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.

Occupiers Support ACCE at Savanna Jazz Club Benefit

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 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

ACTION: 2pm November 17 Occupy Chase to Prevent Homelessness, Foreclosures, and Evictions

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.

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)

ALERT: Demand Deutsche Bank Stop Eviction of William Bailes and Caregiver Gigi Ellis

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

October Education Program

CJ Holmes & Foreclosures

Our popular “Get real with a realtor” series illuminating the different sorts of real estate debt and speculation that drove the foreclosure fiasco . . . and what we can do about it

Join Occupy Bernal for an evening with one of Northern California’s feistiest, winningest combatants of predatory banking
 
CJ Holmes, hosts a KPFA anti-foreclosure program and runs www.HomeOwnersforJustice.org  as a first and second line o defense information channel in the fight against unethical foreclosures.

This program is part of Occupy Bernal strategy to build a profound understanding of the foreclosure debacle, leading to City and State-wide policy change.

Tuesday, October 2    7 – 8:30 pm
Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center
515 Cortland Avenue
Your neighbors, our neighborhood!

Contact: David   415-948-4265    OccupyBernal.org
Labor donated

Media Coverage of San Francisco Occupy Anniversary Actions

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.

INDEPENDENT MEDIA
As Occupy San Francisco Marks its One-Year Anniversary, Anti-Foreclosure Actions Abound
The Pacifica Evening News
http://pacificaeveningnews.blogspot.com/2012/09/as-occupy-san-francisco-marks-its-one.html

Banks Threaten Elderly Veterans With Foreclosure
New America Media, News Report, Viji Sundaram
http://newamericamedia.org/2012/09/elderly-veterans-fight-home-foreclosures.php

It’s Alive! Occupy Actions Across the Country Show the Movement’s Impact

Here’s our on-the-ground reporting from the East and West coasts.

AlterNet / By Sarah Jaffe, Alyssa Figueroa

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

 

Occupy Wall Street 1-year Anniversary

by Liz Highleyman
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/09/18/18721913.php

 

Occupy San Francisco One Year Anniversary

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/

 

#StrikeDebt: Occupy morphs into debt resistance movement

by Jerome Roos, ROARMAG.org
http://roarmag.org/2012/09/occupy-strike-debt-resistance-operations-manual/

 

NYC S17: Celebration and Disruption, Mission Accomplished.

http://www.nicholasmirzoeff.com/O2012/2012/09/18/s17-celebration-and-disruption-mission-accomplished/


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

 

How Do You Measure a Dream?

by Marina Sitrin

http://www.yesmagazine.org/people-power/how-do-you-measure-a-dream

 

One Year Anniversary of Occupy, San Francisco

YouTube video by Thomas Brown

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIQlFQihLD8

Occupy Celebrates Birthday, Forges Ahead

By Judith Scherr, Inter Press Service

http://www.ipsnews.net/2012/09/occupy-celebrates-birthday-forges-ahead

CORPORATE MEDIA

Occupy protesters take to streets to mark movement’s anniversary

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/


Occupy SF Protesters Mark 1st Anniversary Of Movement

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

 

Occupy Gathers in San Francisco on Anniversary

Activists gathered in front of the Wells Fargo building in SF’s Financial District

NBC News

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Occupy-Gathers-in-San-Francisco-on-Anniversary-170120506.html


Occupy SF marks anniversary with peaceful rallies

The Associated Press

http://www.sacbee.com/2012/09/17/4827445/occupy-sf-celebrates-first-year.html


Occupy protesters celebrate in S.F.

Justin Berton, Kevin Fagan and Michael Cabanatuan, SF Chronicle

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Occupy-protesters-snarl-traffic-streetcars-3872516.php


Hundreds celebrate the birthday of Occupy in San Francisco

Thomas Pendergast, Examiner

http://www.examiner.com/article/hundreds-celebrate-the-birthday-of-occupy-san-francisco


 

On anniversary, Occupy takes stock of movement

By Doug Oakley, Oakland Tribune

http://www.mercurynews.com/occupy/ci_21567917/anniversary-occupy-takes-stock-movement

Arrests mark Occupy anniversary

by Rick Hampson, USA TODAY

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012/09/17/arrests-mark-occupy-anniversary/57797548/1?csp=34news

September 17 OccuAnniversary Events

The Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters of Occupy Bernal, Occupy Noe, and ACCE-SF consensed on the following three OccuAnniversary events at the regular Saturday 10am meeting on September 1, 2012:

EVENT#1) Occupy Senior and Veterans Foreclosures and Evictions

What: Press Conference and Protest

Time/Date: 12:00pm (noon) – 1:00pm on Monday, September 17

Venue: San Francisco War Memorial Building

Address: 401 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94102

Description: Please join the Foreclosure and Eviction Fighters and supporters of Occupy Bernal, Occupy Noe, and the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) for a press conference on and protest of bank’s foreclosures and evictions of seniors, veterans, and disabled folks. The press conference and rally will take place at 12:00pm (noon) on Monday, September 17. This action is in cooperation with the OccuAnniversary events and the Occupy Action Council of San Francisco.

Contact: Occupy Bernal, info@occupybernal.org


EVENT#2) Occupy Fortress Investment Group

What: Protest

Time/Date: 3:00pm – 4:30pm on Monday, September 17

Venue: Fortress Investment Group Offices

Address: One Market Plaza, Spear Tower, San Francisco, CA 94105

Description: Fortress Investment Group (FIG) is a multi-billion-dollar corporation run by vulture capitalists like Peter Briger, FIG Board Co-Chair, who developed the corporation’s “Financial Services Garbage Collection” strategy. Who’s the garbage according to Briger? That’s homeowners in foreclosure, students who can’t pay their loans, etc. FIG owns 77 percent of Nationstar Mortgage, which has been purchasing distressed home mortgage debt and foreclosing on homeowners at an accelerating pace. Seven San Francisco homeowners, dubbed the “Nationstar 7” face evictions and foreclosures by Nationstar at the moment, and FIG has a long history of poor treatment of tenants and alleged violations of tenants rights laws at Park Merced and elsewhere. Please join us to protest the billionaire “garbage” collectors like Peter Briger who are throwing our neighbors out of their homes. Bring a large garbage bag if you can! Brought to you by the Foreclosure and Evictions Fighters of Occupy Bernal, Occupy Noe, and the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) San Francisco, in cooperation with the San Francisco Tenant’s Union, the Occupy SF Housing Coalition, and the Occupy Action Council of San Francisco.

EVENT#3) Occupy Anniversary Mass Convergence

What: Protest

Time/Date: 5:00pm – 7:00pm on Monday, September 17

Venue: Bank of America and Goldman Sachs Offices

Address: 555 California Street @ Kearny Street, San Francisco, CA 94104

Description: OCCUPY WALLS ST (WEST): 1 YEAR! MON SEPT 17, 5pm
Monday, September 17, 2012
555 California st @ Kearny st, San Francisco

Join us on Facebook!

Commit in the coming year to keep building a movement of the 99% to end the rule by the 1%

OCCUPY THE BANKS
All Day: Occupy, move your money, take creative nonviolent action to confront the banks’ theft and destruction of our communities, homes, environment, education, health care and democracy. Plan an action with your neighbors, group, friends, family, co-workers, congregation, or classmates. Let us
know when/where/what and we will include in our list of actions.

HELL NO, WE WON’T PAY! STRIKE DEBT

5PM MASS CONVERGENCE
Debt Burning (Bring Copies of Your Debt Papers to Burn Symbolically), March, Casserole (Bring Your Pots, Pans and Spoons in the tradition of Argentina, Iceland and Quebec rebellions against 1% austerity), Celebration, Music, Guerilla Movies…

“Debt affects us all. Student debt, mortgage debt, health care debt, credit-card debt, and more: debt is the tie that binds the 99%, and it is a primary engine of Wall Street profits. Are the promises we believed in order to take this debt — of prosperity, of stability, of enfranchisement — even worth the paper our statements are printed on? Debt is ruining the lives of individuals, families, and communities while banks get bailed out. We say enough! Join us as we begin to build a people’s movement to strike debt, break the chains of debt, and to create new bonds of solidarity.”
­from StrikeDebt.org in New York City

All occupy groups, allies and supporters are invited to join and mobilize.

Planning Meetings: The SF Occupy Action Council has agreed to be its organizing/planning hub. The SF Occupy Action Council meets every Sunday, 2-4pm at HERE/UNITE Local 2, 209 Golden Gate Avenue (between Leavenworth/Hyde).

Sponsored by (to date): Foreclosure Fighters of Occupy Bernal, ACCE and Occupy Noe, Occupy SF Direct Action Work Group, Occupy Education­ Northern California, Occupy Action Council SF, Occupride/Community Not Commodity, Occupy Monterey, Occupy Bay Area United, Occupy SF Environmental Justice Work Group

Occupy Anniversary: Mass Converge with Me 17 Sept 2012 #S17 from Peter Menchini on Vimeo.