ACORN Takes Up New Fight

Remember ACORN, that group that was mobilizing and registering voters, often through means of registration fraud? Remember them. Well, it looks like breaking the law is pretty common place for the group, all under the rhubric of "Civil disobedience."Balitmore's wjz.com has the story of how ACORN training people facing eviction on how to peacefully stay in their homes. They are doing it by breaking into foreclosed homes.

You should read "breaking into foreclosed homes" as "breaking into a house that you don't own or is owned by the bank." If you have been foreclosed on, you don't own the property anymore, that is what foreclosure means.

Near Patterson Park, the padlock on the door and the sign in the window tell part of Donna Hanks foreclosure story.

"The mortgage went up $300 in one month," said Hanks, former homeowner.

She says the bank refused to modify her loan and foreclosed, kicking her out of the house in September.

The community group ACORN calls Hanks a victim of predatory lending.

"This is our house now," said Louis Beverly, ACORN.

And on Thursday afternoon, they literally broke the foreclosure padlock right off the front door and then broke into the house, letting Hanks back in for the first time in months.

o here is a question for Ms. Hanks and Mr. Beverly, why did the payment go up $300 in one month? That's right, its called an adjustable rate mortgage and under those ARM's the lender had to give you at least 90 days notice that the payment was going up. What, you didn't see that term in the mortgage contract? You didn't see that notice of higher payment come to you? Why didn't you bring that to anyone's attention?

What you don't remember all those legal papers you got regarding the foreclosure on your house and informing you of your rights in the foreclosure?

Oh, you did? Then tough luck. You lost when you had chances to head the problem off long ago. I have little sympathy for you.

Yes, foreclosure sucks and it is happening to lots of people, but this action by ACORN is wrong. Where will ACORN be when Ms. Hanks is arrested for trespassing? Where will ACORN be when she is facing fines and jail time?

If ACORN wants to train people to take steps before their home is foreclosed on, more power to them. If they want to help people renegotiate their mortgages, good luck. But instructing people to trespass and helping them do that is a crime and that is unacceptable and ACORN needs to be held liable also. If I were the bank who owns the property, I would seek the arrest and criminal prosecution of ACORN as well as Ms. Hanks.