Millions of Americans Facing Foreclosure Can Make Their Voices Heard

[Turborama]

Source: Alternet

Time to hear from the millions in danger of losing their homes.

We have already heard too much from bailed out banks. Their corporate greed clearly knows no bounds as they continue predatory lending practices after taking tens of billions from the government, which they failed to use to jump-start economic recovery. And now we've heard from Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who rolled out his controversial Financial Stabilization Plan today that will devote $50 billion to help dam up the flood of foreclosures drowning our economy. Who have we not heard from?

How about the 2.3 million Americans who faced foreclosure proceedings last year? How about the 860,000 people whose homes were repossessed by lenders? How about the millions more out there right now struggling to renegotiate their mortgages with banks bent on reducing lending, restricting loans, and lying about conditions? Those are the heartrending stories we haven't heard yet, but that's about to change.

Today, Brave New Foundation is unveiling its newest campaign: Fighting for Our Homes. The website enables anyone affected by the housing crisis to tell their tale in their own words, either by recording it on camera or writing it down and submitting it with a photo of the house in jeopardy. Watch as people from around the country give accounts of their nightmarish ordeals. These stories fill up an interactive Google map symbolizing the toll this economic meltdown has taken on Main Street homeowners, reminding us of the consequences of irresponsible lending and corporate malfeasance.

The site is meant to put a personal face on the foreclosure crisis. To that end, you'll hear from Holly, a Disney World worker from Orlando, Florida, who was unaware her mortgage company had her on an adjustable mortgage for five years. Now that her payments have doubled, she may be unable to prevent foreclosure and save her home for her granddaughters. You'll hear from Penny of Houston, Texas, who fell behind on mortgage payments because her insurance company didn't cover damages from Hurricane Ike. You'll hear from Debra of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a widow fighting to hold onto her home of 33 years because of an unjust high-interest loan.

Read more: http://www.alternet.org/blogs/workplace/126304/millions_of_americans_facing_foreclosure_can_make_their_voices_heard/

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Find out more about how to get involved here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x270509

You can Digg this story here:http://digg.com/politics/Millions_of_Americans_Facing_Foreclosure_Find_Their_Voices

[grasswire]

1. I was just thinking of this idea today!

I was thinking that there needed to be a place where RENTERS can tell the tale of their landlord skimming off the rent and not paying the mortgage, and the house going into foreclosure. That's happening to my family right now. The landlady hasn't paid the mortgage since September, the house is foreclosed and will be sold by the lender.

There should be a place where people in this situation can post the name of the landlord.

In California it's a felony. Not in my state. It should be.

[CoffeeCat]

2. It's obvious that the corporations in this country...

...are out of control!

They are destroying this county and ruining the lives of citizens.

From the insurance company that doesn't pay up after a hurricane, to the bank that makes millions off of
horrendous financing--the the credit-card companies that bleed people dry at 23 percent interest--and the
health-insurance companies that kill us for more profits.

This is fucking enough!!!

[Turborama]

3. ...

:bounce:

[grasswire]

4. where are the kicks for this??

come on, DU

[Turborama]

5. Thank-you...

:kick:

[Ocracoker16]

6. This is a great idea

I think it is educational for viewers. I don't know anyone who is facing a foreclosure so this helps me to better understand what people are going through. I have seen many reports on this issue that give a lot of statistics about those affected, but I didn't truly get it until I went to this site.

;)

[Turborama]

8. Good to hear you got something out of visiting the site...

It really gives a human face to the whole situation instead of just all these numbers and graphs we're seeing, doesn't it?

[Lance_Boyle]

7. How can one not know for five years (until reset) that they had purchased an ARM?

Some of these people have to take responsibility for their own failures to understand the contracts they signed. It's a big purchase - people who go into it blindly and/or stupidly are going to get fuckered. They garner little sympathy from me. I read and understood my mortgage contract before I signed it. Not rocket surgery.