September protests to hit foreclosures

[Joanne98]

By Kris Hamel

Published Aug 23, 2008 8:04 AM
Millions of people in the U.S. are facing foreclosure; some 8,500 workers lose their homes each day, largely due to predatory subprime loans.

While the federal government touts a new bill that bails out banks and lenders but does little to help the millions of people in crisis, activists are putting forward a real solution: a moratorium to halt foreclosures and evictions.

Organizers in Michigan and California are gearing up for demonstrations on Sept. 17 to demand immediate relief from the foreclosure crisis.

In Michigan the Moratorium NOW! Coalition and other activists will converge at the State Capitol in Lansing to demand passage of SB 1306, a two-year foreclosure moratorium law.

Organizer Jerry Goldberg told Workers World: “SB 1306 has languished in the Bank and Finance Committee since its introduction. We are demanding immediate public hearings on this bill. On Sept. 17 the victims of foreclosures and evictions will make their voices heard in Lansing.”

The action starts at 11:00 a.m. at the Capitol building. For bus information from Detroit, contact the coalition at 313-319-0870 or visit moratorium-mi.org.

In California, Service Employees’ Local 721, with 85,000 members, has joined with the International Action Center and community organizations to call for a march in Los Angeles on Sept. 17. The union’s Latino Caucus has been especially active in mobilizing for this action.

According to John Parker of the IAC, “We’ll be presenting a resolution to the City Council calling for a moratorium. We’ll also be demanding that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger use his executive authority under the law to declare a state of economic emergency in California and impose a statewide moratorium on foreclosures and evictions.”

Activists will gather at 10 a.m. at Placito Olvera Plaza in downtown Los Angeles for a march to the City Council. Call the IAC at 310-677-6407 for more information.

http://www.workers.org/2008/us/foreclosures_0828/