ALERT: Stop the Auction of Alberto Del Rio’s Home!

ob.foreclosure.albertoPlease take action:

  1. Contact Wells Fargo staff with the following phone and email message:

    • Brenda Wright, Senior VP of Community Relations, +1 415-623-7738
    • Alfredo Pedroza, Director of California Local Government Relations, +1 415-396-0829
    • Ruben Pulido, Communications Staff, +1 415-852-1279
    • John Stumpf, CEO, +1 866-878-5865

     
    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

  2. Protest on THURSDAY, January 31, 1:45pm at CITY HALL (Van Ness side)

    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.

25 Cameo Way: Home Protected by Occupy

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.

Occupy Bernal Affordable Housing Forum on November 29, 2012

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:

  • Foreclosure and Eviction Fighter Ross Rhodes
  • ACCE organizer Grace Martinez
  • Buck Bagot of Occupy Bernal
  • Amy Beinert of the Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center
  • California Assemblymember Tom Ammiano
  • San Francisco Supervisor John Avalos
  • Sheila Chung Hagen for San Francisco Supervisor David Campos

ALERT: Eviction Witness for Larry Faulks – Protest DMG Asset Management and Wells Fargo!

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–

  1. Please come to this action–

    What: Eviction Witness Action
    When: 12:30pm, Wednesday, November 14
    Where: Larry Faulks’ home at 25 Cameo Way, San Francisco (Diamond Heights neighborhood)

  2. Call DMG management, their real estate agent, and their attorney with the following message:

    • Daniel Woo, +1 415-706-6170
    • Angela Woo Lee, +1 415-420-8881
    • Gilbert Chung, +1 916-947-8625
    • Marcus Lee, +1 415-999-2022 (real estate agent)
    • Jak Marquez, +1 415-495-8500 x12 (attorney)

     
    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)

ACCE and Occupy Protest Foreclosures at Noe Valley Bank Branches

Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters and supporters from the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), Occupy Noe, Occupy Direct Action Workgroup, and Occupy Bernal protested against foreclosures of neighbors homes at three bank branches on the afternoon of Saturday, August 11, 2012.

The protestors presented a list of demands to bank managers at the local Noe Valley bank branches for Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and JP Morgan Chase. The managers at Wells Fargo and JP Morgan Chase faxed the demands as requested by the protestors, but the branch manager at the Bank of America branch refused to do so, so the protestors closed down the bank.

Coverage:

Steve Rhodes at Bank of America

Steve Rhodes at JP Morgan Chase

Party to Celebrate Ross Rhodes Victory With Wells Fargo

On Saturday, August 11, Occupy Bernal, ACCE, and a bunch of Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters and supporters celebrated Ross Rhodes victory in getting a fair deal loan modification from Wells Fargo after years of struggle. After the party, most of the attendees headed over to protest at three bank branches in San Francisco’s Noe Valley neighborhood.

Thanks to Peter Menchini for the first thirteen photos below.

Occupy Bernal Participates in National Home Defenders League

At our Saturday, July 28, 2012 joint general assembly, Occupy Bernal/SF ACCE/Occupy Noe agreed to generate support for Wells Fargo Bank (WFB) foreclosure fighter Steve Boudreaux of Atlanta, GA.

He is in foreclosure, and fighting, with the support of his community, to keep his home.

Two of us are attending the first convening of the new National Home Defenders League in Minneapolis, MN on August 7-8, 2012. Our fellow organizations from around the country are all fighting foreclosures. Let’s show them that our organizations believe in solidarity. Hopefully, after that national meeting, we will have a nationwide organization capable or fighting the banks county-wide.

Here’s where to sign the petition, and Steve’s story, Steve’s story continued and more info on Steve’s campaign.

Phone Banking: Occupy Bernal negotiates on behalf of homeowners

We are phone banking on Wednesday. July 18, from 6-9 p.m. at ACCE, 1717 17th Street in order to identify more homeowners who have loans with Wells Fargo who would like to participate in the negotiations Wells Fargo is having with Occupy Bernal, Occupy Noe and ACCE.

Please come and help out. There will be a limited amount of Pizza and salad.
Please let Deborah G. know if you’ll come. (415) 550 1030

Below is the letter we are using to reach homeowners with Wells Fargo loans.

If you are a homeowner with a Wells Fargo loan and want to be part of the negotiations, please read the letter below for the qualifying information you’ll need to have, then contact  us to see if it will be possible to be included in this round of negotiations.  Please see the letter below for the appropriate contact information.


July 2012 WELLS FARGO will negotiate with homeowners

Dear Neighbor and Homeowner,

After more than six months of struggle: emails, phone calls, requests for modifications, protests at the auction of our neighbors’ homes, a unanimous resolutions from the San Francisco Board of supervisors and most recently, the passage of the HOME OWNERS BILL OF RIGHTS by the California Legislature, WELLS FARGO has entered a negotiation process with representatives of Occupy Bernal, ACCE and Occupy Noe.

We now have the opportunity to represent more Wells Fargo loan holders. This process allows Occupy Bernal and ACCE negotiators to advocate for your home, and makes a fair settlement of your situation more likely. Please join your neighbors in waging a unified and well planned struggle to achieve homeowner justice.

To be part of these negotiations—and any potential settlement– Wells Fargo demands and Occupy Bernal and/or ACCE agrees to deliver:

  1. PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION: Name, address, phone number, loan number and email.
  2. FINANCIAL PACKAGE—Complete and up-do-date. Please check with OB or Ed Donaldson for completeness.
  3. SIGNED 3rd PARTY AUTHORIZATION, specifically naming any SF ACCE, Occupy Bernal or Occupy Noe negotiators.

If you have a Wells Fargo loan, this is an overdue and important opportunity to get real satisfaction. And be assured: no modifications, or other payments will be finalized without your full knowledge and consent.

To join this negotiation process, call or email:

  • Buck B. (415) 385-0389 BuckB@devinegong.com
  • Deborah G. (415) 550-1030 dgerson646@gmail.com

Action: Protest Well Fargo’s Auction of Thomas German’s Home!

Update as of July 7: Due to intense pressure from Occupy Bernal, Occupy Noe, and ACCE (thanks for all the calls and emails!), Wells Fargo has postponed the auction of Bernal Foreclosure and Eviction Fighter (FEF) Thomas German until August 14.

At an FEF planning meeting this morning, the group decided that — in light of Wells Fargo’s decision to postpone Thomas’ auction and to start a conversation with us about negotiations — we will postpone the actions we had planned in response to the foreclosure auction:

  • POSTPONED: 12:00 noon on Monday, July 9, Protest at Wells Fargo Headquarters
  • POSTPONED: 8:00am on Tuesday, July 10, Protest at Bank Auction of Thomas German’s Home

Stay tuned for further news about any progress toward negotiations with Wells Fargo. We are hopeful that there will be a positive outcome for all concerned.


Update as of July 6: Good news… Wells Fargo has postponed Thomas German’s auction until August 14.


Wells Fargo plans to auction off our Bernal neighbor, Occupy Bernal co-founder, and Foreclosure and Eviction Fighter Thomas German’s home this coming Tuesday, July 10. We have to stop them!

Please take action with three steps to save his home:

1) Send this email right now to Wells Fargo’s CEO, Board Members, and other staff–

To: john.g.stumpf@wellsfargo.com, ruben.pulido@wellsfargo.com, Pat.Callahan@wellsfargo.com, Avid.Modjtabai@wellsfargo.com, James.Strother@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 Tommie German’s Home at 348 Andover St., San Francisco (loan #0044751501)

Dear Wells Fargo staff,

Please take IMMEDIATE action to postpone the auction of Tommie German’s home at 348 Andover St., San Francisco (loan #0048358501).

Tommie German is a retired federal worker and a veteran who is ready to make regular payments on a renegotiated loan, which Wells Fargo has refused to provide. He is facing a life-threatening hernia operation at the end of July and stress over losing his home is worsening his condition.

Once Wells Fargo has postponed the auction of Tommie German’s home, please offer him a fair deal for a loan modification on terms that are sustainable.

This is an URGENT request, so please respond right away to postpone the auction.

Sincerely,

your name here
­

2) Call these Wells Fargo representatives with the message below.

Contact:
Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf at 866-878-5865
James Strother at 415-396-1793
Patricia Callahan at 800-869-3557
Avid Modjtabai at 800-869-3557
Wells Fargo Communications Staff Ruben Pulido at 415-852-1279

Tell them (or leave a message):

“Please take IMMEDIATE action to postpone the auction of Tommie German’s home at 348 Andover St., San Francisco (loan #0044751501), scheduled for July 10. Tommie German is a retired federal worker and a veteran who is ready to make regular payments on a renegotiated loan, which Wells Fargo has refused to provide. He is facing a life-threatening hernia operation at the end of July and stress over losing his home is worsening his condition. Once Wells Fargo has postponed the auction of Tommie German’s home, please offer him a fair deal for a loan modification on terms that are sustainable. This is an URGENT request, so please respond right away to postpone the auction..”

3) Join us to protest:

  • Planning Meeting, 10:00am on Saturday, July 7, ACCE Office, 1717 17th St., SF.
  • Protest at 12:00pm (noon) on Monday, July 9, at Wells Fargo Headquarters, 420 Montgomery St. at California St. in San Francisco (check here for updates). RSVP on Facebook.
  • Occupy the Auction Action, 8:00am, Tuesday, July 10, SF War Memorial, Green Room, Suite 110, 401 Van Ness Ave., SF (check for postponements, arrive at 8:00am to register or register online at auction.com/trustee — have to create an account, then search for July 10 auction and register for it). Please bring a whistle or other noisemaker and earplugs if you have them (we have some to share). RSVP on Facebook.

Links: Action Flyer    Profile of Thomas German    Video Featuring Thomas German

Stop Banks From Evicting the 99%!

Wells Fargo plans to auction Tommie German’s home on July 10 despite:

  • Francisco Board of Supervisors’ unanimous vote for a moratorium on foreclosures until the state legislature enacts a Homeowner Bill of Rights
  • The Mayor’s request for a “pause” until the state legislature enacts a Homeowner Bill of Rights
  • California State Attorney General Kamala Harris’ request for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to suspend foreclosure activity
  • The California legislature passing the Homeowner Bill of Rights, now awaiting the Governor’s signature or veto
  • The report from San Francisco Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting that shows that 84% of a sample of San Francisco foreclosures contain at least one legal violation

This action alert brought to you by Occupy Bernal (www.occupybernal.org), ACCE (www.calorganize.org), and other supportive organizations coordinated within the Occupy the Auctions and Evictions campaign (www.occupytheauctions.org).