Title: How We Survive: Renters, Rights and Resistance #36-09 September 9, 2009

" Who can rule out this week what I'm making contacts."

" Something has got beaten and I can only be -- five days."

" They -- how much it on your door you lose your house. There needs to be right sure that victims here and Richard -- that."

" Which banks bleeding money you'd think they'd want tenants to stay in their homes and continue paying rent. They're frequently that's not the case."

" X as the foreclosure crisis France tens of thousands of ranchers have been evicted through no fault of their. And there's not a lot of positive news in the near future."

" On this addition we continue our series how we survive. We hear from ranchers and ranchers advocates about the invisible victims of the mortgage meltdown."

" injury cells there and -- Tina -- and desist making contacts. A program connecting people out of ideas and important information. Being evicted from your home for any reason is a traumatic experience. But 40% of those who are displaced by for closures don't own their house or apartment and have never missed a monthly payment. To open the show we bring you this collage of voices of frontiers affected by the foreclosure crisis."

" Lee found anonymous aren't aren't that fat fat fat. Or happiness and for closure mean I don't know I think at Aladdin Aladdin tan. Obviously again."

" They came home of the Big -- on our door. Saint Paul's number we have to yell at thirty days."

" If we were -- thirty case it would give us I thousand dollars and about. And we had no choice and of that and how how going to be a church that's seat belt and we have no idea. -- men. Were taken investment somebody can take an hour my one he shouldn't he doll. -- right aloha educator and every. Never -- time I the Ernie and aren't we we thought we -- being --"

" I have found that my son. The man marred. And he says yeah it's huge grant. It is quiet. Even though my -- from harm her and my parents crying out and -- at my Thanksgiving dinner. I don't want my hang out and and my other family members to get stressed that all over. Pat expressed some children had eyes goes Atlanta after being hand. I don't I'll probably I don't believe while it's county there that we have to yeah yeah. How this ascent from Nazareth stability. -- the -- lots of things are had a lot of the reasons. -- I could. Kid dysfunctional. I have no clue. That the time many here would be short list and generally it."

" Recently had below five day notice -- name and --"

" And so we're trying to find a way to get this movie and you know easily eat enough comedy tell us."

" But I had also to clap my wife has -- machine she also at MS -- fine -- learned nothing but every her."

" We've -- would have made it longer -- Portland. -- landlords are still being thrown out jetBlue did her long term we are seeing are not mining or organic in my Jeter useful little error merely helping. Don't get saved enough -- just fire out. And wearing clothes."

" I unlock would harm that I rented Buick great families and children because of the school. And we had just gotten adult than we heard there are eighteen --"

" Around Christmas time under certain artists aren't good on the door at that they didn't know that there were renters in there and they found out they -- we -- these programs. Which is 800 dollars and no -- in eight days. Hot little in knowing your brand and -- section eight program. I had to buy ads on street. Places and I calorie. And not -- an exam in my application thinks I'm in a -- wearing that out yeah. They just wanted me -- they hadn't seen is that I -- the human being her my family anything we weren't like another not. -- that the yeah and this day I still haven't Kate and there are congress later her high security and partners more than moving. And that's not fair to do not -- doing anything wrong."

" The aren't gonna wanna talk deal we talked to the banks that give us the runaround because we're not -- owners know we don't wanna do what I need. And her we have questions from -- populist owners all the things. We just leave them 2000. Dollars -- literally within three days. The bank -- dictionary it will block it off. Walking that -- but it didn't Darren. Because David actually bottle I'll call you now. I've got to take top -- school apple are personally. Major -- lot of arguments that are in addition Arab and now. All up because of this evolving but."

" outrage and yeah. I think there -- could be -- change different. And then --"

" People and the legislature. And politicians. Who -- and they can do something. I'm out there."

" And recently federal legislation was passed to lessen the blow the mortgage crisis is having on -- that's. Yet some are working for broader protections at the city and state level for those they called innocent bystanders and the mortgage meltdown. Making contacts Sanders styles -- brings us this next story written and produced by pummeling parts Lanny."

" Hi is this Rebecca. Hi -- this is dean calling you back from tenants together you left a message on our -- of foreclosure hotline. Is this a good time on the twelfth floor of a San Francisco office building right on market street. Dean pressed in makes calls to tenants in distress. And the same old owner owns -- Your neighbor's place and yours -- in his executive director of tenants together a small group that works to secure the rights of ranchers in the state of California. Preston says life's been busy for him since the organization opened its stores about a year ago."

" Were flooded with calls from tenants all of the state we set up ten of foreclosure hotline and have been swamped with calls from all parts of the state."

" California has been called ground zero for housing foreclosures. In 2008 it had more foreclosures than any other state. And -- together estimates at least 13 of the states foreclosed residential units are rentals renters are hit at all fans there victims of the -- faulting landlords who stopped making mortgage payments. I and then they're also victims once the property goes through foreclosure of the bank's Preston says trouble starts for the renters before the foreclosure even goes through. What renters typically see. When the landlord stops paying the mortgage is a decline in services. Usually a landlord who is taking rent money but not paying the bank. Is not really doing a good job in terms of maintaining the property making repairs and taken care of the other things the tenants need. The other thing and defaulting landlord typically does is hold onto the security deposit never to return it to. Renters when the bank takes over says Preston things go from bad to worse. Banks tend to evict tenants regardless of their payment history or behavior. The eviction sometimes given on short notice can literally put people out on the streets. Okay."

" Well we'll check that out and try to find out what the status is of the property now. What pre foreclosure means is it means the federal government has provided some relief to renters. In May 2009. President Obama signed into -- some important tenant protections. Helping families save their homes act says that tenants in foreclosed property have the right to stay -- it for at least ninety days or three determined to reefs. But Preston says the law falls short of what's needed."

" The federal law was important but it was just a first step it doesn't prevent the foreclosure eviction. It's simply. It gives more time to people so that's a good thing. But it should be a floor and not a ceiling and we wanna move toward a time where banks are not. Automatically evicting tenants after foreclosure and the federal law doesn't stop the evictions."

" That's why groups like tenants together are working to pass just cause eviction laws across California. These ordinances say that attending can stay in a property on a month to month basis. Regardless of whether there's a change in ownership in last there's a just cause for the eviction. A legitimate reason could be an owner moving in themselves or a breach of -- by the renter. But a change in ownership like from a landowner to a bank is not enough to justify eviction. So in cities with just cause laws the tenant is largely protected as long as they're paying their rent on time every month."

" There really should be. No addictions and -- there is a cause for eviction that's a very simple. Premise it's just a matter of fundamental fairness that tenants shouldn't be evicted unless there's a good reason to evict them. And unfortunately in most places in California and in most places across the country. Tenants can be evicted for no reason at all. After foreclosure. That empowers the banks just turn around and evict tenants even if they've done nothing wrong."

" Preston says there -- about fifteen cities in California that have just caused tenant protections. This past June I just cause ordinance was adopted in Richmond California. And in August the City Council in the small desert town of ridge crest voted to implement one mayor."

" I think local communities are realizing that they need to use whatever power they have to try to stop. This slide two vacancies and prolong life and displacement in their communities and so one of the most effective tools that they have. It is a just cause for -- law. What I think we'll see changing in upcoming months and in years. Is that communities that may not have a history of -- and activism. But that are being impacted so severely by the foreclosure crisis are going to realize and that one of the few tools they have to protect. There tenants and their communities from unfair displacement by banks. It is to -- just cause for eviction laws."

" Just cause eviction laws don't only protect tenants from foreclosures. But from swings in the housing market. The city of Oakland pastor just cause ordinance in 2002. They were not facing foreclosure crisis rather the dotcom boom. But Weaver of gentrification that hit the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1990s. Adam gold is the administrative director of just cause Oakland."

" You know a lot of the neighborhoods where. You know a lot of kind of young professionals -- young white folks who were moving here to get the tech jobs at that time. They were looking as you know to attend them was kind of a hip urban area to move to so as a property value senator rise Atlanta has really sound that they could. Capitalize on that. And make you know twice as mature or at least he could portion more rent on their apartments so. They would just basically serve nation knows she can give a thirty day notice at that time with no cries. And people had to be out in a month. Whether or not -- pay grant forever. Never been made when they're not they were in attendance you know in in the eyes of the landlord or not. They had to leave and so that China's continued you know through a couple of different real estate booms in the last decade."

" So a bunch of tenants and organizers got together in Oakland around 1999. And decided to push for tenant protections that would stem the tide of evictions. Measure."

" EE passed in 2002. And the organization just cause Oakland formed to help renters stay in their communities. Is that great. Rank that we have it's such an important struggle that we won and it is protecting a lot of people. They really just comes down -- people knowing and feeling comfortable you know sometimes like with any right. People under enough pressure sometimes don't feel. Like they can assert that -- instead of fighting -- just gonna move when Mount Holly and a path to remove anyways eventually. And so it's part of that is is that community organizing in the leadership development work that. You know we do on a daily basis of just having people feel powerful on their neighborhoods. That they are their neighborhoods that they have the right to stand bill that -- neighborhoods. Goals from just cause Oakland says that after -- he passed eviction filings went down 30%. It's estimated that thousands of renters have been able to stay in their homes. Gold says cities across the US need just cause laws not just during the foreclosure crisis but to maintain a viable communities. There really -- to be just cause eviction protections generally for a tenants because. For most people in most cities here landlord can still give you thirty day notice for no reason kick you out. Lift their rent and ran it you know for as much as they want to the next person that comes along and that kind of freedom. To move people in and out despite the fact that it's their -- that they've been paying rent for. That they have belonged to that community and deserve to build a stay there. His way you know one of the things that really prevents us from having cannistraro and stable. Working class neighborhoods in this country."

" Landlords let their tenants now but most most of them don't let the tenants now and they just wanna keep. Taking your rants while they're not paying their more as the crisis Trimble's time dean Preston's phone keeps ringing. Ten minutes together hopes that one day. You'll be just cause protections in every city in the state your landlord live."

" We'll be right back."

" And and okay."

" You're listening to making contact a production of the national radio project. If you'd like more information -- for CD copies of this program. Please call 805295736. You can also download programs for get our podcast from radio project got over. We now return to how we survived. Ranchers rights and resistance."

" In the past year making contact has reported stories about people across the country finding ways to resist foreclosure and stay in their homes. From people in Oakland California protesting an eviction to families in Miami Florida re claiming -- analysis. These actions are now legal they're not always safe and there are also not new."

" During the 1930s. And eviction resistance movement spread across the country. And for a time became the largest organized action of the unemployed in American history. In places like New York Atlanta and Chicago. People took to the streets and hundreds of thousands of evictions were prevented. In the end these actions are given credit for spurring on the policy conversations. That brought about national housing rights reform. Making contacts media consortium intern -- in my tenure has more."

" Look very little love the American story. The crowd. Throughout this auction the -- option constructive action. Has been absolutely essential. -- local issues. -- Ordinary people especially poorer people really care about."

" That's doctor Frances fox then she is a sociology and political science professor at CUNY graduate and New York City. She's also the author of several books including where people's commitment by the succeed and how. Tactics -- sentence in the early years of the Great Depression collective action was born out of necessity."

" There -- form all all the moves to protest against the direction that without formal loot of -- Which we didn't hear -- you're apartment he couldn't be around the world -- inherent in this kind of situation. Got a lot of the action. How can be wrapped up since."

" Bomb -- These spontaneous actions against evictions happens across. And rural areas -- disrupted man's actions they'd even threatened to hang auction means. But it was in the cities where most of the action took place. As industries fail and the massive amounts of people out of place. How many is unclear. The US government didn't collect unemployment data at the onset of the depression. But historians like doctor convincing them by 193213. Of the workforce -- and in. And many of them had one thing in common they were renters but the massive unemployment came mass eviction notices. In nineteen than anyone. Renowned oral historian Studs Terkel interviewed hundreds of people about the Great Depression for his book hard times in history of the Great Depression. Judge Sam Miller was one of them he was on the pension Chicago in the 1930s. This is an excerpt from that interview where Heller reflects on the time."

" We had gone on maverick joke for a hundred cases should daisy. Show that in five days a week we had on an average of 2000. People that it came under court. Our lawyers summon him to court. And maybe ninety to 95 of them came in on five billion notices. And of course clarify did you notice is given. Mandate Cameron has tended -- Iran. Went up five days are gone there is no legal defense. The only good offense inability to -- has nothing out of a job means nothing. Sickness means nothing yet either paid -- you haven't paid it."

" For Heller an injustice like that was impossible to ignore. Rather than a pulled the status quo justice -- re interpreted -- line in favor of the tenants."

" Art RD couldn't help. But feel that something has got to be done and I can't throw at least people five days. Giant interpreted -- pasted below minimum. Dakota what a maximum chat on. Sharp race began it is not trying to not to solve the probably couldn't solve that. But this -- liberal that came upon these people. By saying well comedy community. So I gave everybody can. And we -- Christ a number of days that are real estate. Not brokers. And don't wanna mention any particular names but all the big -- mistakes that a real estate operators that have a lot of renders we're involved. I'll defend them of course -- doubling the five page. And then I -- them further by giving an extra day average child. Well actually went along and I saw that he will get nastier began giving him ready days."

" Judge -- leniency and compassion ultimately cost him his career. He says real estate moguls in Chicago quickly spread word that Keller didn't respect property rights. They campaign against him in the next election and you lost a spot on the --"

" And we've gone a little. -- yeah and we."

" Before 1933. Public housing -- ordinances and subsidized housing did not expect. For the overwhelming majority in those who suddenly found themselves unable to pay their rent -- simply -- it. The -- from the sheriff could show up at their door and piece by piece of every belonging into the street. It was in these deeply intimate yet glaring only public displays a hard check that crowds began to gather and movements began to form."

" Will membership and urge him grammatical activist and look at what socialists the liberal Communist. Somehow -- you know local pro. Crowd began to -- To restore people to go home. The people who took part remember that have schedules of direction that we hear about. And the direction that we care about the bullets coming up from fortified by -- police. And people would want is the neighborhood. Without conviction. If -- has already occurred to restore the family the vehicle."

" These particular moments of resistance gave rise to a national multiracial movement of unemployed workers. Organizers in some cities formed local unemployed councils that would respond to evictions in their neighborhood. Those individual counseling is eventually came together to form the workers alliance of America. The workers alliance became for a time -- largest organization and the unemployed in American history. Willie Jeffries was a member of the workers alliance who is also interviewed by Studs Terkel. Mrs."

" Willie Jeffries and move black woman. In her eighties remembering a certain moment I don't know -- it was traumatic at the same time accelerating. When people are evicted what do they do."

" Not there any back -- and it's an athletic amount if you wanna -- back and letting them."

" Jeffrey says the sheriff would empty house utility companies would cut the gas electricity and water and the workers alliance would show up. Turn everything back on it and move everything back and."

" We and then -- and that could do that we'll wait and and that could do an alert. And me fat and happy and leaves sneak around and get out there aren't that tonight on pocket that -- and the street and got damaged -- how do anything. Well it then that we would you back and I would you feel that yet. This. -- rather not have allowed Donovan would become a number that little plaque that would be -- though. And that -- director she very mean and with good I was. -- go to. Won't get my. Connect that go back with a plug in and -- that mean that -- and don't let that happen. In the deep end that Lara -- well -- then again I'm not okay. Ice. In the bottom level magnate TNN and then the then -- got my opinion. Which China is."

" Newspaper articles from the time reflect a tumultuous relationship between the police and protesters with violence erupting on both sides. But doctor Pittman says that this movement was only successful because that was disrupt. -- in 1976 documentary union name's Kate high -- one of three union organizers profiled in the film. In this clip she describes the day she found herself looking on the barrel of a policeman shot --"

" And ever wondered then what that I didn't effective. Bob Bob got that. But the respect. And you read it so big and well being or you said that. About it but but but but I expected but. If -- ever ever had. That job. And we've walked right past him. To back out and I expected it to girls won't get there -- that you."

" I'm very pleased I was saying. All the people came out of there out of the."

" And you -- yeah. I have I. I can't let that can -- it."

" That they ever gonna do it and I'm going to panic attack. I'm gonna there. I don't try to edit my head start connecting."

" Everybody. Here at both -- and that act. And then it happens either. And you'd call -- have heard rumors even then remember."

" story is a testament to the power ordinary people possess even in the face of overwhelming forts. Doctor Piven says that in addition to restoring people's homes and preventing hundreds of thousands of evictions. It's collective actions impact a national policy."

" You -- I've been greatly formed. Under 1930. -- we -- that we -- after the fact that we hadn't precedent to had to bring traffic. I'm from Delano Roosevelt. Took the initiative that he broad. Because who would be prone to take those initiatives. He did not intend. To institute an emergency relief program when he ran for office in 1930 since. He never intended. To. The Wagner act which proved no -- organized. Into our measures as he talked because -- boot pro impressed similarly. By the protests that were apparent. Among the unemployed. And among workers. But he could have prepared should take that initiative."

" It was also spurred on encouraged many had to fight. Doctor Piven is quick to point out that many of these eviction resistance actions were bloody and they didn't always work. It in the end doctor Pittman says these collective actions brought about positive change."

" This kind of option collective action is woven into American history wouldn't would not have. That are limited and flawed electoral that the plan of arrangement that we have today. If that -- up for the past insurgencies. That are constructive. -- That can shut things down but that -- attention. To issues that political leaders. Would like to do."

" For making contact and -- in nineteen."

" That's the the."

" We. When we're doing it and."

" That's it for this edition of making contact. Some of audio you heard in the show it was gathered during the Consumers Union mortgage meltdown video projects."

" For a CD copy of this program -- the national media project at 899. I 736. -- can get our podcast at media -- and it's."

" Special thanks to Dan turner Ron -- and Monday morning breakfast crowd."

" Lisa Redmond has our executive director Pauline martz and -- online editor and producer. Com fan associate director Megan martini production intern and -- Daniels and he should Thomas interns. And -- Anderson --"

" In nineteen ingredient thanks for listening to making contacts."

" The answer now."