On December 23rd Occupy Fights Foreclosure, a Los Angeles based group reoccupied Soledad Corona's foreclosed house. Mrs. Corona is a single mother who was evicted from her home by the Bank of America on December 21st. Mrs. Corona said that she was relaxing in her home when she heard some strange noises at 9 o'clock in the morning. She looked outside the window and she saw the sheriffs breaking her locks and entering her house. There were also 7 police cars outside, Mrs. Corona added. In a few minutes the sheriffs entered her house. Mrs. Corona had paperwork from her lender, Bank of America, that promised her a loan modification. She tried to show the paperwork to the sheriffs, but they did not want to look at it. Mrs. Corona said that she got very concerned about her 20 year old daughter, Victoria, who had a final in school that day. Mrs. Corona said that she was treated as a criminal by the sheriffs department and that they forced her out of the house at the gunpoint. Mrs. Corona added "I am a single mother and I am homeless for the Holidays".
Members of the Occupy Fights Foreclosure group as well as friends, neighbors and supporters gathered in Soledad Corona's foreclosed house. Andrea Ramirez, 9 years old, said that she is here hoping to help her grandmother, Alicia Ramirez, to get her house back. Mrs. Ramirez said that she was illegally evicted from her home by Vanderbilt Bank that promised her a loan modification.
Carlos Marroquin, a member of Occupy Fights Foreclosure said that "we reoccupied Corona's house because we hope to get attention from Bank of America. We will stay here as long as we need. We hope that Bank of America will start working with families and will do a right thing". "Homeowners are the victims , they are abused by the banks and the system", Mr. Marroquin added.
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| Activists hang up a sign |
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| Activists set up a tent in Mrs. Corona's front yard. |
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| Children help to paint a sign |
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| Mrs. Corona's fence decorated with signs |
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| Alicia Ramirez and her nine year old granddaughter, Andrea. |
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| Members of the Occupy Fights Foreclosure group as well as activists, neighbors and supporters gather outside awaiting a press conference. |
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| Soledad Corona said during a press conference that Bank of America evicted her illegally during the Holiday season |
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| Carlos Marroquin speaks during the press conference. Mr. Marroquin said " Homeowners are the victims, they are abused by the banks and the system". |