JUSTICE WON for Rubie Curl-Pinkins!

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Dear activists and concerned community members,

Victory was won today in the struggle to stop the foreclosure and eviction of Rubie Curl-Pinkins from her home on Holden Street in Detroit!

Today (July 25, 2008) was the date which had been set for the Pinkins family to be evicted. Instead, today Judge Susan Borman of Wayne County Circuit Court issued an Order Extending the Redemption Period and Dismissing Case.

Because of the struggle, especially last Friday's demonstration at the Pinkins home and Tuesday's protest at Bank of America (owner of Countrywide), along with the ensuing media coverage generated by this struggle, Countrywide and Trott & Trott were forced to back down and accept the redemption payment from Ms. Curl-Pinkins.

During the demonstration on Tuesday outside Bank of America, attorney Vanessa Fluker and Ms. Pinkins' daughter, Nikki Curl, went inside the bank and demanded to speak to the Vice President, who immediately agreed to meet with them. She was aware of the demonstration happening outside. Vanessa reports that she and Ms. Curl "were treated like royalty," especially when Vanessa told the VP that she had no control over the community and the outrage this case has sparked.

By the end of Tuesday, one of the bigshot lawyers at Trott & Trott called Vanessa and informed her that the Pinkins family would not be evicted as scheduled on July 25 nor the next week, and that he was "strongly recommending" to Countrywide that they work out an immediate agreement by extending the redemption period so that Ms. Pinkins could finalize her reverse mortgage and pay off the Countrywide loan. Also on Tuesday, an attorney in Detroit emailed out the name and phone number of the Vice President and General Counsel of Bank of America at their headquarters in North Carolina, and a dozen attorneys called to demand an answer as to why Countrywide was evicting a disabled senior in Detroit.

By Thursday (yesterday), a settlement agreement was worked out with Countrywide so that Ms. Pinkins could pay off her loan with them in full. This morning, the Order was signed by Judge Borman and entered with the court.

At the Moratorium NOW! Coalition meeting tomorrow (Saturday, 1:00 p.m. at Central United Methodist Church, 4th Floor, Detroit), we will discuss holding a press conference to announce the victory and to keep up the pressure on Countrywide.

Thanks and congratulations to everyone who participated in this struggle to win justice for Rubie Curl-Pinkins! Forward in the struggle to win a moratorium on all foreclosures and evictions in Michigan!

Kris Hamel,

Moratorium NOW! activist and

Legal Assistant to Vanessa G. Fluker, Esq.

Struggle Stops Eviction of Rubie Curl-Pinkins

Community Protest at Bank of America photos

Interview with Rubie Curl-Pinkuns

Community Demonstration at Curl-Pinkins Home

Organizing Leaflet

Why is Countrywide and their law firm Trott & Trott evicting a 72-year-old disabled woman from her home of 45 years, rather than accepting full payment for the house?

Demonstrate to Stop the Eviction of Rubie Curl-Pinkins!
Friday, July 18, 2008, 4:00 p.m., 1769 Holden, Detroit, MI
(just east of Rosa Parks [12th Street] and one block south of West Grand Blvd.)

In one of the latest horror stories in the foreclosure epidemic that is devastating the city of Detroit, Countrywide and their law firm Trott & Trott have decided to evict Rubie Curl-Pinkins from her home of 45 years, rather than accept full payment for the home through a reverse mortgage.

Rubie Curl-Pinkins is a 72-year-old woman suffering from numerous physical disabilities. Her doctor has stated that being evicted from her home could have a devastating effect on her health. Her daughter, who also lives in the home on Holden Street, is also disabled, suffering from congestive heart failure and on oxygen to help her breathe.

Like many people in Detroit, when confronted with numerous debts, Ms. Curl-Pinkins was lured into a predatory loan in exchange for a mortgage on her paid-off home. The interest rate exceeds 10%. When her medical bills mounted, she fell behind on her mortgage payments and her home went into foreclosure.

Before the redemption period ended, however, she succeeded in arranging a reverse mortgage that would pay off the debt. But Countrywide delayed in providing a pay-off letter so she could finish the loan, pay off the redemption amount, and keep her home. Once the redemption period ended, rather than work with Ms. Curl-Pinkins, Countrywide and its attorneys Trott & Trott have refused to accept payment for the home and insisted on evicting Ms. Curl-Pinkins. Under pressure, she signed a consent judgment and is scheduled to be evicted on July 25, 2008.

Countrywide and Trott & Trott’s actions epitomize the ruthlessness and illogic of the finance industry, which would rather assert its power to throw people in the streets than accept payment for the homes. The banks and finance companies are destroying our communities, throwing people into the streets, creating thousands of abandoned and vandalized homes, and reducing property values for everyone. (It should be noted that Countrywide has recently been bought by Bank of America. So much for their signs about “serving Detroit”!)

Just this week, the federal government bailed out the banks and finance industry by guaranteeing $300 billion in taxpayer money to back up their bad loans. What about bailing out the people, the real victims of the foreclosure crisis?

We need a Moratorium on Foreclosures to stop this epidemic and keep people in their homes! Join the growing movement to support SB 1306, a bill introduced by State Senator Hansen Clarke which would halt foreclosures in Michigan for two years to allow the people to survive this crisis.

Stop the Eviction of Rubie Curl-Pinkins! Fight for the passage of SB 1306 to Stop Foreclosures in Michigan! Join the demonstration this Friday.