Before 2/9, Tuesday: Tell your State Rep to vote for HF2604 Moratorium on Foreclosures

[annm4peace]

Hi everyone,

Please come to this hearing if you can! There won't be any public testimony (since we did that last week), but the housing committee will vote on our bill. Please spread the word!

TUESDAY, February 9, 2010
10:30 AM
Housing Policy and Finance and Public Health Finance Division
Room: 5 State Office Building
Chair: Rep. Karen Clark

Agenda: HF2604 (Hayden) Stay of mortgage foreclosure proceedings allowed under certain conditions, and tenants provided rights of foreclosed property.
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Can't come? Time to make some calls!
Our anti-foreclosure bill is coming up for its first vote on Tuesday, Feb. 9. Call these representatives!
These are the members of the Housing Finance and Policy and Public Health Finance Division. Call them and tell them to “vote yes on HF-2604, the bill that puts a moratorium on foreclosures and evictions.”
It is fine to simply leave them messages - but be sure to include your name and phone number in the message.

John Benson 651-296 9934 DFL Minnetonka
David Bly 651-296 7065 DFL Northfield
Karen Clark 651-296 0294 DFL Minneapolis - Chair
Jeff Hayden 651-296 7152 DFL Minneapolis - Our Author!
Thomas Huntley 651-296 2228 DFL Duluth
Carolyn Laine 651-296 4331 DFL Columbia Heights
Will Morgan 651-296 4212 DFL Burnsville
Paul Rosenthal 651-296 7803 DFL Edina
Brita Sailer 651-296 4265 DFL Park Rapids
Larry Howes 651-296 2451 R Walker
Carol McFarlane 651-296 5363 R White Bear Lake
Denny McNamara 651-296 3135 R Hastings
Tim Sanders 651-296 4226 R Blaine
Peggy Scott 651-296 4231 R Andover
Dan Severson 651-296 7808 R Sauk Rapids

The simple message above is fine, but here are some talking points if you want to go further:

Stop Foreclosures and Evictions!

The Minnesota Coalition for People’s Bailout is working for a bill (HF2604, SF2242) to put a Moratorium on Foreclosures and for a stop to foreclosure-related evictions. We call it the “Foreclosure Moratorium, Neighborhood Stabilization and Tenant Protection Bill.”

What this bill does:
For Homeowners: The bill puts a two-year moratorium on foreclosures. The intention is for the bill to affect only owner-occupied properties. Homeowners are required to pay either their current payment or 41% of their income during the moratorium.
For Renters: The bill lets renters stay in their homes, paying a fair market rent (ie, their current rent) or 41% of their income to the forecloser.

Some common-sense reasons to pass this bill in 2010:

Save our homes.
Many banks are stonewalling as people try to make adjustments to their mortgages. The programs we hear about that are supposed to help people help only a small fraction; these programs need major reform at the federal level. We need something to make these banks come to the table and truly negotiate in good faith. Until the feds (or the state) can make those changes, we need a moratorium so people and banks have time to get together to work out a deal that benefits everyone.

Protect innocent renters.
Renters need the option of keeping their existing tenancy in effect. Despite current laws, many renters don’t even know their landlords are getting foreclosed on; they have been paying rent, assuming it was going to the mortgage. There are also cases where “landlords” take the security deposit and disappear! Let renters stay in their homes, paying a fair market rent to the forecloser. This bill still allows renters to be evicted only "for cause," like not paying the rent or damaging the property. That kind of stability for good renters is good for our neighborhoods and just makes SENSE.

Save our neighborhoods.
When houses (or apartments) go empty, everyone suffers. Housing values go down and there are health and safety issues. Empty houses turn into trashed houses. Lower property values mean less money for local governments. Stable neighborhoods are safer, healthier neighborhoods. Keep people housed, keep properties maintained, and even keep some money going to the lender.

Don’t make the state budget deficit worse:
Because of the current economic crisis, home stability is more important than ever. Homeless families cost cities, counties and the state money. This is not just about homeowners losing their homes -- there is a trend of the unemployed taking refuge in the homes of friends and family, for the short or long-term. The bottom line is empty houses mean more money needed for city services, health care, social services…there are countless costs (both financial and social) that arise from foreclosure.


For More Information:
Minnesota Coaltion for a People’s Bailout - 612-822-8020 - www.mn-peoples-bailout.org

[annm4peace]

1. I called mine Have you called yours?

[dflprincess]

2. When you make it so easy by providing phone#s how could I not

But I just saw this this morning.

My rep is not on the committee but the rep from the "A" side of my senate is so I called his office and a couple other of the DFLers (I'm suppose to be working so I didn't do the whole list). I went with reps from the 'burbs because I figured Hayden & Clark were sure things. I got very positive reactions from the offices I called. Though, in one case, I was told I was only the 2nd person who had called about it.

Do you know what time the vote is suppose to be? I'll check back at lunch time and if there is still time, I'll call some Republicans.