[IMC-Boston-Dispatch] 3/28 (friday): Tenant eviction blockade

[Sofia JarrinT]

City Life & Bank Tenants Movement Plan Blockade of Meyers Family Eviction
When: Friday, March 28, 9 am.
Where: 200 Norfolk St., near Codman Sq., in Dorchester
Contacts: City Life (617-524-3541), Cheryl Lawrence (x315), Steve Meacham (x310; or cell – 617-909-6182)
    Dave Grossman, Harvard Legal Aid, representing the Meyers (617-384-5590)
    Interviews with Meyers family available on request
                                                        
    “Why don’t they just take our rent, or take our brother’s offer for appraised value,” asked Abigail Meyers, tenant at 200 Norfolk St.  “There is no reason to evict.”  
    Abigail lives with two sisters and a brother in 3 apartments at 200 Norfolk St. in the Codman Sq. area of Dorchester.  There are six children in the building.  Abigail herself has four children, ages 2, 3, 5, and 7.  All three Meyers households are facing eviction by US Bank (as trustee) and Premier Asset Services (affiliated with Wells Fargo, as servicer) after the building was foreclosed.  They face eviction despite paying market rents of $1000-$1300 prior to foreclosure.  They are willing to continue to pay rent.
Abigail and her children face an immediate eviction order from the constable that she and her children will be forcibly removed on Friday, March 28.  City Life and the growing Bank tenants movement (composed of former owners and tenants now living in foreclosed buildings) plan an “eviction blockade” that morning.  Bank tenants and supporters will sit in the doorways in order to stop the eviction.  City Life did similar actions in January on Semont Rd., Dorchester.
    After foreclosure, Banks and mortgage companies evict all occupants, including both former owners and tenants.  Such post-foreclosure evictions will likely affect two thousand Boston families in 2008.  City Life’s Bank Tenant Association has been demanding that Banks stop all post-foreclosure, “no-fault” evictions and simply accept occupants’ rents.  “We can’t accept that two thousand families could be forcibly evicted in 2008 without cause,” declared Cheryl Lawrence, an organizer with City Life.  “We will block the Meyers’ eviction.”
Alister Meyers, who lives on the 3rd floor, has been pre-approved for a mortgage sufficient to allow him to offer the Bank the full appraised value of 200 Norfolk St.  Nevertheless, the Bank insists on eviction!  Harvard Legal Aid made an effort in court to overturn an agreement to judgment because it was based on the false promise from the bank that they would negotiate to sell.  Legal Aid’s effort failed, leading to the constable notice and the blockade.
    “Everyone is concerned about vacant buildings dragging down neighborhoods,” continued Cheryl Lawrence.  “The best way to prevent that is by keeping these buildings occupied.  Let the Meyers pay rent, or take their brother’s offer and let them stay in their homes!”
    “The Banks’ mortgage value reflects the real estate bubble they helped create.  The Banks can’t recoup that money,” noted Steve Meacham, another City Life organizer.  “Instead of admitting their loss, they want to evict.  That’s why we need a just-cause eviction law.  Sen. Dianne Wilkerson and Rep. Liz Malia are filed such legislation.  The Meyers eviction shows why it’s so important.”

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