As a Family Faces Eviction, Occupy Atlanta Shows Support in Gwinnett
Occupy Atlanta protestors trekked to the Snellville area to help a family keep their home.
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On Monday, Nov. 7, Occupy Atlanta took their issues to the suburbs in hopes of helping the Rorey family keep their home.
The Snellville family of five, including two school-age children, have lived in their Shoreside Circle home since 2003. They are now facing a foreclosure. (See video attached.)
Having never missed a payment, problems started after the family met someone who promised to help them with a loan modification, according to the family's Tucker-based attorney Asim Alam. In July 2010, the family defaulted in order to take advantage of that loan modification. Soon after, the foreclosure process started.
That man, the attorney said, has since been arrested in other schemes.
"The Roreys represent probably the prime example of who the community at-large should be seeing as a victim and really scratching its head, wondering what is going on," Alam said.
Tawanna Rorey's husband, a 40-year-old law enforcement officer with DeKalb County, sent the Occupy Atlanta group a message last week. And, by Friday, Occupy Atlanta protestors were at the family's foreclosure court hearing.
"A lot of times people don't reach out because they don't know what to do," Rorey said, standing in the front lawn of her home. "They don't know where to go and who to get help from."
Now, the families belongings are packed inside storage containers, and they are hoping good will intervenes on their behalf. The home, a place of birthdays, anniversaries and fun family events, is where the Roreys had planned to stay. Having moved from an apartment prior, Tawanna Rorey said the home was their dream.
"We're kind of just hoping that something bigger takes over and leads us in the direction we need to go," she said.
Stacey Bourbonnais, a spokeswoman with the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Department, said Monday that the pending foreclosure was "still with the courts."
As far as an eviction, "We do not have anything scheduled at this time," she said.
Occupiers say they plan to stay as long as it takes, and that they are prepared to be arrested if and when eviction time comes for the family. Some 20 people were camped out at the home -- including two tents in the fornt yard -- to show support.
Tim Franzen, an organizer with Occupy Atlanta, said foreclosures, like the one facing the Rorey family, is "a symptom of wealth and equity." If the country changed its economic priorities, it could work for everyone, he added.
He added that the situation here in the outskirts of Snellville could be anyone's.
"Everybody knows somebody that has been hit by this economic crisis of priority," Franzen said. "Everybody knows somebody who is under-employed. Everybody knows somebody who us qualified but who cannot get a job.
"We all know somebody who has fallen on hard times, stuck in debt, and now wondering where are they going to live, where they're going to work. This is hitting everybody."
Melinda Franklin
8:14 am on Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Has this family been down to Atlanta this weekend to see about getting their mortgage reduced? I know I've been seeing on the news about the event going on thru 8 p.m. today for folks to meet with their mortgage company and having rates reduced so that families can manage. NACA? or something like that at the WCCC??
Ex-Wife
5:46 pm on Sunday, August 5, 2012
I am the mother of the daughter in college. Tawanna gave birth to two sons only. My ex-husband does not support our daughter in college who is only two hours away from his home. We reside in New York and he does not give a damn about her well being. I don't feel sorry for them at all. What goes around comes around. That is his MO, always trying to get over...they do not welcome my daughter to their home...
Tiffany Wood Wong
8:23 am on Tuesday, November 8, 2011
This family defaulted intentionally in the summer of 2010. They were financially able to make their payments but defaulted to try and get their loan renegotiated. Unfortunate as it may be, they *intentionally* defaulted. They have already been legally foreclosed on and the home does not belong to them anymore. Attempts at modification, renegotiation, and occupying are all pointless.
Martin Altamirano
10:56 am on Thursday, November 10, 2011
The actual society and goverment system is failing to tons of average people, and is sad that when someone ( in this case OA) is denuncing in mass what people is talking about individually in their homes, jobs, etc, is sick that some profetional minded people like you Tiffany came and say that everithing is pointless.
With minset of people like you, we will still under U.K. domination, where pointless give fredoom to slaves and even give rigths to blacks. Worthed goals are never easy, but if is worthed, why not start the process to evoy that families like this dont lose their homes.
Tiffany Wood Wong
12:07 pm on Thursday, November 10, 2011
Martin, I am honestly not quite clear on what you are trying to articulate with your post. If you read my post thoroughly, you would see that I did not say that everything is pointless. This *particular* situation is one that has already played out, and this family unfortunately made poor choices that lead to them facing eviction. OA's claims of fighting "foreclosure" are pointless because the foreclosure has already occured, and the home does not belong to them. What they are really doing is stalling/fighting an eviction. If you *really* want to fix this situation, find out what bank purchased the home on the courthouse steps and attempt to work out an arrangement with them, to either purchase or rent the home.
Melinda Franklin
8:35 am on Tuesday, November 8, 2011
thank you, Tiffany, for the clarification. Another one of the many reasons why I do NOT support Occupy Atlanta. Let's please get them OUT of Gwinnett!
Martin Altamirano
11:02 am on Thursday, November 10, 2011
Hi miss Melinda!
Did you do not support O,A, for Tried to make a new bridge to help people lossing their homes?
The actual society and goverment system is failing to tons of average people, and is sad that when someone ( in this case OA) is denuncing in mass what people is talking about individually in their homes, jobs, etc, is sick that some profetional minded people like you Tiffany came and say that everithing is pointless.
With minset of people like you, we will still under U.K. domination, where pointless give fredoom to slaves and even give rigths to blacks. Worthed goals are never pointless and easy, but if are worthed, why not start the process to evoy that families like this don't lose their homes.
cyndi davis
12:23 pm on Tuesday, November 8, 2011
I lost my home this year-tried the whole modification scheme with my bank-it was a joke-they dont tell you when you accept the lower payment that it will take you 3 months to make one regular payment and that everyday it does daily interest is added to it. If they truly want to help those in need with jobs to keep their homes they should modify the loans at what the house it worth now not when they bought it. My house was worth 162k when i bought it 3 years ago -now worth 95K-had I been able to have a loan mod I would have been able to keep it. Banks would rather take the huge loss (which wouldnt hurt them like it does the public) and have an empty property (subject to vandalism and theft) then to help those they say they do. I was in snellville-Although I dont agree with the Occupy group-this is an issue near and dear to my heart-try renting now-all the investors snagging up 40k houses and renting them for between 9-1000 dollars a month when they really arent worth that much is just as much a crime-Hud should become investors in their own homes and rent them out -that would help a lot!
Crystal Huskey
12:52 pm on Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Interesting idea - modifying the loans for what the homes are worth now... I wonder if that would work? Obviously the banks would lose money. And if the banks bankrupt, then thousands more people lose jobs. That would have been a better use of the bail-out funds! I rent my parents' old home, which is worth about 25% less than when they bought it five years ago. They want to sell it but can't afford to lose that equity. In reality though, it will take at least another five to even ten years before it's at the original value.
cyndi davis
1:21 pm on Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Exactly Crystal-I could see the bailout being used to make up the difference between the 2-but now I see all the billions in profit the big 3 are pulling down (Suntrust-BOA-Wells Fargo) and I see the thousands that lost their homes-funny how they are quick to take a handout but reluctant to give one! Until this country starts taking care of their own in practical individual ways our economy WILL NOT rebound. It is that simple
Gail Moore
2:27 pm on Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Asking a few questions here - I know people who have gotten behind because of lost jobs and just couldn't catch up and lost their homes; I also know people who have worked 2 and 3 jobs and modified their lifestyles in order to keep their homes ... And now, though, it seems that we want to reward those who don't make these Hereculean efforts? Where is the "reward" for those who work diligently to maintain their obligations and thus their credit ratings and their mortgages which originated long before all this?
In many cases, folks refinanced during 2005 and 2006 when appraisals were high; they took money from that refinancing to use as they needed - equity from their own homes - and the banks were left with a loan made in good faith to a borrower who had property worth $250k back then, but now only worth about $100k ...
There are too many opportunities for inequities here between consumers and then between consumers and lenders. I think there is a solution which addresses all the different scenarios, but just forgiving consumer loans while doing corporate bail-outs doesn't seem the right thing.
I just don't think its as easy as just saying "loan modification is the way to go."
cyndi davis
2:54 pm on Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Loan modification isnt the only solution offered Gail-I was one of the lucky and received moving money for leaving my home in move in condition-but I honestly (after going thru the lawyers who are useless as they do not communicate with the lender hence how i lost my home while under contract to sell it) I understand the frustration people go thru. I had a friend -attempting loan mod to pay 2 months mortgage and being told by their lender nothing will happen while under the modification process-receive a letter 3 days later saying their home was going to be sold within 14 days. they have made payments faithfully for 15 years-Where is the loyalty to them? I am not saying excuse the loan but dont make the modification as damaging as the loss of the home to their credit. Does that make sense? No one is saying forgive the loan-but I will tell you, it is the banks who scream loan modification as I hadnt heard about it until it was told to me as my only option. Seeing as they benefit the most from it I now understand why it was offered.
Gail Moore
3:06 pm on Tuesday, November 8, 2011
I, too, understand the frustration, and am sorry for your experience, Cyndi. I really don't have a good solution, but it seems unrealistic to penalize those who kept their loans and maintained their obligations. This has been a particularly devastating economic time for so many, that I know the rules are ever changing trying to accommodate so many different scenarios.
While I understand mortgage companies are going to be circumspect in placing loans going forward, it seems it will just get harder to find someone with exemplary credit if we don't find a way to reward those who were able to maintain their properties. If I were one of those (and I rented for the last few years) I would be sitting back thinking ... heck ... I don't mind moving; if EVER I were going to walk away from something that I owe more on than it is worth, today is the day!
We for sure do not want to encourage that mentality in our society; so how do we go about making changes without promoting that kind of thought process?
Tiffany Wood Wong
3:14 pm on Tuesday, November 8, 2011
I guess I just don't understand why the mortgage company should modify anyone's loan, just because their home value dropped. You wouldn't go to the bank holding your car loan and ask them to modify it because your car value dropped. So why is it expected for a home? If you purchased a home at 100k and it doubled in value to 200k, you wouldn't give the bank 200k, would you? Of course not. You would give them what you owe them, 100k.The current value of your home has nothing to do with the fact that you signed a legally binding document for a loan that you are obligated to pay.
Gail Moore
3:18 pm on Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Great analogy, Tiffany!
cyndi davis
3:28 pm on Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Tiffany I get your point but I also see that neither of you have ever had this problem as a worry so empathy I will not expect. Again no one is asking for loan forgiveness and by the way car loans are doing the same thing-I would hope you would read up on the different types of modifications for both to get a better understand in todays terms modification is nothing more than a quick title loan basically -where the lender holds all the cards-charges outrageously-can drag it out for years ( a friend still on modification hold and it has been a year and a half) even tho the govt says 90 days max-I was on it for a year and it never got resolved. Please dont look down on those on hard times and not allow a hand up when times call for it. Dont let one bad apple spoil the barrel for those who need help
Gail Moore
3:36 pm on Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Actually, Cyndi, my situation was a bit different - throw in an extended divorce and unemployment - and that would be MY story. We've all experienced to some extent. I AM empathetic, but I also hold in great awe and esteem those of my friends who live in modest homes and were able to maintain them while the homes around them went into foreclosure.
I can't say how it would be right that my bad planning, situation or financial mismanagement should discount their efforts. Show me a way to reward those kinds of situations and I'll be more amenable to modifications or circumstantial load consideration.
cyndi davis
3:56 pm on Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Oh I agree and honey been there done that and got a t-shirt haha-I would love to have saved my home-the shame alone at not keeping my end of the deal plagued me for months. In fact the fannie mae rep that helped me in losing my home said she wishes she had more like me-I think they could lower their interest rates on good payments-I think the government needs to look at hand ups not hand outs-there is a huge difference. we arent talking about those surviving we are discussing those in need-I would hope that Americans would support helping those in need that have spent many years putting money into the economy -
Nunya Business
9:02 am on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
The bottom line is this....they have and have had the means to pay their mortgage and intentionally defaulted on their loan. Explain this to your children as "Mommy and Daddy mad a bad decision and now we are losing our home" That is the TRUTH! Dekalb county should pull this individual off the streets and put him behind a desk and investigate him for financial fraud!
cyndi davis
10:28 am on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
I have asked the reporter to clarify why they defaulted and who decided it-was it the lawyer now under investigation that suggested it or did they do it at the suggestion of their bank (we cannot help you unless you are so many months behind)-yes if you have the means to pay your mortgage in full and all your other bills then it was a bad decision I agree. but until we have all the facts maybe the bashing should wait until we do. People get caught up in scams all the time. You may not think it is a good idea for mortgage companies to modify loans (your opinion) or help those struggling by no fault of their own (dont know if you have heard the companies shutting down or laying off -read the news) but I believe as a society of citizens we owe it to our neighbors to help when we can however we can. Yes there will be some that take advantage of the help but why should that hinder us from helping the ones that need it? I learned something a while back-"Do for one what you wish you could do for many". Instead of ignoring the "whole" for a few rotten apples ... you get the picture
Joy L. Woodson
10:31 am on Wednesday, November 9, 2011
P.S. Everyone I did ask Rorey attorney Asim Alam this question yesterday on the default. Awaiting a response.