NLG Brown Bag Luncheon Series

And in case you missed the January Brown Bag…

“Saving Homes: Lawyers and Activists Partner Against Foreclosures”

On January 12, 2010 Nadine Cohen, Managing Attorney of the Consumer Rights Unit of GBLS, and Guild practitioner Jeff Feuer, discussed the work of the Guild’s Foreclosure Prevention Task Force and other efforts by activists and lawyers to help low-income residents keep their homes.  Massachusetts is far from immune from the national catastrophe, with foreclosure initiations increasing by 28.1% in 2009.  The Obama administration’s Home Affordable Modification Program has been a near complete failure (see article on page 8).  There were about 28,000 foreclosures in Massachusetts alone in 2009.

Nadine Cohen (first left) and jeff Feuer (second left) conduct the January Brown Bag Luncheon.

The legal news was largely bad, with extremely few legal remedies in Massachusetts and banks largely unwilling to negotiate (or even speak with counsel).  Legislative proposals may offer some relief.  For example the Tenant Protection Bill would keep tenants and possibly foreclosed homeowners in place if the buyer was not occupying the property, and a judicial foreclosure bill would for the first time subject foreclosures to judicial review.   But the speakers agreed that the greatest impact has come not from legal or legislative action but from political action aimed at forcing the banks to the table.    We were fortunate to be joined by Steve Meachem and others from City Life/Vida Urbana, a community organization pioneering the use of protests, blockades and occupation to force banks to negotiate with owners and keep tenants – with legal representation from Guild attorneys.  Boston Community Capital has worked with City Life to buy foreclosed properties to sell back to foreclosed homeowners.  This successful model of community empowerment was a beacon of hope amidst a distressing national picture.

- Bonnie Tenneriello –