Jacqueline Barber, 20 year Atlanta Police veteran and current cancer patient, is standing up against US Bank. US Bank is currently attempting to waive the stay granted by Jacqueline's bankruptcy and charge her for the associated legal fees. Help stop Jacqueline's eviction by signing this petition:

http://start2.occupyourhomes.org/petitions/us-bank-don-t-evict-cancer-patient-jaqueline-barber-keep-her-in-her-home-1

Via:

Less than a year after Occupy Atlanta members clashed with police in riot gear in a downtown park, they're now protesting alongside officers to help a retired detective avoid losing her home to foreclosure.

Activists joined current and retired Atlanta police Monday for a demonstration and discussion at the home of retired Atlanta police Det. Jaqueline Barber in Fayetteville, south of the city.

"The police are in the 99 percent and when it comes down to their economic struggles, we're going to be there to shine a light on those and organize around those," said Tim Franzen. He and others who were involved with Occupy Atlanta are now part of a group called Occupy Our Homes ATL, which focuses on the housing crisis.

There is a court hearing set for Thursday of this week for Jacqueline Barber, and it's feared that she will be homeless if she doesn't win this round with the bank.

I'll be updating as information becomes available.

CBS Atlanta 46

Members of Occupy Our Homes Atlanta and demonstrators from across the region marched to Fannie Mae's regional office to demand that they help homeowners having difficulties making their monthly payments.

The Federal National Mortgage Association, commonly known as Fannie Mae, the nation's largest mortgage holder, and The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Freddie Mac, the second-largest mortgage buyer, received nearly $200 billion in federal bailout money during the worst economic crisis since The Great Depression.

Protestors want the lending giants to loosen their purse strings and reduce the principal payments on mortgages for homeowners whose houses are underwater, allow people to rent their homes after foreclosure or sell foreclosed properties back to the occupants or non-profit developers.

Robert Anderson, a protestor whose home is underwater, meaning he owes more on his mortgage than what this home is worth, said he has tried to modify with Freddie Mac but with no luck.

"I want the investors to step down and talk to us," Anderson. "I've been going through anxiety."

Security officers stood between protestors and the Fannie Mae offices as demonstrators demanded officials come outside and take a letter requesting a meeting.

"They have the power to turn the key to economic recovery," said Tim Franzen, one of the protest organizers, who added that it is time for Fannie and Freddie to start giving back. "We're here to encourage them to turn the key, to stop holding our neighborhoods hostage."

Protesters were not permitted to speak to Fannie Mae officials, and even CBS asked a spokesman if a meeting would be possible. The spokesman said that he couldn't say for certain if there would be a meeting with the group, but added "we absolutely want to work with homeowners who are having difficulty making payments, who want to work with us to prevent foreclosure."

The spokesman also encouraged Fannie Mae mortgage holders who are experiencing difficulties to contact them for assistance.

If you have a mortgage with Fannie Mae and need help, call Fannie Mae at (866) 442-8573 or go to knowyouroptions.com.

CBS Atlanta 46

Tocco Collins knew there were problems with the Atlanta home she rented for herself and her children, but the company that she paid her rent to, the Real Estate Connection, promised that they would take care of everything.

Via:

The single mother of 12 said she waited seven months, but nothing was repaired. Collins said shortly thereafter, disaster struck.

"My biggest nightmare came of August 2011 when my light box caught on fire. Georgia Power disconnected my service because it was too dangerous," Collins said.

Collins and her family have been using a generator for the last 10 months. She said she stopped paying rent when her supposed landlord refused to make repairs. They took Collins to court in an attempt to get her evicted and that is when she said she discovered the shocking truth.

"No one could provide the deed to the house. The people renting me the house don't own it," Collins said.

Now the "fake" landlords have disappeared, Collins has no place to live and she said the state is trying to take her children.

Occupy Atlanta is now working with the family, and the group hopes that with the public's help, they can purchase a home for them. Volunteer plumbers, electricians, and carpenters will do renovations. Occupy Atlanta already has a good deal of experience working within their community, and helping families in need. I'll keep you posted on any updates.

I was literally just about to write an update on a widow from Atlanta who would soon be facing eviction from her home after being turned down for a home loan modification recently, when the above livestream went "live." If you've never attended an "Occupy our Homes" action, or done any sort of community outreach work that put you in contact with a family about to go through an eviction - or faced eviction yourself - get yourself a box of kleenex before you get too comfortable.

But don't be too upset, I've got something that you can do to help the very people you're about to see kicked out of a home that has been in their family for four generations.

How you can help:

“Mrs. Christine Frazer, a 62 yr old widow, and four generations of the Frazer family are being kicked out of the place they have called home since 1994. Mrs. Frazer refinanced her home in 2001; but after losing her husband in 2002, taking in her elderly mother in 2003, losing her job in 2009 due to a “no-fault, one-minute-late tardy policy,” and being denied unemployment after two appeals, she was left with no way to pay her mortgage. Her attempts to re-modify her loan due to excessive financial hardship outside of her control were outright denied by the lender. Mrs. Frazer’s home was foreclosed on in October of 2011 after faithfully paying her mortgage for over 15 years! Investors One Corporation sent her a statement claiming she had to pay $176,000 on a house that the very same document stated is only worth $40,000. The very same crumbling economy that caused the value of Chris’ home to depreciate left her hopeless in today’s highly competitive job market. Upon further investigation of all the mortgage paperwork it was discovered that Investors One Corporation never had the power to foreclose on this home and definitely doesn't have the power to evict this family. A lawsuit is currently being filed against all parties that took part in the fraudulent actions that took place with this property. We need your help to try and cover the costs of serving these lawsuits which cost about $50 per individual. It's going to amount to $350. Whatever you can contribute is greatly appreciated and is going to bring us closer to our goal.”

I can see the donations are already streaming into wepay, so it's looking as if Mrs. Frazer will get the legal help that she needs. Anything above that goal may help her with alternate living arrangements through this crisis. It may be one home saved at a time, but it's a family's life that will be spared a life on the streets and searching for shelter.

This video is from Occupy Atlanta, taken during their protests on Monday at local Chase Bank branch offices. The protests led to the arrests of 14 occupiers who say their efforts won't be deterred.

AJC:

Occupy Atlanta protests at five Chase banks led to 14 arrests Monday in the Atlanta area, according to police.

In the city of Atlanta, six protesters were arrested at the Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard branch in west Atlanta as locks were being placed on the doors, Sgt. Curtis Davenport with Atlanta police told the AJC.

Eight other protesters were arrested at a branch off Moreland Avenue in DeKalb County, Mekka Parish, DeKalb police spokeswoman, said Monday afternoon.

Sofia Lipko, one of the Occupy Atlanta organizers, told the AJC the latest arrests won't deter the group's efforts to fight what she said was corporate greed.

"I think every bank had a different reaction," Lipko, who was not among those arrested Monday, said in a phone interview. "In Mechanicsville, they (police) were giving no warning. There were six (protesters) handcuffed and arrested.”

An Occupy Atlanta call to action:

On December 6, 2011 members of Occupy Atlanta began occupying the front lawn of the Pittman family home at 404 Glen Iris Dr. Eloise Pittman was a retired school administrator who had lived in her home in the Old Fourth Ward since 1953. Over the last decade however, Ms. Pittman became the victim of multiple predatory loans, leaving her with a mountain of debt that she counldn’t possibly keep up with. She never told her family about her financial struggles, and passed away on November 29. Now her family is being faced with eviction at the hands of Chase Bank. We have tried to push Chase to make a deal that will keep the Pittmans in the home that they grew up in and deserve to stay in, but they won’t budge. They would rather have this greiving family out on the streets, or turn a quick buck on the property, than find a solution to let them keep their home. We won’t stand for that. Join us on January 27 as we demand that Chase Bank find a way to keep the Pittmans where they belong, in their home.

January 27th Rally begins at the Pittman home at 404 Glen Iris Dr., at 3:00pm followed by a march to Chase Bank.

The Occupy Wall Street movement is taking its anti-corporate message directly to Black Friday shoppers.

Ten Occupy Oklahoma City protesters were arrested Friday morning after a protest at a Walmart store in Del City, Okla., The Oklahoman reported.

Del City police Capt. Jody Suit told the newspaper that officers working off-duty security jobs at the store called for assistance about 2 a.m. because the protesters were causing disturbances in the back of the store.

One of those arrested, Mark Faulk, 55, of Oklahoma City told the newspaper that he was filming the group's "mic check" — in which one member of the group shouts something and then the others in the group repeat what the speaker said — when “Del City police ran and started tackling people from behind.”

Occupy protests targeted other retailers across the country.

More than a dozen Occupy Honolulu protesters demonstrated in front of a Walmart store in Honolulu, Hawaii, in the predawn hours, NBC station KHNL of Honolulu reported.

Occupy Atlanta planned to go even further, setting up its own "really, really free market" downtown as an alternative to Black Friday shopping:

Organizer Tim Franzen said the market Friday in Woodruff Park will feature free food, clothing and other items. He said demonstrators want to focus on the people who are struggling to make ends meet while banks and corporations bring in millions during Friday's shopping tradition.

After facing eviction from their tents multiple times by Atlanta police, now Occupy Atlanta has joined together to help an area family and their children who are facing eviction due to a bank foreclosure.

What might surprise you is that this is the family of an area police officer.

From Occupy Atlanta:

"Join us today (Tuesday) at 7 pm at 4197 Shoreside Circle, Snellville, Ga for General Assembly. The family whose home we have occupied is facing eviction (possibly this morning/afternoon) and we will be camped out here for at least the next 24 hours. Come and show your support."

What that Facebook notice doesn't say is that this is the home of the family of an area police officer.

Via:

"Occupiers say they plan to stay as long as it takes, and that they are prepared to be arrested if and when eviction time comes for the family. Some 20 people were camped out at the home -- including two tents in the fornt yard -- to show support."

"Tim Franzen, an organizer with Occupy Atlanta, said foreclosures, like the one facing the Rorey family, is "a symptom of wealth and equity." If the country changed its economic priorities, it could work for everyone, he added."

Also Via:

“We want to make sure they spend Christmas in the home,” Franzen said."

This is solidarity, people.

Before Saturday's 11 p.m. curfew, a crowd of several hundred protesters had set up tents at Woodruff Park, the scene of about 50 arrests of demonstrators last month. Organizers had said they planned to stay overnight despite warnings from the mayor and police that anyone there past closing would be arrested.

But as 11 p.m. approached, protesters began decamping peacefully. Dozens of officers were on hand, herding protesters away from the park's entrances and installing barricades around it. A police helicopter flew overhead.

Via:

"Police arrested about 20 demonstrators on the streets around Woodruff Park late Saturday as the Occupy Atlanta protest took an unexpected turn onto Peachtree Street."

"Before midnight, waves of police were moving south down Peachtree, forcing the marchers back. The first rank of police was simply in uniform and carried plastic handcuffs. They were backed by officers in riot gear — face plates, body armor and long nightsticks — and mounted police."

...

"As they waited for the confrontation to come, one or more protesters Saturday evening stole across the street to the SunTrust building that fronts on the park, lowered the American flag and then ran it back up the flagpole upside down — a widely recognized distress signal."

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