California Occupiers Camp Outside Former Marine’s Home to Prevent Foreclosure

About 20 California activists surrounded a local home this weekend to prevent Freddie Mac and Chase Bank from foreclosing on the property, even amid rumors that sheriff’s deputies were coming to seize it. The Riverside, California home belongs to Arturo de los Santos, a former Marine who told Riverside’s City News Service that he fell behind on his payments when business plummeted at the factory where he’s employed.

De los Santos said he applied for a modification to his mortgage to lower his monthly costs, only to be rejected by Chase. The bank then initiated foreclosure proceedings, and a local judge granted possession to mortgage giant Freddie Mac, which guaranteed the loan, last week. That allows the local sheriff to seize the property, a situation de los Santos and the Occupiers are trying to prevent […]

Across the country, Occupy Our Homes has drawn attention to these problems by placing homeless families in vacant homes, disrupting foreclosure auctions, and forcing banks to renegotiate mortgage terms on properties in foreclosure. “I know because of them I am still in my home,” an Atlanta woman said of the Occupiers in December. “They got everyday people like myself involved. Everyday people contacting Chase and advocating for me, peaceful demonstrations, people calling and writing in.”