SAFE newsletter
Upcoming Actions:
- Friday January 11th – Success! Auction Disruption for Maleah Jacobs has been canceled because SAFE got her in touch with Homesight and they contacted the bank and had her home pulled from auction.
- Wednesday January 16th – Mass Mailing, we’re looking for volunteers to help stuff envelopes. Show up at the SAFE House at 3:30 PM. Let Stephen or Josh know if you are available to help.
- Thursday January 17th – Robo Call is all set to dial 30,000 phone numbers. We will need 6 volunteers to answer calls. We will meet at Fuse, 1402 Third Ave., Suite 310, Seattle, WA 98101 (between Union and Pike) at 5:00 PM. Contact Max or Josh if you are available.
- Monday January 21st - MLK Day presentation. Check-in time is 8:30 AM, starts at 9:30 AM. We need volunteers to canvass the prior to the meeting (7:30 AM) bring people to the presentation and Neighborhood meeting the following day and after to canvass in the audience/attendees. Contact Josh to volunteer.
- Tuesday January 22nd – Neighborhood Meeting 7 PM in the Sanctuary. We need volunteers for set up help, food coordination, new Bank Tenant “buddies†(buddies will be assigned to each new person that comes to the meeting to help them navigate and feel welcome). Contact Lyn to help.
- Friday January 25th – 3:30 PM. Dual action; delivering Jeremy’s unrent check and picketing at Wells Fargo on behalf of Jeremy, Luisa, their families, and all families fighting WF to stay in their homes. If there are other Bank Tenants who are struggling with Wells Fargo let us know and we’ll add you to the action. More details to follow. Contact Josh.
Other Upcoming & Ongoing Events:
- 7:00 – 8:30 PM, Tuesdays: Organizational Meeting at the SAFE House at Bethany UCC. All are welcome!
- Working Group meetings:
- Message – Tuesdays at 5:15 PM at the SAFE House
- Organizers – Tuesdays at 6:00 PM at the SAFE House
- Resource – Wednesdays at 5:00 PM at the SAFE House
- Tactical – Wednesdays at 6:30 PM at the SAFE House
- ITC – Mondays at 5:00 PM on Google Hangouts
- 2:00 – 4:30 PM, Saturdays: Door-to-Door canvassing. We are making this time a regular weekly event, rain or shine. Outreach meeting starts at 1:30 PM same day.
This Past Week:
- Several new Bank Tenants have benefitted from SAFE directing them to resources such as Homesight and Northwest Justice Project. Others have been emboldened by our support to write letters to their bank demanding negotiations. We are seeing auctions canceled with initial contact. SUCCESS!
Questions?  Comments? You can reach us at info@SAFEinSeattle.org or 206-203-2125.  Please visit our web site:  www.SAFEinSeattle.org.
Bank Tenant Defined
Bank Tenant – Technically the term encompasses both homeowners and their tenants who become tenants of the lending bank after the homeowner has foreclosed. At SAFE we have come to use this term to include people who may be facing foreclosure in the near future.
The idea here, as we discussed at the meeting, is that the Banks own virtually all the houses on paper, let’s say 99%. So whether you are paying a mortgage, or rent to a bank, or rent to an owner who is then paying the mortgage, all money for housing goes to the banks. Even if you are not paying anything at the moment you are still a tenant per definition; occupier of place: somebody living in or on a property.
Bank Tenant Association (BTA) – A membership organization consisting of people seeking support and solidarity as they fight the bank both before and after a foreclosure.
We discussed this at the last meeting and agreed that this is in essence a Union of people that forms to collectively negotiate with the banks just like Labor Unions negotiate with Corporations. We have the balance of power with sheer numbers of people and since possession is 90% of the law, if we will NOT BE MOVED, the banks will not have a chance.
The Sword and the Shield – The combination of offensive and defensive strategies that the BTA model uses to fight the foreclosing bank.
This is the definition of the Sword and the Shield in the City Life Manual. We have decided, in the Message Workgroup, to use Offensive and Defensive as used in team sports. Offense and Defense work together in support of one another. You would never see the Seahawks employing just Offense when driving for a touchdown; Defense has to protect the quarterback. The Bank Tenant is the quarterback and SAFE will be there to Defend your RIGHT!