If you know you can’t make it, please communicate with someone who you think CAN make it!

Committee on Health, Housing and Family Security

Monday, February 15, 2010 – 12:30 p.m. Room 15 Capitol

S.F. 2243 Berglin – Minnesota family investment program (MFIP) cash assistance time limit exemption.

S.F. 2244 Berglin – Minnesota family investment program (MFIP) temporary hardship extension and qualification conditions.

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SF 2243 and SF2244 both suspend the five-year lifetime limit on welfare. MFIP (Minnesota’s welfare program for families) is the final safety net for parents who don’t have enough work quarters to qualify for unemployment – it is poor parents’ “unemployment insurance.” Most parents have done whatever they could to get jobs and avoid using up their 60 months, but still, many still have only a few months left. MFIP parents are generally the “last hired” at a workplace, which means they are the “first fired.” This puts MFIP parents – who are often not qualified for UI – in a tough spot for getting new jobs, especially in this economy.

FYI, there are three committee members who are authors of our bill. If you wan to call them and thank them for signing on, great:

Our anti-foreclosure bill is coming up for its first vote on Tuesday, Feb. 9. Call these representatives!

These are the members of the Housing Finance and Policy and Public Health Finance Division. Call them and tell them to “vote yes on HF-2604, the bill that puts a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions.”

It is fine to simply leave them messages – but be sure to include your name and phone number in the message. For talking points, see House Committee to VOTE on moratorium bill Feb. 9

TUESDAY, February 9, 2010, 10:30 AM

Housing Policy and Finance and Public Health Finance DivisionRoom: 5 State Office Building

Chair: Rep. Karen Clark

Agenda: HF2604 (Hayden) Stay of mortgage foreclosure proceedings allowed under certain conditions, and tenants provided rights of foreclosed property.

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Stop Foreclosures and Evictions!

The Minnesota Coalition for People’s Bailout is working for a bill (HF2604, SF2242) to put a Moratorium on Foreclosures and for a stop to foreclosure-related evictions. We call it the “Foreclosure Moratorium, Neighborhood Stabilization and Tenant Protection Bill.”

What this bill does:

For Homeowners: The bill puts a two-year moratorium on foreclosures. The intention is for the bill to affect only owner-occupied properties. Homeowners are required to pay either their current payment or 41% of their income during the moratorium.

For Renters: The bill lets renters stay in their homes, paying a fair market rent (ie, their current rent) or 41% of their income to the forecloser.

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Some common-sense reasons to pass this bill in 2010:

Save our homes. Many banks are stonewalling as people try to make adjustments to their mortgages. The programs we hear about that are supposed to help people help only a small fraction; these programs need major reform at the federal level. We need something to make these banks come to the table and truly negotiate in good faith. Until the feds (or the state) can make those changes, we need a moratorium so people and banks have time to get together to work out a deal that benefits everyone. Note that  this bill is not a “free ride.” Homeowners have to pay up to  41% of their income to the banks as both parties work to come together for a new arrangement.

Protect innocent renters. Renters need the option of keeping their existing tenancy in effect. Despite current laws, many renters don’t even know their landlords are getting foreclosed on; they have been paying rent, assuming it was going to the mortgage. There are also cases where “landlords” take the security deposit and disappear! Let renters stay in their homes, paying a fair market rent to the forecloser. This bill still allows renters to be evicted only “for cause,” like not paying the rent or damaging the property.  That kind of stability for good renters is good for our neighborhoods and just makes SENSE.

Save our neighborhoods. When houses (or apartments) go empty, everyone suffers. Housing values go down and there are health and safety issues. Empty houses turn into trashed houses. Lower property values mean less money for local governments. Stable neighborhoods are safer, healthier neighborhoods. Keep people housed, keep properties maintained, and even keep some money going to the lender.

Don’t make the state budget deficit worse: Because of the current economic crisis, home stability is more important than ever. Homeless families cost cities, counties and the state money. This is not just about homeowners losing their homes — there is a trend of the unemployed taking refuge in the homes of friends and family, for the short or long-term. The bottom line is empty houses mean more money needed for city services, health care, social services…there are countless costs (both financial and social) that arise from foreclosure.

Minnesota Coaltiion for a People’s Bailout – 612-822-8020 – www.mn-peoples-bailout.org

Join with MN Coalition for a People’s Bailout as we take our fight to the politicians at the state capitol. The economy is in CRISIS and we the people have to demand relief. Here is what we will be fighting for in 2010:

• A 2-Year Moratorium on Home Foreclosures
• No Evictions for Renters in Foreclosed Properties
• Extend Unemployment Insurance
• Stop the 5-year time limit on MFIP — because there aren’t enough jobs out there.
• Stop the GAMC cuts. Pawlenty stole healthcare from the poorest of the poor.

Tell Governor Pawlenty and Minnesota’s Politicians: Don’t Balance the Budget on OUR Backs! Tax the Rich, instead!

PROTEST – On the opening day of the MN legislative session

Thursday, February 4, 2010

12:00 noon

State Capitol

Gather on the front steps.

The MN State Capitol is at 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155, by University Ave & Rice St

FFI: MN Coalition for a People’s Bailout  612-822-8020   www.mn-peoples-bailout.org

Two Important Legislative Hearings, Jan. 27th and Jan. 28th, 2010.

The Minnesota Coalition for People’s Bailout will have a bill to put a Moratorium on Foreclosures this year. We are calling it the “Foreclosure Moratorium, Neighborhood Stabilization and Tenant Protection Bill.” Already, there has been one success – we have secured two “pre-session” hearings. Because of the way the 2010 legislative session is shaping up, pre-session hearings are more important than ever. Please come to these hearings and show your support, for our bill, but of course for all the homeowners who are fighting their foreclosures!

1. Senate Hearing!
Wednesday, Jan. 27th, 2010
9:00 a.m. - press conference in room 125 of the state capitol building.
10:00 a.m. – room 123 of the state capitol building: Senate hearing of the Economic Development and Housing Budget Division and Health, Housing and Family Security Committee. At the hearing, we will have several testifiers on our bill for moratorium on foreclosures and evictions! Our chief author in the Senate is Sen. Scott Dibble.

2. House Hearing
Thursday, Jan. 28th, 2010
10:30 a.m. – In room 10 of the State Office Building. House hearing of the Labor and Consumer Protection Division and the Housing Finance and Policy and Public Health Finance Division. Again, we will have several testifiers on our bill for moratorium on foreclosures and evictions! Our chief author in the House is Rep. Jeff Hayden.

Check out our bill! It has a number in the house (HF-2604), but the Senate is not numbering bills yet.
http://tinyurl.com/ylh386m

Why this bill is needed: HF2604 puts a two-year moratorium on foreclosures. Homeowners are required to pay up to 40% of their income during the moratorium. HF2604 also makes it so that renters in foreclosed properties can keep their leases when a property is foreclosed on. Here are some basic arguments for this important piece of legislation.

Save our homes. The banks are stonewalling as people try to make adjustments to their mortgages. The programs we hear about that are supposed to help people help only a small fraction; these programs need major reform. We NEED a moratorium so people and banks have time to get together to work out a  deal. It just makes SENSE.

Save our Neighborhoods. When houses (or apartments) go empty, everyone suffers. Housing values go down and there are health and safety issues. Empty houses turn into trashed houses. Lower property values mean less money for local governments. Trashed houses mean less money when the banks try to re-sell the house. Keep people housed, keep properties maintained, and even keep some money going to the lender. A moratorium just makes SENSE.

Protect innocent renters. Renters need the option of keeping their existing tenancy in effect until they gives “good cause” to be evicted.  Many renters don’t even know their landlords are getting foreclosed on; they have been paying rent, assuming it was going to the mortgage. There are also cases where “landlords” take the security deposit and disappear! Let renters stay in their homes,paying a fair market rent to the forecloser, and being evicted only “for cause”, like not paying the rent or damaging the property.  That kind of stability for good renters is good for our neighborhoods and just makes SENSE.

For More Information: Minnesota Coaltion for a People’s Bailout – 612-822-8020 -

www.mn-peoples-bailout.org

President Bruininks and senior administrators want to balance the budget on the backs of staff and students. Some of their plans include:

— Furloughs: President Bruininks told senior administrators that he intends to make staff take 10 furlough days (unpaid days off) over the next year. This is a pay cut for hourly staff at the university and we can’t afford it. Pay and holidays are negotiated with the unions on campus, and cannot be unilaterally dictated.

— Layoffs: Layoffs are already taking place at the U. Hundreds of frontline staff have been laid off since the hiring pause began, while over 250 administrators continue to make more than $200,000 per year.
Layoffs mean that there are fewer staff to do the important work of helping students navigate the university system from admissions to graduation. The work is still there, and has increased as admissions have gone up. The remaining staff are forced to work harder and are working through breaks and lunches. This is not legal, nor sustainable and ultimately students will suffer as services and support decrease.
— Attacks on benefits: University administrators are discussing ways to cut our hard-earned benefits. Their ideas include cutting pensions and cutting the tuition benefit for graduate teaching and research assistants.

— Making education unaffordable: Between 2000-2007, undergraduate tuition went up over 68%. The administration wants to pit students against staff by telling us it’s either tuition increases or layoffs. This is a false choice.

As the university faces increasing budget cuts they are putting the burden on the backs of the lowest paid staff and students rather than those that can afford it – the administrators, of whom over 250 earn more than $200,000 each year.
Join us as we rally the first week of the new semester to tell the administration that we’ve had enough, and it’s time for the University’s priorities to change – CHOP FROM THE TOP! No furloughs, no more layoffs of frontline staff, and no tuition hikes!

2. House Hearing
Thursday, Jan. 28th
10:30 a.m. – In the State Office Building (room TBA). House hearing of the Labor and Consumer Protection Division and the Housing Finance and Policy and Public Health Finance Division. Again, we will have several testifiers on our bill for moratorium on foreclosures and evictions!

3. Check out our bill! It has a number in the house (HF-2604), but the Senate is not numbering bills yet.

http://tinyurl.com/ylh386m

As the U.S. government spends billions for the wars and occupations in Afghanistan and Iraq, as working and low income people are facing the worst economic crisis in decades, millions of people are facing foreclosure, unemployment and budget cuts, on January 16, join the protest and public forum that will mark the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend with a call for funds for human needs not war and occupation.