Communities United Against Foreclosure and Eviction Media Advisory
November 3, 2011
Chicago,
IL – Thursday, November 3rd, 11am, Silvia and Alvaro
Tellez, joined by their neighbors facing foreclosure, public housing
resident leaders facing eviction as a result of privatization,
Communities United Against Foreclosure and Eviction, and activists
from Occupy Chicago, will rally outside their once foreclosed home.
This day marks the one year anniversary of their being ordered by a
Cook County judge to vacate their house within 30 days. The Tellez
family's victory is entirely a result of organizing support from
their community and pressuring the bank through public actions, until
the bank finally called them and asked, “what do you want?” This
success at bringing the bank to negotiations is something that even
the federal government seems unable to do as we've seen no programs
compelling banks to work with homeowners seeking modifications.
The
Tellez family, like so many other Latino and African American
borrowers, had been given a predatory loan, which unbeknownst to
them, imbedded a variable interest rate that came into affect after 2
years, resulting in a greatly increased mortgage payment of over
$4,000 per month. They were able to keep up for awhile, sacrificing
other needs and reaching out to family, but then Mr. Tellez, like so
many others, lost his job and had to rely on work he could find on a
daily or weekly basis. They made numerous attempts to modify the
loan, but were unable to get the bank to respond. This is a familiar
experience for many homeowners, as are predatory loans, and several
banks have been investigated by attorneys general and the Justice
Department for just that. Still, the investigations of
discrimination and fraud, (e.g. Robo-signing) have done nothing to
stop banks from making families homeless.
The
Tellez family's solution, organizing support and refusing to leave
their home, is the solution to which homeowners are increasingly
turning. As the the language of “occupation” grows around the
country, Silvia and Alvaro Tellez, and their children Yessenia, 17,
and Naomi, 13, are challenging folks to occupy their own communities,
to stand up to the banks with the message, “we aren't going
anywhere, so work with us or don't; we can stay and pay or we can
stay and not pay”
The
Tellez family's victory is so significant that the bank actually
imposed a gag order on Silvia and Alvaro. They did not, however, gag
their children or their community and allies. Not only will this
group talk about the fight to keep families in their homes, but they
will also inform the banks that they are working around Chicago to
re-occupy vacant, foreclosed properties and to turn them back into
homes for homeless families. We saw this with the Martha Biggs
family earlier this year--once homeless after being displaced from
Cabrini, they are now housed among a supportive community, happy for
one less vacant property.
What:
Rally with Tellez Family
When:
Thursday, November 3rd, 11am
Where:
2221 N Latrobe, Chicago
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