Open Invitation

This is an open invitation to tonight's community networking event, see The Invitation here.   We would love to see all of you.  Come share your stories and join us supporting homeowners in their fight to keep their homes.

My Interview with Al Jazeera English on Fort Lauderale: Economy

A few weeks ago I was asked to participate in a "conversation with my neighbors" styled interview with AlJazeera English.  The interview took place in a hot, vacant warehouse in Davie, Florida.  It's good but is speaks of nothing that we don't already know.

Don't Be Ashame

From left to right: James, Denise, Scott and Pattie

At Occupy Fort Lauderdale's First Anniversary party which was held yesterday at Stranahan Park, downtown Fort Lauderdale we launched our latest flyer which was designed by James.  Thank you James.    See flyer here...Don't Be Ashame.

It is said that when God closes a door, he opens a window.  Two years ago, my ten year service with a Fort Lauderdale attorney came to an abrupt end, when after twelve days of medical leave (and not twelve consecutive days either) I was told that my services were no longer required.  It was the closing door I did not expect, nor saw coming.  Yep, the window opened and I flew into an OCCUPATION!

The Whistleblower

Although we did not have as many people at our Anniversary party yesterday, as we did one year ago (we did get the rain though), it was wonderful being together and reminiscing.  It has been an exciting year.  A year of meeting new and beautiful people, wonderful achievements, great disappointments and constant learning.  We have attended foreclosure and labor seminars across the State and met many of the foreclosure defense advocates including the tireless, Lisa Epstein.

Our Neighbors of Pompano Beach, Andy, Amos, Joseph and of course Scott and Joanne, thank you all for opening your homes and hearts to us.
Jarek, I see many more great discussions in our future and I thank you for those we have had in the year gone bye.

Scott and Joanne Eskew, Dave Lee 99%

Our homeless brothers and sisters at Stranahan Park

Dave your quiet support, insightful commentary and your readiness to help is truly appreciated and I thank you for being there for me.

Our homeless families and homeless veterans, especially Anthony, who were and are willing to share their stories with us, we thank you and together with the Coalition for the Homeless and Food Not Bombs we will stand with you. 

The Unitarian Universalist Church, Rev. Gail and its members we thank you too for your continuing support of us by allowing us to hold our meetings under your roof.  

Amy, your support has been unwavering and I do miss you.

Susan and Occupy the Roads RV

Remember the good people of Occupy the Roads...

and our marches though the streets of Fort Lauderdale and especially those on Las Olas Blvd., to all those marchers and the members of Drumline we say thank you and would love to see every one of you at our next event.

Members of Drumline

 

To Bob and Pattie Bender a special thanks to you and the singers for all the great music that you so generously provide for us.

If I have forgetten to thank anyone, I do apologise but know that we are grateful for all your support and we, I, thank you.

WE ARE THE 99%

  

Happy First Anniversary Occupy Fort Lauderdale

Occupy Fort Lauderdale's First Anniversary! Join us as we celebrate our 1st Anniversary with Global Noise and Food Not Bombs.  Here is Our Invitation to you, and you, and you...  or go to Occupy Fort Lauderdale for  details: http://www.facebook.com/occupyfortlauderdale

Hope to see you all there.

Story of the Payne's Home and Their Struggle to Save it.

This property owned by James and Denise Payne: 9910 SW 14^th Street, Pembroke Pines, Florida, 33025 is currently in foreclosure and will be sold on the steps of the Courthouse on September 25, 2012.  They have a Vendee Loan, the Servicer is Bank of America and Deutsche Bank National Trust Company sued for foreclosure.

Mrs. Payne in her words...

We started falling behind right after 911 and have been trending water ever since.  My family has been on a roller coaster from my husband being unemployed to following the advice of Bankruptcy lawyers, trying to save our home. It’s been a long drawn out process for us and we just need to get you to help us! 

We were told by the first lawyer, Jeffery Weinberg, who we thought was going to be the person to help us during this time.  That he could help us save our home.  So, we met with him and he convinces us that we needed him and he could help us.  Needless to say he had his own personal gain and later he wanted us to do busy with his mortgage finance person, who just wanted our house.  We stayed in the BK for a couple of years and realized he was uncooperative and wanted out but he told us we could not get out.  When we try to re-finance with someone, I found that his office was uncooperative.  He would not send the information that was needed to get the deal done.  Then James was laid off and we could not keep up with the payment so the case was dismissed.

Next lawyer Robert Bigge who, we thought again was going to help us.  He told us that he could make the BK work and we could re-finance in 6 months and refer us to someone who only wanted our home.  During the process my husband was still laid off and it I could not do it with one income and paying all the other bills.  We fell behind and the case was dismissed again.

Third and we thought it was final when we were in court but, we saw Mr. Elisa DSouza out third attorney he smiled at us and we later received his advertisement.  I felt it had to be a sign and I called him right away.  He was up front with us; however, my husband was still out of work.  So, I attempted to make the payment later and my husband started working.  Well, after trying to pay Elisa and catch up on other falling bills; it became to much and we fell behind.  With many attempts the case was dismissed again. 

Fourth, attorney we were referred to was David Marshall, we started the process, and then James was involved in two motor vehicle accidents.  The day before he was going to meet the creditors someone stop suddenly on 95’s interstate there hood flew up and the case was dismisses.  Then when we tried again we were all in a motor vehicle accident in which we were hit from behind by a DUI.  The driver plied into the back of our car while standing still.  The police put my husband and 26 year old daughter in jail like we were the person who caused the accident, because we stop the guy from driving and leaving the scene of an accident.  We were the victims, and that case is still pending as of today.  Look it up case # 08004281CF1OA.  But, later He was able to land a temporary job through a temporary agency.  Everything was going good, and two weeks before Christmas, they told him that his assignment was over this was in 2008.   The business told him that they will call him at the beginning of the year, but that never happened. Needless to say the case was dismissed again.

Okay, now we are in 2010, we meet George Castratro, who suggests that we just give up and file a chapter 7.  Well, after many emotional and sleepless nights we followed yet another attorney’s lead.   We filed the Chapter 7 and after meeting with the trustee, we were told that we needed to move out of our home within 30 days.  Well, we have been in our home for over 10 years. So moving in 30 days would be scary but we must do what we must do.  So, we moved out and were renting someone else’s property.  One year later, after trying to resolve the utilities issue at the now old address.  If find out that no action had be taken to our property and that the house was still legally under us.

Okay, so now we inquired the assistances of Ameriahope Alliances, which has attorney and other resources to help us retain our home.  They told us to move back into our house at 9910 SW 14^th street, and they could help us stay there.  Regardless of the situation they were going to help us keep our primary residences.  I have a grand daughter and this is really the only residences that she has ever known.  When she came home from the hospital it was to this house, she has lived her for seven years of her life.  We have to endure the economical crisis just like everyone else, and my husband and I have always wanted one thing, and that was to keep our home. 

 The recession has not made it easy we really need your help, regarding helping us save our home.  I am still employed at UnitedHealth Group, and have been for 13 years this past February.  We will make sacrifices, to cut down on our bills to make ends meet.  We do not want to lose our home. 

We understand it seems like we just can’t get it together, but the “Lord has gotten us this far” and I know he will get us through the end.  I know you can only do what you can, however; we are sitting still, because we know it’s going to work out.  Bad things do happen to good people and it’s all in how and who you believe in, to help you get through it. 

Denise and James Payne.

September 25, 2012 is next Tuesday.  If any of you reading this know of a way to help, please contact me at susan.howai@yahoo.com.

The Brochure

In August there were 4,823 foreclosures filed in South Florida according to Condo Vultures.  Two thousand and forty-eight (2,048) were in Miami-Dade county, one thousand five hundred and eleven (1,511) in Broward County and one thousand, two hundred and sixty-four in Palm Beach. 

That's a lot of foreclosures.  If you are in foreclosure or know someone who is, have a look at my brochure, So... What's Foreclosure All About it may provide some assistance but what ever you do, do not panic.

"Do you want fries with that?"

The last few weeks have been difficult.  Homeowners have found their way to my door with personal stories of loss, fear for their children and a deep sense of shame and embarrassment. There is anger, frustration and no one they can ask for help.  Law enforcement individuals might be sympathetic to a homeowners distress but must enforce a broken legal process.  Attorneys can be expensive and represent their own financial self-interest rather than a favorable outcome for their clients.  Certainly there are honest legal representatives, but how does the ordinary person know who is honest and who is not?

Wall Street and the banking industry created this housing crisis that in turn lead to the economic collapse we are now suffer.  Homeowners were conned into believing that it was OK to take out an exotic mortgage (subprime loan) as in two years when the interest rate adjust to where you can no longer afford to pay it, your home would have doubled in its value, at which point you can either sell the property for a huge profit or refinance to a lower fixed rate.

Well guess what? That never happened. The housing bubble popped, property values plummeted and unemployment rose to over 8%. Between 2004 and 2008, the height of the mortgage feeding frenzy, blacks were 2.8 times and Latinos were 2.2 times more likely than whites to receive subprime loans. White families too have been affected by the rampant and ongoing theft. Now, homeowners are left with an “investment” that is worth way less than they paid for it and a mortgage payment they cannot afford.

The banks and Wall Street executives carefully thought out who their first victims would be – low income and minority groups. In 2011, 20% of foreclosures and at risk for foreclosure were in minority neighborhoods while 25% were in low income communities. During the mortgage frenzy, securitization of mortgage loans were sloppy and carelessly done. This has led to fraud upon the courts, clouded titles, the now infamous “robo-signing,” endorsement in blank, no endorsements, loss notes, loss note affidavits, errors in note delivery practices, MERS (Mortgage Electronic Registration System created in 1990) and strange assignments of mortgages. It is hard to defend oneself when one does not quite understand the legal and banking systems and when English is not ones first language.

So, where do we go from here? Ah yes… the 25 billion dollar mortgage settlement. I hate to burst your bubble, but there is no settlement for homeowners. The banks got away without paying any money as “...they get credits against the settlement amount for ceasing all kinds of illegal activities that they agree to stop as part of the settlement.” (George W. Mantor, The Real Estate Professor.)

“Illegal activities” you say, why are the CEOs, CFOs, CEEOs, not in jail? I’m guessing that they are bankrolling both election campaigns and many will work for and represent those very CEOs, CFOs, etc., so they can’t jail their buddies (see revolving door).

As to the homeowners who are struggling, some are now homeless and/or scattered among family and friends willing take them in. The American Dream, education of our children and upward mobility has all been a trail of tears. I’m sure you’ve heard of the suicides as a result of a home being foreclosed (see the article “Death by Foreclosure”). In Florida, 10% or higher of our children have lived or live in owner-occupied homes that is in foreclosure or at risk for foreclosure. The stress of foreclosure has lasting effects on our children. As parents struggle with shattered nerves and fewer resources they sometimes engage in harsh and negative behaviors. In high foreclosure neighborhoods (blighted communities) children suffer as vacant homes (REO a/k/a bank owned properties) create havens for illegal activity, lower property values and a lower tax base. The results are lower social and educational achievements. 

Well, the 1% has got to have someone to ask them “do you want fries with that?”