Occupy Our Homes Launches City-Wide Effort To Reach Out To Homeowners Facing Foreclosure For Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

On January 15 and 16, 2012, a coalition of Chicago housing-rights organizers did a city-wide day of canvassing under the banner of Occupy Our Homes. From five different locations in all parts of Chicago about 150 volunteers went out into the neighborhoods knocking on doors.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Occupy Our Homes Launches City-Wide Effort To Reach Out To Homeowners Facing Foreclosure For Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

What:
A coalition of Chicago community groups begin a city-wide canvassing effort targeting homeowners facing foreclosure and the neighborhoods affected.

When & Where:

January 15, 2012-

10 a.m.- Meeting Point/Training Session:
Centro Autonomo, 3460 W. Lawrence Ave.

11 a.m.-to- 3 p.m.
Neighborhood Canvassing: Immediately after training sessions, canvassers spread out to adjoining neighborhoods to speak directly to homeowners facing foreclosure.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (January 16), 2012-

10:00 a.m.- Meeting point/Training Sessions
West Side: 2655 N. Melvina Avenue (a home under foreclosure).
South Side: Sankofa Fight Back Center For Human Rights, 1401 E. 75th Street.

11:00 a.m.- Meeting point/Training Session
North Side: Rogers Park Community House, 7463 N. Ridge Blvd.

11a.m.-to- 3p.m.
Neighborhood Canvassing


Contact: Loren Taylor (773) 750-6909

In commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2012, a coalition of Chicago community groups working under the banner of Occupy Our Homes begins a pro-active, city-wide effort to connect with homeowners facing foreclosure. A combination of community residents, students & other concerned citizens will join experienced housing-rights organizers and participants of the Occupy movement to speak directly to affected homeowners & their neighbors.

This series of coordinated actions marks the second year that Chicago community groups went out on MLK Day to inform homeowners of their rights and to offer assistance to help families stay in their homes.

In Cook County over 21,000 properties went into foreclosure in the first half of 2011, adding to the tens of thousands already in the process. In today's economic climate, these properties will likely add to the estimated 100,000 abandoned residential units in Chicago. (Sources: Woodstock Institute, U.S. Census Data)

Quite often financial institutions "don't know that behind those numbers are real people," says 17-year old Yessenia Tellez. With help from community groups, her family successfully fought foreclosure & eviction (by HSBC Trustee Bank) from their Belmont-Cragin home. A student at Foreman High School, Yessenia watched her grades fall as she stressed over her family's struggle with the foreclosure process. But she advises other families going thru foreclosure "not to give up. It's something worth fighting for."

Participating groups include the Chicago Anti-Eviction Campaign, Communities United Against Foreclosure & Eviction, Albany Park Neighborhood Council, Albany Park Autonomous Center/Centro Autonomo and other faith-based & community groups. Many of these organizations participated in the recent nationwide "Home For The Holidays" actions coordinated by Occupy Our Homes, an umbrella group started by Occupy Wall Street participants to address the issues of foreclosures & bank-initiated evictions.

"The perverse economic inequality we now see has caused an unacceptable number of home foreclosures & evictions," said Loren Taylor, a representative for Occupy Our Homes. "Financial institutions have shown little regard for how this affects families and neighborhoods- Occupy has responded by putting the issues of foreclosures & evictions  at the forefront of the movement."

"If we stay quiet, it's always going to stay the same," Yessenia said.

Please visit:
www.occupyourhomes.org
http://chicagoantieviction.org/
http://stopeviction.wordpress.com/