FW: Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human Right to Housing

[Community Development Banking List]

Original message from: bhill@igc.org





From: The Organizer [mailto:theorganizer@earthlink.net]
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 2:10 PM
To: Recipient List Suppressed:
Subject: Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human Right to
Housing



Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human Right to Housing



by Bill Quigley


May has seen an upsurge in local organizations exercising their human rights
to housing. Most people recognize that international human rights guarantee
all humans a right to housing. With the millions of homeless living in our
communities and the millions of empty foreclosed houses all across our
communities, groups have decided to put them together.


Organizations across the US are engaging in "housing liberation" and
"housing defense" to exercise their human rights to housing. Here are a few
examples.


Madison


In Madison Wisconsin, the grass-roots organization Operation Welcome Home
helped Desiree Wilson, 24, a mother with small children to move into a
vacant house, hook up utilities and change the locks, according to nbc15.com
in Madison. The home was vacant due to foreclosure. Bank of America owns the
home now. "It's not against the law," said Ms. Wilson. "This is above the
law. It's just so much bigger than me. Housing is a human right."


Operation Welcome Home held a press conference criticizing the billions of
dollars in bailouts to mortgage lenders. "We're asking them to turn over the
property to the community whose tax dollars are funding what they are
doing." One of the spokespersons for the group, Z!Haukness, reminded people
that "housing is a human right, no matter what income, no matter what rental
history." The group plans more "liberations" of other vacant property.


A local land trust, Madison Area Community Land Trust, says if the activists
convince the bank to donate the home the trust can find the resources to
turn it into affordable housing. Taking over the vacant foreclosed property
is "a brave move" says Michael Carlson of the Madison trust. Carlson told
the Madison Cap Times "They're compelling the citizens of Dane County to
confront the very real contradictions in the way we provide housing -
massive surpluses in the market that led to a collapse in credit and
simultaneously people without shelter and permanent affordable housing."


Toledo


A Toledo, Ohio, factory worker, Keith Sadler lost his home of 20 years at a
foreclosure sale for $33,000. When it came time to be evicted, Keith had had
enough. According to the toledoblade.com, he and 6 friends barricaded the
house up to resist the foreclosure eviction. All were all members of the
Toledo Foreclosure Defense League. After 5 days the house was raided by the
local SWAT team and all were arrested on misdemeanor charges and released.


Portland


In Portland, Oregon, a local group, Right 2 Survive, seized control of
vacant land in front of an abandoned school. They set up tents for the
un-housed. "This is a celebration because we are taking our rights back, "
Julie McCurdy told Take Back the Land. "What we're doing is coming up with
the solutions tailored for our community. We are tired of waiting for city
hall to come up with revised plans and rehashed ordinances that do not meet
the needs of un-housed Portlanders."

Sacramento, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta


A faith-based group has been moving families into vacant homes in
Sacramento. The Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign moved a family
into a vacant home in Philadelphia. The Chicago Anti-eviction Campaign
marched to protect a family from eviction and the Malcolm X Grassroots
Movement protested auctions of family homes on the county courthouse steps
of Atlanta. Other community actions across the country are expected during
the rest of May.


Housing as a Human Right


Housing is a human right recognized by a number of international human
rights laws. For example, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted
after the Second World War, promised "Everyone has the right to a standard
of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family,
including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social
services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness,
disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood."


Still, the National Coalition for the Homeless estimates of the number of
homeless people in the US range from 1.6 to 3.5 million.


Foreclosures are soaring. Some housing experts say 4 million foreclosures
are possible in 2010. There were 3.4 million homes which got foreclosure
notices, auction sale notices or bank repossessions in 2009. In the first
quarter of 2010, RealtyTrac reported there were 932,000 foreclosures.
Auctions were scheduled on 369,000 homes in the same time. Banks repossessed
257,000 homes during that time.


Organizations working to exercise peoples' human rights to housing include
Take Back the Land and the US Human Rights Network. Both are working with
local community organizations to support their campaigns.



-----

Bill Quigley is Legal Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights and a
Professor of Law at Loyola University New Orleans. His email is
quigley77@gmail.com.

[Community Development Banking List]

Original message from: wdwolf@ix.netcom.com

I COULD NOT DISAGREE MORE WITH THE WHOLE PREMISE OF THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS!

This is nothing more than organized theft.

It does nothing to address the core issue in each individual situation.

Two wrongs do not make a right.

There is no such thing as a "Human Right to Housing" in this country.

That is simply feel-good nonsense.

In this country we have a right to equal opportunity.

This includes the right to fail.

I hear all about the dismal nationwide statistics.

Curious however that there is little talk about the significant
concentration of these problems in a VERY finite number of localities.

There is NO foreclosure problem in my area in spite of the fact that my area
has one of the lowest median income rates in New York State.

This philosophical approach is working so well in Greece and other European
countries.

If you want to truly fix the problem, teach families to handle their
finances effectively.

Fiscally responsible families will not fall into the traps of the
unscrupulous leeches that prey on them.

Don't give them fish, teach fishing.

W. Wolf





From: bounce-5844263-8071882@list.cornell.edu
[mailto:bounce-5844263-8071882@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Brian Hill
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 6:23 PM
To: toeslist@yahoogroups.com; Community Development Banking, Conference;
MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com
Subject: FW: Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human Right to
Housing







From: The Organizer [mailto:theorganizer@earthlink.net]
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 2:10 PM
To: Recipient List Suppressed:
Subject: Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human Right to
Housing



Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human Right to Housing



by Bill Quigley


May has seen an upsurge in local organizations exercising their human rights
to housing. Most people recognize that international human rights guarantee
all humans a right to housing. With the millions of homeless living in our
communities and the millions of empty foreclosed houses all across our
communities, groups have decided to put them together.


Organizations across the US are engaging in "housing liberation" and
"housing defense" to exercise their human rights to housing. Here are a few
examples.


Madison


In Madison Wisconsin, the grass-roots organization Operation Welcome Home
helped Desiree Wilson, 24, a mother with small children to move into a
vacant house, hook up utilities and change the locks, according to nbc15.com
in Madison. The home was vacant due to foreclosure. Bank of America owns the
home now. "It's not against the law," said Ms. Wilson. "This is above the
law. It's just so much bigger than me. Housing is a human right."


Operation Welcome Home held a press conference criticizing the billions of
dollars in bailouts to mortgage lenders. "We're asking them to turn over the
property to the community whose tax dollars are funding what they are
doing." One of the spokespersons for the group, Z!Haukness, reminded people
that "housing is a human right, no matter what income, no matter what rental
history." The group plans more "liberations" of other vacant property.


A local land trust, Madison Area Community Land Trust, says if the activists
convince the bank to donate the home the trust can find the resources to
turn it into affordable housing. Taking over the vacant foreclosed property
is "a brave move" says Michael Carlson of the Madison trust. Carlson told
the Madison Cap Times "They're compelling the citizens of Dane County to
confront the very real contradictions in the way we provide housing -
massive surpluses in the market that led to a collapse in credit and
simultaneously people without shelter and permanent affordable housing."


Toledo


A Toledo, Ohio, factory worker, Keith Sadler lost his home of 20 years at a
foreclosure sale for $33,000. When it came time to be evicted, Keith had had
enough. According to the toledoblade.com, he and 6 friends barricaded the
house up to resist the foreclosure eviction. All were all members of the
Toledo Foreclosure Defense League. After 5 days the house was raided by the
local SWAT team and all were arrested on misdemeanor charges and released.


Portland


In Portland, Oregon, a local group, Right 2 Survive, seized control of
vacant land in front of an abandoned school. They set up tents for the
un-housed. "This is a celebration because we are taking our rights back, "
Julie McCurdy told Take Back the Land. "What we're doing is coming up with
the solutions tailored for our community. We are tired of waiting for city
hall to come up with revised plans and rehashed ordinances that do not meet
the needs of un-housed Portlanders."

Sacramento, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta


A faith-based group has been moving families into vacant homes in
Sacramento. The Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign moved a family
into a vacant home in Philadelphia. The Chicago Anti-eviction Campaign
marched to protect a family from eviction and the Malcolm X Grassroots
Movement protested auctions of family homes on the county courthouse steps
of Atlanta. Other community actions across the country are expected during
the rest of May.


Housing as a Human Right


Housing is a human right recognized by a number of international human
rights laws. For example, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted
after the Second World War, promised "Everyone has the right to a standard
of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family,
including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social
services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness,
disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood."


Still, the National Coalition for the Homeless estimates of the number of
homeless people in the US range from 1.6 to 3.5 million.


Foreclosures are soaring. Some housing experts say 4 million foreclosures
are possible in 2010. There were 3.4 million homes which got foreclosure
notices, auction sale notices or bank repossessions in 2009. In the first
quarter of 2010, RealtyTrac reported there were 932,000 foreclosures.
Auctions were scheduled on 369,000 homes in the same time. Banks repossessed
257,000 homes during that time.


Organizations working to exercise peoples' human rights to housing include
Take Back the Land and the US Human Rights Network. Both are working with
local community organizations to support their campaigns.



-----

Bill Quigley is Legal Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights and a
Professor of Law at Loyola University New Orleans. His email is
quigley77@gmail.com.

CDB list instructions http://www.runonthebank.net/cdblist.htm ('http://www.runonthebank.net/cdblist.htm')

[Community Development Banking List]

Original message from: gohlund@juno.com

Or find some middle way.
Realistically, we have not seen the end of the foreclosures, in fact in NH, they jumped dramatically from the last quarter of 09 to Q1 2010.
If banks are getting bailed out, why not people? What makes one "OK" and not the other?



Respectfully,
Glen Ohlund

[Community Development Banking List]

Original message from: JOHNN@ORLANDOFCU.ORG

Because the banks have agreed and have the resources to pay the
taxpayers back! That is not necessarily the case with consumers,
especially where the consumer is upside down in their residence. Would
the consumer 'bail-out' set a requirement that the consumer pay 'us'
(the collective taxpayers) back with interest?



John M. Neusaenger

President/CEO

Orlando Federal Credit Union







From: bounce-5845209-4990236@list.cornell.edu
[mailto:bounce-5845209-4990236@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of
gohlund@juno.com
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2010 7:20 AM
To: wdwolf@ix.netcom.com
Cc: bhill@igc.org; toeslist@yahoogroups.com;
communitydevelopmentbanking-L@cornell.edu;
MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human
Right to Ho using



Or find some middle way.

Realistically, we have not seen the end of the foreclosures, in fact in
NH, they jumped dramatically from the last quarter of 09 to Q1 2010.

If banks are getting bailed out, why not people? What makes one "OK"
and not the other?





Respectfully,

Glen Ohlund



CDB list instructions http://www.runonthebank.net/cdblist.htm ('http://www.runonthebank.net/cdblist.htm')

[Community Development Banking List]

Original message from: rballiot@gmail.com

I would agree with Wolf regarding:

If you want to truly fix the problem, teach families to handle their
finances effectively.

Fiscally responsible families will not fall into the traps of the
unscrupulous leeches that prey on them.

Don’t give them fish, teach fishing.

However, *experts* in mortgages and banking led families into this mess.
Who was supposed to teach them to handle their finances effectively?

R. Balliot
http://oceanstatelibrarian.com ('http://oceanstatelibrarian.com')


On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 7:36 PM, William Wolf <wdwolf@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
I COULD NOT DISAGREE MORE WITH THE WHOLE PREMISE OF THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS!

This is nothing more than organized theft.

It does nothing to address the core issue in each individual situation.

Two wrongs do not make a right.

There is no such thing as a “Human Right to Housing” in this country.

That is simply feel-good nonsense.

In this country we have a right to equal opportunity.

This includes the right to fail.

I hear all about the dismal nationwide statistics.

Curious however that there is little talk about the significant
concentration of these problems in a VERY finite number of localities.

There is NO foreclosure problem in my area in spite of the fact that my area
has one of the lowest median income rates in New York State.

This philosophical approach is working so well in Greece and other European
countries.

If you want to truly fix the problem, teach families to handle their
finances effectively.

Fiscally responsible families will not fall into the traps of the
unscrupulous leeches that prey on them.

Don’t give them fish, teach fishing.

W. Wolf





From: bounce-5844263-8071882@list.cornell.edu
[mailto:bounce-5844263-8071882@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Brian Hill
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 6:23 PM
To: toeslist@yahoogroups.com; Community Development Banking, Conference;
MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com
Subject: FW: Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human Right to
Housing







From: The Organizer [mailto:theorganizer@earthlink.net]
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 2:10 PM
To: Recipient List Suppressed:
Subject: Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human Right to
Housing



Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human Right to Housing



by Bill Quigley

May has seen an upsurge in local organizations exercising their human rights
to housing. Most people recognize that international human rights guarantee
all humans a right to housing. With the millions of homeless living in our
communities and the millions of empty foreclosed houses all across our
communities, groups have decided to put them together.

Organizations across the US are engaging in "housing liberation" and
"housing defense" to exercise their human rights to housing. Here are a few
examples.

Madison

In Madison Wisconsin, the grass-roots organization Operation Welcome Home
helped Desiree Wilson, 24, a mother with small children to move into a
vacant house, hook up utilities and change the locks, according to nbc15.com
in Madison. The home was vacant due to foreclosure. Bank of America owns the
home now. "It's not against the law," said Ms. Wilson. "This is above the
law. It's just so much bigger than me. Housing is a human right."

Operation Welcome Home held a press conference criticizing the billions of
dollars in bailouts to mortgage lenders. "We're asking them to turn over the
property to the community whose tax dollars are funding what they are
doing." One of the spokespersons for the group, Z!Haukness, reminded people
that "housing is a human right, no matter what income, no matter what rental
history." The group plans more "liberations" of other vacant property.

A local land trust, Madison Area Community Land Trust, says if the activists
convince the bank to donate the home the trust can find the resources to
turn it into affordable housing. Taking over the vacant foreclosed property
is "a brave move" says Michael Carlson of the Madison trust. Carlson told
the Madison Cap Times "They're compelling the citizens of Dane County to
confront the very real contradictions in the way we provide housing -
massive surpluses in the market that led to a collapse in credit and
simultaneously people without shelter and permanent affordable housing."

Toledo

A Toledo, Ohio, factory worker, Keith Sadler lost his home of 20 years at a
foreclosure sale for $33,000. When it came time to be evicted, Keith had had
enough. According to the toledoblade.com, he and 6 friends barricaded the
house up to resist the foreclosure eviction. All were all members of the
Toledo Foreclosure Defense League. After 5 days the house was raided by the
local SWAT team and all were arrested on misdemeanor charges and released.

Portland

In Portland, Oregon, a local group, Right 2 Survive, seized control of
vacant land in front of an abandoned school. They set up tents for the
un-housed. "This is a celebration because we are taking our rights back, "
Julie McCurdy told Take Back the Land. "What we're doing is coming up with
the solutions tailored for our community. We are tired of waiting for city
hall to come up with revised plans and rehashed ordinances that do not meet
the needs of un-housed Portlanders."

Sacramento, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta

A faith-based group has been moving families into vacant homes in
Sacramento. The Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign moved a family
into a vacant home in Philadelphia. The Chicago Anti-eviction Campaign
marched to protect a family from eviction and the Malcolm X Grassroots
Movement protested auctions of family homes on the county courthouse steps
of Atlanta. Other community actions across the country are expected during
the rest of May.

Housing as a Human Right

Housing is a human right recognized by a number of international human
rights laws. For example, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted
after the Second World War, promised "Everyone has the right to a standard
of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family,
including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social
services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness,
disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood."

Still, the National Coalition for the Homeless estimates of the number of
homeless people in the US range from 1.6 to 3.5 million.

Foreclosures are soaring. Some housing experts say 4 million foreclosures
are possible in 2010. There were 3.4 million homes which got foreclosure
notices, auction sale notices or bank repossessions in 2009. In the first
quarter of 2010, RealtyTrac reported there were 932,000 foreclosures.
Auctions were scheduled on 369,000 homes in the same time. Banks repossessed
257,000 homes during that time.

Organizations working to exercise peoples' human rights to housing include
Take Back the Land and the US Human Rights Network. Both are working with
local community organizations to support their campaigns.



-----

Bill Quigley is Legal Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights and a
Professor of Law at Loyola University New Orleans. His email is
quigley77@gmail.com.

CDB list instructions http://www.runonthebank.net/cdblist.htm ('http://www.runonthebank.net/cdblist.htm')

CDB list instructions http://www.runonthebank.net/cdblist.htm ('http://www.runonthebank.net/cdblist.htm')

[Community Development Banking List]

Original message from: JPMeissn@lasclev.org

TO Everyone

FROM Joseph Meissner, Attorney

1. I try to provide financial counseling with all of my clients. I
have about ten major issues that I go through in about 15 minutes with
each client, no matter what their case. This is a quick financial
diagnosis.

2. I also work with the LITC program (Low Income tax Clinics financed
by IRS) and a specific ESL LITC. The LITC program has been discussing a
financial literacy program for years. I would like to see that become a
part of the LITC counseling for taxpayers.


3. While the financial education is important and necessary more is
needed with that. For example, I urge people to join credit unions.
There are lots of these in any given community, including church groups
credit unions, employment credit unions, community credit unions, Etc.
These provide an easy way for people to cash checks, set aside a few
dollars from their pay, and have a resource available when they need a
small loan.

4. I also advise people "to keep a church in reserve." Many churches
especially in low income areas try to help out their members. It is
kind of hard to approach the church for a first time and be seeking
$400. Better, to attend church, become a member, and then have this
resource available for possible assistance requests. By the way church
stands for mosque, synagogue, temple, etc.

5. I would appreciate hearing ideas from others. I find in my
foreclosure work that the foreclosure while very serious is only a
symptom of deeper problems with finances and a family.

6. As for housing, I have suggested that the government should pay some
people to stay in their homes and guard the property. We had a huge
explosion in Cleveland last week which wiped out four houses and damaged
over twenty others. This seems to have happened because our "army of
metal scrappers" had visited the basement of the house and tore out part
of the pipes for the gas system, causing a leak and a resulting
explosion. So why not pay people to stay in these houses and guard them?
Does that sound crazy? I even pictured people being inducted into the
Army, joining homeland security, and then being assigned to their
neighborhoods for duty, including guarding against wandering terrorists.


Take care

-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-5845385-8116730@list.cornell.edu
[mailto:bounce-5845385-8116730@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Robert
Balliot
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2010 8:28 AM
To: William Wolf
Cc: Brian Hill; toeslist@yahoogroups.com; Community Development Banking,
Conference; MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human
Right to Housing

I would agree with Wolf regarding:

If you want to truly fix the problem, teach families to handle their
finances effectively.

Fiscally responsible families will not fall into the traps of the
unscrupulous leeches that prey on them.

Don't give them fish, teach fishing.

However, *experts* in mortgages and banking led families into this mess.
Who was supposed to teach them to handle their finances effectively?

R. Balliot
http://oceanstatelibrarian.com ('http://oceanstatelibrarian.com')


On Wed, May 19, 2010 at 7:36 PM, William Wolf <wdwolf@ix.netcom.com>
wrote:
I COULD NOT DISAGREE MORE WITH THE WHOLE PREMISE OF THESE TYPES OF
PROGRAMS!

This is nothing more than organized theft.

It does nothing to address the core issue in each individual
situation.

Two wrongs do not make a right.

There is no such thing as a "Human Right to Housing" in this country.

That is simply feel-good nonsense.

In this country we have a right to equal opportunity.

This includes the right to fail.

I hear all about the dismal nationwide statistics.

Curious however that there is little talk about the significant
concentration of these problems in a VERY finite number of localities.

There is NO foreclosure problem in my area in spite of the fact that
my area
has one of the lowest median income rates in New York State.

This philosophical approach is working so well in Greece and other
European
countries.

If you want to truly fix the problem, teach families to handle their
finances effectively.

Fiscally responsible families will not fall into the traps of the
unscrupulous leeches that prey on them.

Don't give them fish, teach fishing.

W. Wolf





From: bounce-5844263-8071882@list.cornell.edu
[mailto:bounce-5844263-8071882@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Brian
Hill
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 6:23 PM
To: toeslist@yahoogroups.com; Community Development Banking,
Conference;
MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com
Subject: FW: Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human
Right to
Housing







From: The Organizer [mailto:theorganizer@earthlink.net]
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 2:10 PM
To: Recipient List Suppressed:
Subject: Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human Right
to
Housing



Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human Right to
Housing



by Bill Quigley

May has seen an upsurge in local organizations exercising their human
rights
to housing. Most people recognize that international human rights
guarantee
all humans a right to housing. With the millions of homeless living in
our
communities and the millions of empty foreclosed houses all across our
communities, groups have decided to put them together.

Organizations across the US are engaging in "housing liberation" and
"housing defense" to exercise their human rights to housing. Here are
a few
examples.

Madison

In Madison Wisconsin, the grass-roots organization Operation Welcome
Home
helped Desiree Wilson, 24, a mother with small children to move into a
vacant house, hook up utilities and change the locks, according to
nbc15.com
in Madison. The home was vacant due to foreclosure. Bank of America
owns the
home now. "It's not against the law," said Ms. Wilson. "This is above
the
law. It's just so much bigger than me. Housing is a human right."

Operation Welcome Home held a press conference criticizing the
billions of
dollars in bailouts to mortgage lenders. "We're asking them to turn
over the
property to the community whose tax dollars are funding what they are
doing." One of the spokespersons for the group, Z!Haukness, reminded
people
that "housing is a human right, no matter what income, no matter what
rental
history." The group plans more "liberations" of other vacant property.

A local land trust, Madison Area Community Land Trust, says if the
activists
convince the bank to donate the home the trust can find the resources
to
turn it into affordable housing. Taking over the vacant foreclosed
property
is "a brave move" says Michael Carlson of the Madison trust. Carlson
told
the Madison Cap Times "They're compelling the citizens of Dane County
to
confront the very real contradictions in the way we provide housing -
massive surpluses in the market that led to a collapse in credit and
simultaneously people without shelter and permanent affordable
housing."

Toledo

A Toledo, Ohio, factory worker, Keith Sadler lost his home of 20 years
at a
foreclosure sale for $33,000. When it came time to be evicted, Keith
had had
enough. According to the toledoblade.com, he and 6 friends barricaded
the
house up to resist the foreclosure eviction. All were all members of
the
Toledo Foreclosure Defense League. After 5 days the house was raided
by the
local SWAT team and all were arrested on misdemeanor charges and
released.

Portland

In Portland, Oregon, a local group, Right 2 Survive, seized control of
vacant land in front of an abandoned school. They set up tents for the
un-housed. "This is a celebration because we are taking our rights
back, "
Julie McCurdy told Take Back the Land. "What we're doing is coming up
with
the solutions tailored for our community. We are tired of waiting for
city
hall to come up with revised plans and rehashed ordinances that do not
meet
the needs of un-housed Portlanders."

Sacramento, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta

A faith-based group has been moving families into vacant homes in
Sacramento. The Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign moved a
family
into a vacant home in Philadelphia. The Chicago Anti-eviction Campaign
marched to protect a family from eviction and the Malcolm X Grassroots
Movement protested auctions of family homes on the county courthouse
steps
of Atlanta. Other community actions across the country are expected
during
the rest of May.

Housing as a Human Right

Housing is a human right recognized by a number of international human
rights laws. For example, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
adopted
after the Second World War, promised "Everyone has the right to a
standard
of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his
family,
including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary
social
services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment,
sickness,
disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood."

Still, the National Coalition for the Homeless estimates of the number
of
homeless people in the US range from 1.6 to 3.5 million.

Foreclosures are soaring. Some housing experts say 4 million
foreclosures
are possible in 2010. There were 3.4 million homes which got
foreclosure
notices, auction sale notices or bank repossessions in 2009. In the
first
quarter of 2010, RealtyTrac reported there were 932,000 foreclosures.
Auctions were scheduled on 369,000 homes in the same time. Banks
repossessed
257,000 homes during that time.

Organizations working to exercise peoples' human rights to housing
include
Take Back the Land and the US Human Rights Network. Both are working
with
local community organizations to support their campaigns.



-----

Bill Quigley is Legal Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights
and a
Professor of Law at Loyola University New Orleans. His email is
quigley77@gmail.com.

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[Community Development Banking List]

Original message from: shonbornm@nassaued.org

I tend to agree with Mr. Wolf's disagreement (except the reference to
specific locals - which I believe has a lot to do with financial
literacy and targeting with unscrupulous lending practices). This kind
of lawlessness is not the answer. I wonder if a non-profit could work
with banks to acquire some of these properties, either through purchase
or donation by the bank. Sounds like a program Habitat for Humanity
might be able to engineer with their resources.



Moreover, there is a problem with discussing the foreclosure problem as
though there is one prototypical case. Consider the following
situations:



* Low income borrower was put into an adverse loan through
deceptive practices.
* Relatively knowledgeable borrower deliberately purchased more
home than they could afford using teaser rate financing.
* Homeowner used their home like an ATM machine for a long period
of time, squandering all accumulated equity.
* Homeowner purchased home in low income neighborhood and value
down more than 50% due to adverse actions of others (lenders and
borrowers) on many homes in the neighborhood.
* And the absolutely unethical - borrower who has ability to
fulfill loan obligation is walking away from home simply to transfer
their unrealized loss to the financial institution.



Who do you bail out? Who should not be bailed out? Should lenders be
held responsible for the damage done by deceptive or predatory
practices?



This is a very complicated problem with no simple solutions. Simply
bailing out all the borrowers would cost hundreds of billions of dollars
and reward adverse behavior at the expense of others who acted
responsibly. I know a similar argument can be made for the bank
bailout, but our entire economy was on the verge of collapse, making it
a different issue.



Mike Shonborn



________________________________

From: bounce-5844337-8116691@list.cornell.edu
[mailto:bounce-5844337-8116691@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of William
Wolf
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 7:36 PM
To: 'Brian Hill'; toeslist@yahoogroups.com; 'Community Development
Banking, Conference'; MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human
Right to Housing



I COULD NOT DISAGREE MORE WITH THE WHOLE PREMISE OF THESE TYPES OF
PROGRAMS!

This is nothing more than organized theft.

It does nothing to address the core issue in each individual situation.

Two wrongs do not make a right.

There is no such thing as a "Human Right to Housing" in this country.

That is simply feel-good nonsense.

In this country we have a right to equal opportunity.

This includes the right to fail.

I hear all about the dismal nationwide statistics.

Curious however that there is little talk about the significant
concentration of these problems in a VERY finite number of localities.

There is NO foreclosure problem in my area in spite of the fact that my
area has one of the lowest median income rates in New York State.

This philosophical approach is working so well in Greece and other
European countries.

If you want to truly fix the problem, teach families to handle their
finances effectively.

Fiscally responsible families will not fall into the traps of the
unscrupulous leeches that prey on them.

Don't give them fish, teach fishing.

W. Wolf





From: bounce-5844263-8071882@list.cornell.edu
[mailto:bounce-5844263-8071882@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Brian Hill
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 6:23 PM
To: toeslist@yahoogroups.com; Community Development Banking, Conference;
MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com
Subject: FW: Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human
Right to Housing







From: The Organizer [mailto:theorganizer@earthlink.net]
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2010 2:10 PM
To: Recipient List Suppressed:
Subject: Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human Right to
Housing



Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human Right to Housing



by Bill Quigley


May has seen an upsurge in local organizations exercising their human
rights to housing. Most people recognize that international human rights
guarantee all humans a right to housing. With the millions of homeless
living in our communities and the millions of empty foreclosed houses
all across our communities, groups have decided to put them together.


Organizations across the US are engaging in "housing liberation" and
"housing defense" to exercise their human rights to housing. Here are a
few examples.


Madison


In Madison Wisconsin, the grass-roots organization Operation Welcome
Home helped Desiree Wilson, 24, a mother with small children to move
into a vacant house, hook up utilities and change the locks, according
to nbc15.com in Madison. The home was vacant due to foreclosure. Bank of
America owns the home now. "It's not against the law," said Ms. Wilson.
"This is above the law. It's just so much bigger than me. Housing is a
human right."


Operation Welcome Home held a press conference criticizing the billions
of dollars in bailouts to mortgage lenders. "We're asking them to turn
over the property to the community whose tax dollars are funding what
they are doing." One of the spokespersons for the group, Z!Haukness,
reminded people that "housing is a human right, no matter what income,
no matter what rental history." The group plans more "liberations" of
other vacant property.


A local land trust, Madison Area Community Land Trust, says if the
activists convince the bank to donate the home the trust can find the
resources to turn it into affordable housing. Taking over the vacant
foreclosed property is "a brave move" says Michael Carlson of the
Madison trust. Carlson told the Madison Cap Times "They're compelling
the citizens of Dane County to confront the very real contradictions in
the way we provide housing - massive surpluses in the market that led to
a collapse in credit and simultaneously people without shelter and
permanent affordable housing."


Toledo


A Toledo, Ohio, factory worker, Keith Sadler lost his home of 20 years
at a foreclosure sale for $33,000. When it came time to be evicted,
Keith had had enough. According to the toledoblade.com, he and 6 friends
barricaded the house up to resist the foreclosure eviction. All were all
members of the Toledo Foreclosure Defense League. After 5 days the house
was raided by the local SWAT team and all were arrested on misdemeanor
charges and released.


Portland


In Portland, Oregon, a local group, Right 2 Survive, seized control of
vacant land in front of an abandoned school. They set up tents for the
un-housed. "This is a celebration because we are taking our rights back,
" Julie McCurdy told Take Back the Land. "What we're doing is coming up
with the solutions tailored for our community. We are tired of waiting
for city hall to come up with revised plans and rehashed ordinances that
do not meet the needs of un-housed Portlanders."

Sacramento, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta


A faith-based group has been moving families into vacant homes in
Sacramento. The Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign moved a
family into a vacant home in Philadelphia. The Chicago Anti-eviction
Campaign marched to protect a family from eviction and the Malcolm X
Grassroots Movement protested auctions of family homes on the county
courthouse steps of Atlanta. Other community actions across the country
are expected during the rest of May.


Housing as a Human Right


Housing is a human right recognized by a number of international human
rights laws. For example, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
adopted after the Second World War, promised "Everyone has the right to
a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself
and his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and
necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of
unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of
livelihood."


Still, the National Coalition for the Homeless estimates of the number
of homeless people in the US range from 1.6 to 3.5 million.


Foreclosures are soaring. Some housing experts say 4 million
foreclosures are possible in 2010. There were 3.4 million homes which
got foreclosure notices, auction sale notices or bank repossessions in
2009. In the first quarter of 2010, RealtyTrac reported there were
932,000 foreclosures. Auctions were scheduled on 369,000 homes in the
same time. Banks repossessed 257,000 homes during that time.


Organizations working to exercise peoples' human rights to housing
include Take Back the Land and the US Human Rights Network. Both are
working with local community organizations to support their campaigns.



-----

Bill Quigley is Legal Director of the Center for Constitutional Rights
and a Professor of Law at Loyola University New Orleans. His email is
quigley77@gmail.com.

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[Community Development Banking List]

Original message from: typhoonista@gmail.com

actually, an early version of the bailout plan was to do just that...giving
consumers access to treasury certificates with the same tie downs of student
loans, that can not (usually) be discharged in bankruptcy...this would have
allowed consumers to apply for certificates in increments of 250.00 up to
1500.00 per months...and the consumer would still have to pay at least half
of their monthly home payment note from their own source...this would have
allowed the servicers to keep the loan pools whole and the taxpayers would
have been paid back with interest in about 90% of the situations...but as we
have all learned since, the derivatives and deep loan pool mortgage
insurance from aig and mbia/ambac is much more lucrative than the drip drip
drip of lending...see mbia v credit suisse if you are not familiar with why
....

maybe its time to push for that old plan idea to be rebrokered since the
servicers were more than happy to accept taxpayer backing of their financial
play pen, but have refused to process properly the fully funded hamp
modifications...and unless you have worked through at least 50 attempts to
get the servicers to do what is required by them as described at
hmpadmin.com, please dont suggest that the problem is the "borrower"..if
someone can say they have been able in one swipe get a loan modification
that is an actual government modification and it went smooth a couple of
dozen times...that would be great to hear, and then the servicers could not
keep suggesting they are still working on their "systems" when cornered by
regulators...

are there borrowers who got caught up in the "free cheese" of living twenty
thousand dollars a year over their means by borrowing on the credit cards,
getting a heloc, then refi, then start again...yup no question...but that is
only about 25% of the borrowers in trouble...less than 1% of the borrowing
public...the fact is the stats are way off...in the old days, the money
store, beneficial finance, household and associates, (along with all the
private lenders who financed homes because freddie and fannie were still
playing games with "declining market area maps" well into the 90's,) those
default rates for first time home buyers stretching to get the tax breaks of
owning a home, and the possibility of getting access to inflation based
financial growth, was in the 25-35% range...leading to "yo-yo" loans, where
the borrower acted as though the home was one of those "buy here pay here"
car lots...

when the fed reserve was forced to move in the direction of fully funding
housing needs in the mid 90's, the original plan was to allow borrowers to
use "venture capital" type rates to get their foot in the door and the
equity growth gravy train, and then, after two years of struggles with
payments, they would have shown the credit system they had "paid" their
bills and their credit score would grow to allow them to qualify for lower
mainstream rates...but in many cases, the consumer did not have the self
discipline to not pay for 200 channels of repeats on cable...and the system
of counseling the borrower after the borrowings did not come to pass...

precluding a segment of the population from access to capital does not
conform to any financial realities...the notion that only "special people"
should have access to home financing is rather disturbing...and does not
explain how this country survived the
"sub prime" lending right after ww2 when returning military were handed "no
money down" homes with no jobs waiting for them...somehow...those GI's had
no problem being allowed to "leverage"....

but somehow today, with a multicultural military, that would be "dangerous
sub prime" lending...

and goldman sachs selling a derivative on the currency float differential to
a small town in nebraska or a village in italy for currency swaps in the
year 2040 is not a "sub prime" activity...wow....that


On Thu, May 20, 2010 at 7:27 AM, JOHN NEUSAENGER <JOHNN@orlandofcu.org>wrote:

Because the banks have agreed and have the resources to pay the taxpayers
back! That is not necessarily the case with consumers, especially where the
consumer is upside down in their residence. Would the consumer ‘bail-out’
set a requirement that the consumer pay ‘us’ (the collective taxpayers) back
with interest?



John M. Neusaenger

President/CEO

Orlando Federal Credit Union







*From:* bounce-5845209-4990236@list.cornell.edu [mailto:
bounce-5845209-4990236@list.cornell.edu] *On Behalf Of *gohlund@juno.com
*Sent:* Thursday, May 20, 2010 7:20 AM
*To:* wdwolf@ix.netcom.com
*Cc:* bhill@igc.org; toeslist@yahoogroups.com;
communitydevelopmentbanking-L@cornell.edu;
MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com
*Subject:* RE: Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human
Right to Ho using



Or find some middle way.

Realistically, we have not seen the end of the foreclosures, in fact in NH,
they jumped dramatically from the last quarter of 09 to Q1 2010.

If banks are getting bailed out, why not people? What makes one "OK" and
not the other?





Respectfully,

*Glen Ohlund*



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--
essmanlaw.com


G. Alex Morfesis
Trusted Capital Solutions, LLC
118 East Tarpon Ave
Tarpon Springs, Florida 34689
727-485-3130
727-216-8817 fax

[Community Development Banking List]

Original message from: clark@nfh.org

John, I don't know you .. but I agree with your words and the truth they
contain .Since 1975 I have worked in the arena of non-profit community
development and financing for the first half of each community in which we
work (those earning up to 100% of area median income, or AMI). I became
aware of CRA in 1978 when it began .. and have utilized that lending
encouragement program to leverage many things, like over 40 projects
providing over 4,000 homes, with half being affordable. Our total work has
taken place in 5 counties and over a dozen cities in the San Francisco Bay
Area (www.nfh.org) .



AND, almost all of the $1.8 billion was first borrowed by us and our
for-profit builders and ultimately bought and paid for by consumers .. which
is why we have both a nonprofit wholesale producer division (SALT) and a
nonprofit retail consumer division (NFH) .. we collaborate with ourselves
and any other investor/lender group to increase the number of total "doors"
(industry slang for a separate living unit).. to increase the number of
affordable doors .



I came out of Berkeley in the mid-1960's - as and engineer trained in
aeronautical engineering, stayed for a MS in industrial engineering .and I
never forgotten the admonition and other words of wisdom I first learned
there: neither a lender nor a borrower be, but if you are a borrower
remember the first rule: At the end of the term, you must return MY money
(principal) and some of your money (interest) ..and IF you can't do that,
then don't borrow any .. that is the deal between lender and borrower .. but
oh so many forget the initial terms of the deal - you get my money now to
use, but you must return MY money with some of your own, or you must defer
your intended uses of my money until you have saved that amount on your
own,,..



And, yes, we (NFH) have opened a LoanMod shop/division since our primary
Mission of providing first homes for the local workforce closer to where
they have already chosen to work, so we're now helping more of the locally
employed keep their homes, since so few new potential buyers are sure they
will have their jobs and finally be ready to buy, and since home ownership
is our primary business .



'Nuff said, and ciao for now, ~ Citizen Clark of Novato



Clark A. Blasdell, President and CEO

*Northbay Family Homes (NFH),

*Suburban Alternatives Land Trust (SALT),

*Buck Campus Housing, Inc. (BCH)

*Institute of Sustainable Ecological Enterprises (ISEE)

350 Ignacio Blvd., Suite 200

Novato, CA 94949



E-mail: clark@nfh.org

Voice: 415/382-2530 (direct line: 382-2534)

Fax: 415/382-2538

www.nfh.org <http://www.nfh.org/> ('http://www.nfh.org/>') and www.hamiltonhousing.org
<http://www.hamiltonhousing.org/> ('http://www.hamiltonhousing.org/>') www.SALTlandbanking.com
<http://www.saltlandbanking.com/> ('http://www.saltlandbanking.com/>')







From: bounce-5845294-12624314@list.cornell.edu
[mailto:bounce-5845294-12624314@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of JOHN
NEUSAENGER
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2010 4:27 AM
To: gohlund@juno.com; wdwolf@ix.netcom.com
Cc: bhill@igc.org; toeslist@yahoogroups.com;
communitydevelopmentbanking-L@cornell.edu;
MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human Right to
Ho using



Because the banks have agreed and have the resources to pay the taxpayers
back! That is not necessarily the case with consumers, especially where the
consumer is upside down in their residence. Would the consumer 'bail-out'
set a requirement that the consumer pay 'us' (the collective taxpayers) back
with interest?



John M. Neusaenger

President/CEO

Orlando Federal Credit Union







From: bounce-5845209-4990236@list.cornell.edu
[mailto:bounce-5845209-4990236@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of
gohlund@juno.com
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2010 7:20 AM
To: wdwolf@ix.netcom.com
Cc: bhill@igc.org; toeslist@yahoogroups.com;
communitydevelopmentbanking-L@cornell.edu;
MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: Taking Back Homes from the Banks: Exercising the Human Right to
Ho using



Or find some middle way.

Realistically, we have not seen the end of the foreclosures, in fact in NH,
they jumped dramatically from the last quarter of 09 to Q1 2010.

If banks are getting bailed out, why not people? What makes one "OK" and
not the other?





Respectfully,

Glen Ohlund



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[Community Development Banking List]

Original message from: Bill@RunontheBank.net


From: "Brian Hill" <bhill@igc.org>
Here is the email of the Take back the homes group -
takebacktheland@gmail.com, and here is their web site -
www.takebacktheland.org - please post your comments there also. Thanks,
Brian Hill

From: jmorton@chnnet.com
Agreed! People have a right (or should have) to trust the "experts".
Education can only go so far. There need to be consequences for
unscrupulous lending practices!
Jeanne Morton
Director of Community Training
Cleveland Housing Network
2999 Payne Avenue, #306
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Direct Dial: 216-912-2215
jmorton@chnnet.com
"Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do."
Acts 9:6

From: "Smith, Fred - Visalia, CA" <Fred.Smith@ca.usda.gov>
The City of Visalia, CA has been using their
ARRA/Stimulus funds to purchase foreclosed homes,
renovate them and then put them back on the
market (at their cost). Priority is to go to low
income households but if they can't afford them,
then it travels up to moderate income folks, etc.
It has helped remove potential blight from neighborhoods.
That way the banks/owners are able to move the
properties, it is helping to stabilize the prices
and those with the necessary resources acquire the home.
Simon "Fred" Smith | MFHS/State Appraiser
Rural Development
U.S. Department of Agriculture
3530 W. Orchard Ct. | Visalia, CA 93277
Phone: 559.734.8732 ext. 107 | Fax: 559.732.3481
www.rurdev.usda.gov/ca
"Committed to the future of rural communities"
"Estamos dedicados al futuro de las comunidades rurales"

From: "Gina McCullough" <gmccullough@novadebt.org>
I have been reading all the comments going back
and forth and have started to type and then
stopped and started and stopped. I work on the
other side of the spectrum than most of you – a
credit counseling agency that performs Housing
Counseling. We are part of the HOPE NOW program
and speak with thousands of homeowners
struggling. I think pointing the finger is
“pointless” at this time. We are where we are
and we need to ensure that it does not happen
again. Yes we need to educate more – managing
your finances is not a typical class in high school but it should be.
Unless you major in finances, what do you really
learn if you go onto college – that with opening
a credit card I can get this great t-shirt and
not realize that in a short time I will most
likely have racked up a bill that I cannot afford
to pay??? Or the new family starting out wanting
to buy a home and being told that they can have
that dream if they sign the dotted line– and not
knowing enough to question what will happen when that ARM does reset.
We do our best to try and get into the schools
early to help ensure something like this does not
occur again. But it is difficult and it is going
to take a lot. Hopefully this situation opened
everyone;s eyes – the homeowners taking more
responsibility and the mortgage lenders realizing
they are responsible for educating as well.
Ok off my soap box – but just had to comment J
Gina McCullough
Director of Quality Assurance
Accounting Manager
Novadebt
Garden State Consumer Credit Counseling, Inc.
225 Willowbrook Road
Freehold, NJ 07728
ginamccullough@novadebt.org
732-409-6281 ext. 80213
800-772-4557
732-863-5051 (fax)