Occupy Bernal GA  5/24/12

Notetaker: Kirsten came in during introductions so no list of people attending.  Molly is chairing the meeting.  Bolded are action items committed to.

Introductions

Discussion of Education Materials
We need fact sheets for every case, compelling and specific stories are the best way for us to get our message out.

Diane volunteered to write up the stories of some of the foreclosures and our successes.

Recommendation to forward ACCE stories to Legislators to Supervisors,  Ed Mayor – once they get it becomes public record. Everyone can do this

Post videos to Facebook (We should have a bunch of video stories) Suggest going to the universities to get volunteers to make movie.

Get Noe Valley Voice and El Tecolote and Bay View Times – fabulous ideas for the media committee.   Molly, Christy, Diane volunteered to be on the media committee.   Good models are on-line for Thomas’ case

Video is being done by Peter Menchini and Beth Stephen’s student, Julia.  There are  great speeches on-line already.  Molly has the 10 minute version and says a 5 minute version will be better.

Fiesta Report:
Over 280 people over the period of the day. Lots of good people coming. Annie  and Beth spoke, Ernesto and Ross  spoke. There were about 30 new sign ups.  We sold all 60 buttons. People are interested.! This was a great event- first thing where we all went out to get new people. One thing we need to do is the phone tree.- to call al new sign ups engaged. We could set up different categories — people who only want to hear about emergency actions, people who want to be on various committees, or people who want to come to the meetings.  If we call people we can figure out how people want to be involved.

The Fiesta was a big commitment – maybe there is something less ambitious we can do. House party might be easier?

Next Education meeting is June 4th what about using it to recruit for house parties  – foreclosure fighter  potlucks in different homes.… do a leaflet. Foreclosure fighters invite their friends to meet someone who is in foreclosure.  It would be nice to have some of the tapes so we can tell the story in more places.

Auctions
Other than Ernesto, we have haven’t helped any get a refinance. All we’ve been able to do is to get a postponement.  Erik has one on May 31, Alberto has one on June 1.

Jeff Buckley in the Mayor’s office – suggests writing up the situations and demand that the postponement be indefinite. The mayor’s letter now has 10 other mayors asking for a pause in foreclosures. While we are in negotiations put off the auctions.   If they don’t do it then we go into action.

Commander came by and complained that we are blowing whistles in people’s ears so it can be considered assault if there is a complaint filed.  One of the lieutenants last Tuesday kept and eye on them and we weren’t able to disrupt.   They are finding ways to get around us now. We may need to change strategies.

Physically stopping the auctions and/or political solution to stop the auctions = two choices not necessarily exclusive.   We need numbers to stop the auctions – connect to our actual stories. We have only a week for Erik’s auction. Need to get moving now.

We’ve succeeded in stopping 50- 60 by the e-mails. None of our people have actually gone to auction. We have power before the auction to prevent.  We have to keep doing the two things.

ACCE wants to talk about actions every day for two weeks.  We should bring proposals from this group.  We need to get the case histories of unfair evictions back in the media.  Even if we don’t stop the auction we can educate the seller and the passer-bys.   When should we do this? The issue isn’t just when can we get the people. If we are fighting with people we actually have a chance.

We can’t wait on Eric and Alberto’s auction dates. Proposal is that we do an e-mail blast for both of them.  Propose that we go down on June 1 for Albertos. Auction is at 2:00 – get there at 1:45.  Proposal that this is part of a week- long recruitment  — enlarge the e-mail list.  There are many more people who care.   Get histories done and recruit and then show up en masse.  Educate people about dual tracking, — Diane and the media  committee (Christy, Grace, Molly, Jose) will do histories and we’ll use this as an education and outreach.   Use auctions as a way to do education and outreach…  Table on Saturday  4 -6 and Monday 11- 1 (one hour shifts),  starting at noon at Good Life.  Media committee meeting on Monday evening at 7 pm. Next Thursday with WOW and Occupella.

Judy K and Stardust met with DA, Chief of Staff . They only want to hear about possibilities of fraud and/or discrimination – robo signing etc.  There can be no follow-up to the assessors report.   The City Attorneys are really committed to working with us – get more information from Ting report. – public records records.  There are limitations on what they can do. Apparently Kamala Harris’ legislation isn’t going anywhere. Dual tracking is pre-empted.  There is a new consumer finance protection bureau – they can do regulations that eliminate dual tracking. They are very interested in the auction stuff.  There is also a committee now – Occupy the lawyers group – try to get them to take some of this one.  The City Attorney is really committed… they have three people working on it.

Nothing we can do right now because of global settlement with the 5 big banks. … Ting report can’t really be used unless there is an issue of fraud or discrimination.  Cases outside of the big banks, there might be able to do something.  Foreclosure mills can be attacked because they are not part of the global settlement.  There is a lot of cooperation.

Announcements
Chronicle will publish an Op-Ed from Occupy Bernal and ACCE – Maria, Stardust, Grace, Kat  with a couple of changes. Signed by Dexter and Maria..

Egyptian youth founder,  Tuesday at 7 pm.. An e-mail will go out about it.

Door knockers going forward—need some more people.
Julian and  Juli  will make a proposal  for house parties.
We should have a table at the Fiesta on the Hill and the Hill -wide garage sale.  Get a bunch of people, sit and talk to people.   Great idea…

Communication between WOW and Bernal – want a closer relationship between B of A actions and Bernal!   They would be more involved… Would like to do outreach to the WOW women. Propose that we highlight cases at of B of A.  Come on Thursdays from 12 to 1:00.  Bring leaflets.  Action Alert and  make a call about Mary Jo’s case.

Brainstorm – What can we do to block the auctions; what can we do to Wells Fargo. More permanent postponement of auctions and go after the Wells Board members. If the shouting isn’t stopping the auctions what could?  Strategy meeting with ACCE and figure out how to gain traction on these issues.  Dexter re-occupied and he was re-evicted.
Brainstorm and strategy session with ACCE.  10 am 1717  17th Street is the meeting time.

Next meeting is in two weeks-  June 5th