy’s 1st Anniversary Was a Party with Politics in San Francisco
Peter M., Indybay
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/09/18/18721873.php
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/09/18/18721894.php
Rally demands banks stop foreclosing on veterans
by: MARILYN BECHTEL
http://peoplesworld.org/rally-demands-banks-stop-foreclosing-on-veterans/
by Jerome Roos, ROARMAG.org
http://roarmag.org/2012/09/occupy-strike-debt-resistance-operations-manual/
Occupy Bernal: Occupy at the local level
By Jen Chien, KALW
http://www.kalw.org/post/occupy-bernal-occupy-local-level
Occupy Your Victories; Occupy Wall Street’s First Anniversary
TomDispatch.com
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rebecca-solnit/occupy-wall-street-anniversary_b_1889956.html
http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/how-do-you-measure-a-dream
YouTube video by Thomas Brown
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIQlFQihLD8
By Judith Scherr, Inter Press Service
http://www.ipsnews.net/2012/09/occupy-celebrates-birthday-forges-ahead
CORPORATE MEDIA
KTVU News
http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/local/occupy-protesters-take-streets-mark-movements-anni/nSDR6/http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/occupy-protesters-march-through-downtown-sf-on/vd5fS/
http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/occupy-march-through-sf-marking-anniversary-loud/vd5pN/
CBS News
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2012/09/17/occupy-sf-protesters-mark-1st-anniversary-of-movement/
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7422030n
NBC News
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Occupy-Gathers-in-San-Francisco-on-Anniversary-170120506.html
http://www.examiner.com/article/hundreds-celebrate-the-birthday-of-occupy-san-francisco
By Doug Oakley, Oakland Tribune
http://www.mercurynews.com/occupy/ci_21567917/anniversary-occupy-takes-stock-movement