Check out this video of the amazing Brass Liberation Orchestra protesting bank sales of our neighbors’ homes at the Occupy the Auctions action today.
For more news, photos, and videos of the action:
http://occupytheauctions.org/wordpress/?p=1730
Tell Wells Fargo: Stop the Auction of Ernesto Viscarra’s Home!
Please take action with three steps to save Ernesto’s home:
1) Send the following email right now to Wells Fargo’s CEO, Board Members, and other staff–
To: john.g.stumpf@wellsfargo.com, alfredo.pedroza@wellsfargo.com
Subject: Postpone Auction of Ernesto Viscarra’s Home at 249 Anderson St., San Francisco (Loan # 46110532)
Dear Wells Fargo staff,
Please take IMMEDIATE action to postpone the auction of Ernesto Viscarra’s home at 249 Anderson St., San Francisco (Loan # 46110532).
Mr. Viscarra has lived in his home for 33 years. After four years of being ignored, he finally was able to negotiate with your institution, and was granted a trial loan modification. He has been making his payments on time, but he still has an auction date of Monday, May 21 on his home.
I am aware of situations in which Wells Fargo staff have engaged in dual tracking, where homeowners are simultaneously on track for a loan modification and for foreclosure, and have lost their home as a result.
Please make assurances that you will make good on the terms of Mr. Viscarra’s loan modification and take immediate action to cancel the auction of his home.
Sincerely,
your name here
2) Starting at 8:00am on May 16, call the following Wells Fargo representatives with the message below.
Contact:
Tell them (or leave a message):
“Please take IMMEDIATE action to postpone the auction of Ernesto Viscarra’s home at 249 Anderson St., San Francisco (lLoan # 46110532). Mr. Viscarra has lived in his home for 33 years. After four years of being ignored, he finally was able to negotiate with your institution, and was granted a trial loan modification. He has been making his payments on time, but he still has a May 21 auction date on his home. I am aware of situations in which Wells Fargo staff have engaged in dual tracking, where homeowners are simultaneously on track for a loan modification and for foreclosure, and have lost their home as a result. Please make assurances that you will make good on the terms of Mr. Viscarra’s loan modification and take immediate action to cancel the auction of his home.”
3.) If the sale of the home is not cancelled, join us on the steps of City Hall (Van Ness side) on Monday, May 21, at 9:45 a.m. to stop the auction.
Saturday, May 19, 2012, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Download the Good Neighbor Block Party Invite Poster!
Entertainment, live music, barbecue, beverages, tabling, kids activities, movies, education, fun, networking, and best of all–GREAT NEIGHBORS! Everyone is invited.
Plus an award ceremony to honor local foreclosure fighters + activists. Celebrate the successful actions that have helped keep neighbors in their homes. We’ll acknowledge the miraculous work being done to stop foreclosures. Mingle with people who care about people.
Presented by your neighbors
Andover St. (Cortland & Ellert)
Between the Bernal Heights Library & the Good Life Grocery
Hosted by Occupy Bernal
We’re also seeking volunteers to help on the day of the event. Join us for a production meeting Friday night, May 18, 6-8 at Progressive Grounds. Or just come!
Call Annie B. 415-821-7617
Or email annie.borgenicht@gmail.com
Please join our facebook event page
Occupy Bernal Media Advisory
For Immediate Release
Contact: Annie B., 415-483-9138, press@occupybernal.org
What: A family-friendly street party and the Good Neighbor Awards.
Where: Andover Street between Cortland and Ellert
When: May 19, 2012 from 1-4 p.m.
Occupy Bernal is proud to have helped prevent the evictions of some of our neighbors! To show appreciation for the hard work and perseverance of Bernal locals, we’re throwing a “foreclosure fighter” fiesta.
In addition to hobnobbing with our neighbors; still in their homes no thanks to the banks:
- the infamous Wild Old Women who regularly shut down the local Bank of America branch to national acclaim are expected
- hear organizer Stardust play oboe in the Occupy Bernal Band
- see Occupy Bernal instigator Beth Stephens and artist/activist Annie Sprinkle hand out the awards to neighbors whose homes are in foreclosure and who are fighting to stop predatory bank practices.
- eat barbecue cooked by foreclosure fighter Tom German
- enjoy a potluck, live music, kids activities, education, silkscreening with Families Occupy San Francisco [ https://www.facebook.com/
Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/
To sign up for the Occupy Bernal press list and/or obtain photos and video of the event, see http://www.occupybernal.org/
Andover St. between Cortland & Ellert (Next to library)
Saturday, May 19th, 1:00-4:00 pm
YOU are invited to co-create this event with us.
WE’RE HAVING A BLOCK PARTY POTLUCK to honor our wonderful foreclosure fighter neighbors + activists. We’ll celebrate the successful actions that have helped keep neighbors in their homes and acknowledge the amazing work we’ve done to help stop foreclosures.
Meet folks who care about people.
SEEKING entertainers, acoustic musicians, a deejay, production manager,
production assistants, planners, food/beverage help, set up/clean up angels, sponsors, people to poster, social network help, a press liaison, seeking involvement of related organizations (i.e.: MEDA, ACCE, SF Housing), tabling assistance, graphic designer, decoration, kid’s activities (sidewalk chalk, bubbles, crafts, face painter), gate monitors, journalists to spread the good news, documentarians, food/drinks for pot luck, and more.
Let us know what YOU want to do.
Join us for production meetings on Sundays at Progressive Grounds on Cortland & Bennington, 10-11:30 a.m. May 6 & 13. Friday night, May 18, 6-8 p.m.
Want to collaborate? We need YOU!
Call Annie S. & Beth today: 415-847-1323 or Annie B. 415-821-7617
Or email anniesprinkle@me.com
More info: occupybernal.org
Occupy Bernal Media Advisory
For Immediate Release
Contact: Occupy Bernal, Julien Ball, 415-483-9138, press@occupybernal.org
Occupy the Auctions to Save the Home of Washington and Maria Davila
Stop Wells Fargo From Selling Our Neighbors’ Home
What: Save the Home of Washington and Maria Davila
When: Friday, May 4, 1:45 pm
Where: City Hall sidewalk, rear side (400 Van Ness Ave.)
Occupy Bernal and supporters will protest today the foreclosure auction to stop the eviction of our neighbors Washington and Maria Davila. We will also leaflet potential home buyers, calling on them not to buy the Davila’s home.
Washington and Maria Davila have been living in a house they have been renting in San Francisco’s Bernal Heights neighborhood for the past seven years. Because their Las Vegas landlord Felisa Yambao — who is suffering from cancer — is in foreclosure, Wells Fargo is planning to sell their house at auction today. A new owner-occupant of the house could evict the Davilas and the Davilas would like to continue renting from Ms. Yambao.
Last January 20, Wells Fargo canceled an auction date after Occupy Bernal planned a protest. But the bank hasn’t learned its lesson.
Wells Fargo plans to auction Ms. Yambao and the Davilas’ home on May 4 despite:
To sign up for the Occupy Bernal press list and/or obtain photos and video of the actions, see http://www.occupybernal.org/press.
Organizations and Campaigns:
Occupy Bernal is a neighborhood-based Occupy currently focusing on preventing the banks from throwing our neighbors out of their homes. Web: http://www.occupybernal.org
Occupy the Auctions/Evictions is a campaign to halt for-profit and predatory evictions, foreclosures, and foreclosure auctions in San Francisco and beyond. Web: http://www.occupytheauctions.org and http://www.occupyevictions.org
Update as of 7:59am on April 30: Wells Fargo has postponed the foreclosure auction of Ted Harvey’s home until May 30. We will work with Ted to get a fair deal from the bank. The auction action for today is postponed unless you feel like coming down to check it out anyway.
Wells Fargo plans to auction off the home of Bernal neighbor Ted Harvey and his disabled daughter TOMORROW.
Please take action with three steps to save their home:
1) Send the following email right now to Wells Fargo’s CEO, Board Members, and other staff–
——-
To: john.g.stumpf@wellsfargo.com, alfredo.pedroza@wellsfargo.com, ruben.pulido@wellsfargo.com, boardcommunications@wellsfargo.com, jason.ohara@wellsfargo.com, richard.m.sintchak@wellsfargo.com, eric.tang@wellsfargo.com
Cc: action@occupybernal.org
Subject: Postpone Auction of James Theodore Harvey’s Home at 137 Faith St, San Francisco (loan #708-0154783435)
Dear Wells Fargo staff,
Please take IMMEDIATE action to postpone the auction of James Theodore “Ted” Harvey’s Home at 137 Faith St, San Francisco (loan #708-0154783435).
He has signed and is making payments for a trial payment plan on a loan modification, yet Wells has scheduled his home for auction at 2:00pm, April 30, 2012.
Once Wells Fargo has postponed the auction of Ted Harvey’s home, offer him a fair deal for a loan modification on terms that are sustainable so he and his disabled daughter can continue to live in their home.
This is an URGENT request, so please respond right away to postpone the auction.
Sincerely,
your name here
——-
2) Starting at 8:00am on April 30, call the following Wells Fargo representatives with the message below.
Contact:
Tell them (or leave a message):
“Please take IMMEDIATE action to postpone the auction of James Theodore ‘Ted’ Harvey’s Home at 137 Faith St, San Francisco (loan #708-0154783435). He has signed and is making payments for a trial payment plan on a loan modification, yet Wells has scheduled his home for auction at 2:00pm, April 30, 2012. Once Wells Fargo has postponed the auction of Ted Harvey’s home, offer him a fair deal for a loan modification on terms that are sustainable so he and his disabled daughter can continue to live in their home. This is an URGENT request, so please respond right away to postpone the auction.”
——-
3) Show up at 1:45pm (auction starts promptly at 2:00pm and the auctioneers can sell off a house in less than a minute) on the sidewalk in front of City Hall, 400 Van Ness Ave, in San Francisco, to protest Wells Fargo auctioning off Ted Harvey’s home.
Bring a loud voice, a whistle, earplugs, and signs to let Wells Fargo know we won’t stand for it anymore… stop illegally selling off our neighbors homes!
Background:
Ted Harvey — carpenter, musician, and father — bought his Bernal Heights home in 2005 and made regular payments for over five years.
Two years ago, after a work injury and his 11 year old daughter’s two month hospitalization, Ted fell behind in house payments. He’s been trying to modify his Wells-Fargo loan and believed he had — Wells Fargo cashed his two recent checks!
Now Wells Fargo plans to auction Ted’s home on April 30 despite:
For more information, see http://occupybernal.org/wordpress/?p=1276 or http://occupytheauctions.org/wordpress/?p=1012
Please forward this alert right away to others who may be interested.
SF Community Board of Trustees condemns Wells Fargo’s predatory lending practices, seeks new Banking Services provider for its money
April 26, 2012
Last night, the SF Community Board of Trustees, condemning its
current provider Wells Fargo Bank, voted to seek a new Banking Services provider for its money, citing that:
It also credited community-based organizations like SF ACCE and
Occupy Bernal for fighting to preserve the diversity of their neighborhoods by defending the predominantly minority homeowners at risk of losing their himes to Wells foreclosure.
Trustee Chris Jackson stated that “Predatory lenders like Wells Fargo must be taught to correct their destructive policies.”
Buck Bagot of Occupy Bernal/SF ACCE thanked the Board for ”putting its power – and the public’s money – behind my neighbors who Wells has and is hornswoggling out of their homes.”
AFT Local 2121 President Alisa Messer, whose unions represents Community College faculty, also cited Wells’ penurious student loan policies which charge college students up to 18% interest.
Both Bagot and Messer and members of their organizations participated in effort on April 24, 2012 to convince Wells Fargo shareholders to correct the Bank’s negative policies, but were denied admission to its shareholders meeting despite holding Wells Fargo shares.
The Board joined the SF Board of Supervisors and Mayor Ed Lee in
speaking out against predatory lending policies.
UPDATE 4:30pm on April 27, 2012: City Hall Building Manager Robert Reiter tells foreclosure auctioneers they can no longer hold foreclosure auctions on City Hall Steps. For photos of the action, see http://occupytheauctions.org/wordpress/?p=876.
UPDATE as of the morning of April 27, 2012: Wells Fargo has postponed the auction of Eric and John’s home, so we are going ahead as planned with celebrating by dancing away the other foreclosure auctions scheduled for today.
At 1:45pm this Friday, April 27, please come to an Occupy the Auction Dance Party to stop Wells Fargo from auctioning off the home of Eric Lungren and his partner John Aldridge.
San Francisco foreclosure auctions take place on City Hall steps at 400 Van Ness Ave. (unless the weather is very bad).
Eric and John live in Bernal and Eric is a Foreclosure and Eviction Fighter and active member of Occupy Bernal. They went through a difficult financial time, but are now both employed and have the funds to make regular payments on a renegotiated loan, which Wells Fargo has refused to provide.
Please arrive on time and bring loud whistles and earplugs.
The action will go ahead as a celebration even if the bank postpones Eric and John’s auction.
Link: RSVP on Facebook event
Video outside Wells Fargo Shareholder meeting with event invite (thanks to Carol Harvey):