MN Coalition for a People's Bailout

Help Keep Leslie Parks in her home – Stop foreclosures and evictions!

Join us Friday, December 18 at 4:30 for to hold banners and signs demanding that IndyMac /OneWest come to a just settlement that allows the Parks family to keep their home. We will be gathering Leslie’s home, located at 3749 Park Ave. in Mpls.

This event is being organized by the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout and the MN Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign.

Leslie has been through a lot in the last 15 days. Come out and support her and keep up the pressure on IndyMac /OneWest!

Leslie’s day in court has been postponed. It was to be Wednesday, Dec. 16. Please help spread the word.

Finally, after a long day, Leslie Parks is back in her home!

This morning, we went to Housing Court and filed papers against IndyMac/One West for doing an unlawful lockout. In a preliminary order, the judge ruled that IndyMac must let Leslie back in her home.

Next we met with Leslie’s lawyer who is eager to take her case, particularly since the bank did this to her before. Meanwhile, THE CEO of IndyMac, Terry Laughlin, CALLED LESLIE PERSONALLY, leaving a message that included an apology!!! Later on the phone, through her lawyer, Terry Laughlin explained that they were taking full responsibility for the lockout, and again he wished to offer great apologies to the Parks family. “I want to become personally involved in this” he added. He also said that locksmiths had been standing by outside Leslie’s house for hours, waiting for us.

It took the locksmiths over two hours to fix all the locks at Leslie’s house. In all eight locks had to be replaced – including padlocked closet doors in the basement and interior of the house – there was a lot of senseless damage done to wrench open locked doors.

NEXT LEGAL STEP:
Housing Court Hearing regarding the illegal lockout.
Wednesday, Dec. 16
8:30 a.m.
Hennepin County Government Center
Third floor

Thanks to everyone who spread the word and did calls so we were able to get this outcome. We will never stop the pressure until Leslie gets her house back at terms she can afford!

On Tuesday night, Dec. 8, Leslie Parks was illegally locked out of her home. Take Action ASAP!

Call IndyMac and tell them:
1. Changing the locks Leslie Parks’ home was a criminal act. Let her Leslie back into her home!
2. Give the Parks family back their home, with payments they can afford!

Phone numbers:
–IndyMac/One West: 800-669-2300. Then hit 3 (directory), then zero for operator. Tell her you need to leave a message for Terry Laughlin (CEO) and Steven Mnuchin (chairman).
–If you have time, a more direct number for Steven Mnuchin is 212-301-8400.

Here is the background info in the form of our press release:
***************

For Immediate Release
December 8, 2009

Leslie Parks Illegally Locked Out
of Her Home by IndyMac/One West Bank

On Tuesday night, Dec. 8, in a freezing blizzard, Leslie Parks returned from her job to find that IndyMac/One West had changed the locks to her home (3749 Park Ave. in Minneapolis).

Locking Leslie Parks out of her home is illegal. In fact it is beyond illegal, given the struggle that Leslie Parks is waging to keep her home. It is a cynical breach of what all assumed were good faith negotiations on the part of IndyMac/One West.

After the start of national call-in week to IndyMac officials, IndyMac informed Leslie, in writing, on Nov. 25 that they were rescinding both the foreclosure and the sheriffs sale. According to Ms. Parks, “I got an email from IndyMac stating, and I quote, ‘In an effort to work with you and your mother and come to a resolution, we have started the process of rescinding the Trusteed Sale which took place on May 29, 2009.’ They go on to say, and again I quote, ‘You expressed concern that at the end of the redemption period (on Monday November 30, 2009) you and your mother will be evicted from the property. Rest assured, that will not take place due to the rescission of the foreclosure sale.’”

On Monday, Nov. 30, the Parks family and advocates had a phone conference with IndyMac to renew negotiations for the home. But today, 8 days later, IndyMac locked Leslie out.

Lynnette Malles, of Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign, said, “This an outrage; a criminal act. We will do everything in our power to see that IndyMac pays for this.” The Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout and the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign are putting out an action alert to call IndyMac about this situation.

Bailout lawyers also point out that even IF IndyMac had not come to the table, the next step would be a notice to come to court for eviction proceedings. In no case should the locks be changed. “They did the same thing in May of this year – changed the locks illegally. We had to take them to court and fine them, and we will do it again,” said Deb Konechne, of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout.

Leslie Parks and her supporters will be in housing court at the Hennepin County Government Center Wednesday morning around 10:00 a.m.

MN Coalition for a People’s Bailout: Linden Gawboy 612-296-5649, Mick Kelly 612-715-3280
Poor People’s Economic Human Campaign: Lynette Malles 651-497-4644, Cheri Honkala 267-439-8419

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What: Community Meeting to Tell Politicians: We Need a Moratorium on Foreclosures and Evictions Now!
When: Wednesday, October 28, 7:00pm
Where: Sabathani Community Center, banquet room (2nd floor), 310 E 38th St (map)

Join us for an important community meeting to talk about how we can fight back against home foreclosures and the eviction of renters from foreclosed properties. The foreclosure crisis is tearing apart our communities and it is time to take action. During the upcoming legislative session we will put forward legislation to place a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions. Find out more about how we can all work together to save our neighborhoods.

Northside Community Summit
Tuesday, October 6 at 6:30pm
Minneapolis Urban League, 2100 Plymouth Ave N, Minneapolis

The housing and foreclosure crisis has hit Minneapolis like many major cities in the U.S. Longtime homeowners have been put on the street, along with many folks who signed on with unscrupulous lenders of sub prime mortgages. Renters have been caught unaware in the crisis and many are forced to move out of their landlords’ foreclosed properties. At the same time there is a need for more affordable housing, buildings sit empty and boarded up in our neighborhoods. Can anything be done?

Come and hear from those who have come up with creative solutions to the crisis. Join us to come up with ways to combat this problem in our community.

Download the flyer

On October 3rd, trade unionists, immigrant rights activists, and members of low-income, housing, student, community, and progressive organizations, will come together for a conference to:

• Build a collective movement/consciousness
• Learn from one another’s experience
• Lend support to key struggles
• Make common plans
• Make a difference and build a more powerful fight back!

For more information, see http://www.wesayfightback.com/

Welcome to the web site for the MN Coalition for a People’s Bailout.  We are a coalition of labor, anti-war, student, immigrant rights, and housing rights groups dedicated to fighting for jobs or income, housing, and other necessities.  We take the struggle to the MN Legislature, to the banks, and to the streets.  Please visit the About page or the links on the right for more information.