Posted on 02/20/2009 9:00:14 AM PST by lewisglad
A community organization breaks into a foreclosed home in what they are calling an act of civil disobedience.
The group wants to train homeowners facing eviction on peaceful ways they can remain in their homes.
Derek Valcourt reports their actions are not without controversy.
Near Patterson Park, the padlock on the door and the sign in the window tell part of Donna Hanks foreclosure story.
"The mortgage went up $300 in one month," said Hanks, former homeowner.
She says the bank refused to modify her loan and foreclosed, kicking her out of the house in September.
The community group ACORN calls Hanks a victim of predatory lending.
"This is our house now," said Louis Beverly, ACORN.
And on Thursday afternoon, they literally broke the foreclosure padlock right off the front door and then broke into the house, letting Hanks back in for the first time in months.
"We are actually trespassing, and so this is a way of civil disobedience to try to stay in the house," said Beverly. "Legally it's wrong, but homesteading is the only means that she has left to stay in her house. And we feel as though this is the right thing to do at this particular time to save this family."
Inside, there's spray paint on the walls and evidence that someone has possibly been remodeling.
The group says it was staging similar demonstrations in six other cities nationwide while urging a moratorium on foreclosures. They want that until President Obama's stimulus plan begins on March 4. The plan is designed to help threatened homeowners.
"As you all can see, Donna is reclaiming her home, and she's putting a lock on her door at this time," said Beverly.
But that padlock won't stay there for long.
The current property managers told Eyewitness News they were unaware of ACORN's actions Thursday and were contacting the police and their lawyers
It’s not homesteading!
It’s B & E and criminal trespass.
OMG.
ACORN is where 0 got his talking points as community organizer. And they also contributed to his winning the election. They are an abomination.
Couldn’t ACORN be sued for this activity? They are the instigators of this, and it appears they are damaging private property. Does ACORN have any assets that could be attached? Real assets, I mean, not a bin of “I heart Obama” thongs.
And all the ACORN squatters should be hauled away to jail. Let the maggots protest in jail.
Tax protests being planned -
http://atlantataxprotest.blogspot.com/
Also see www.instanpundit.com Glenn has a poll up
Also see Rick Santelli’s protest page
Just so I understand, she signed for an adjustable rate, and when it adjusted, she couldn’t afford it? So they foreclosed? I don’t see where ACORN has a right to this do this..
that’s
www.instapundit.com for the tax protest poll
Think I better call my neighbors and warn them that their houses are sitting here unattended and will be seen as fair game.
Your tax dollars at work supporting Acorn. They are also trolling for foreclosurers with cold phone calls.
Enough already with this damn pond scum ACORN!!!!
Is this BHO’s idea of hope and change? Paid thugs rabblerousing?
“Predatory lending.” There is always a code word. Never your fault.
Someone should tell the owner ACORN is known to vandalize and strip a residential property of anything valuble if the eviction does go down. Gotta make da Man pay somehow.
Fumigate those homes. They obviously have a pest infestation problem.
ACORN has no right to be there, it’s all street theatre for the local news.
So now ACORN isn’t just a politically corrupt unlawful enterprise, it’s now an all purpose criminal enterprise. And since this is a multi-state effort, the feds should shut it down.
These are the same people that think the Death Tax should be so high that we lose my parents house should they pass on.
This could literally be the beginning of the end.
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