Occupy Our Homes Saves Former Civil Rights Activist Helen Bailey From Foreclosure

By Adam Peck

Helen Bailey, the 78 year-old former civil rights activist who was threatened with foreclosure by J.P Morgan Chase while the company trumpeted its efforts to uphold Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, will be able to remain in her home until she passes away after a successful campaign by Occupy Nashville:

“I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” Bailey said. “I love my home and my community and I am so blessed to be able to stay here. I am thankful for the support of my neighbors and the nation.”

 

The terms of the agreement from her mortgage-holder, JPMorgan Chase, are sealed, but previous settlement attempts involved a reverse mortgage that would let the new lender sell her home when she dies.

Occupy Nashville took up Bailey’s cause last month and received national attention for their efforts. Bailey was seeking to refinance her mortgage with JP Morgan Chase which would have allowed her to remain in her home for free until she dies, but the bank initially refused.

A petition at Change.org collected over 80,000 signatures, and prominent civil rights activists like Cornel West and Gary Flowers, the Executive Director of the Black Leadership Forum voiced their support for Bailey as well.

 

Occupy Detroit Successfully Saves Home For Couple Facing Eviction

By Pat Garofalo 

The Occupy Wall Street movement, as we noted last month, is shifting its focus to helping the 99 percent avoid foreclosures. And for one couple in Detroit, that help resulted in them being able to keep their home of 22 years, when it looked like they could be evicted at any moment:

Two weeks ago the couple got formal notice of an eviction. On Monday, a contractor attempted to place a dumpster on the Garrett property, a step required before an eviction can take place, according to city code.

But also on Monday, members of Moratorium Now, Occupy Detroit and Homes Before Banks rallied at the Detroit office of the Bank of New York Mellon Trust Co., the trustee of the Garretts’ mortgage. The family’s supporters also blocked the contractor from placing the dumpster.

On Tuesday morning a representative of Statebridge Co., a servicer for their mortgage, called the family to say the company would accept their offer of $12,000 to buy back their home, said the Garretts’ daughter, Michele Finley.

This is not the only house that Occupy Detroit has tried to keep out of foreclosure, nor is it the only successful instance of the Occupy movement keeping someone in their home. In places as far apart as Atlanta, Rochester, and Cleveland, Occupy members have managed to prevent foreclosures. Bank of America went so far as to warn its field managers to prepare for Occupy actions around soon-to-be foreclosed upon homes.

Detroit is the 18th worst city for foreclosures in the nation, down from its number one ranking in 2008, and already has more than 70,000 unoccupied homes. The mayor has set a goal of demolishing 10,000 empty homes by the end of the year.  

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