People's Convention of Florida: Foreclosure Proposal

The People's Convention of Florida convened December 10, 2011 and on December 11 a foreclosure-related proposal was brought to the General Assembly. The following footage highlights the ensuing discussion about a state-wide moratorium on foreclosures.

The proposal was changed on the fly during the General Assembly. Here is the wording that finally received consensus:

To install a three year moratorium on the unjust practice of foreclosure to eliminate illegal seizure, based on mortgages where the bank cannot produce the original mortgage document. We oppose non-judicial foreclosures of mortgages and any further deregulation of the foreclosure process.

The proposal is currently worded differently in the People's Convention of Florida Proposals Forum, and it is unclear what the final wording will be. Each local Florida Occupy group will now have the opportunity to discuss this proposal, before a final decision is made about bringing it to the Florida Legislature.

Related Info:

• Unfortunately, the foreclosure crisis is still in full swing. Astra Taylor reports in The Nation that approximately 6 million homes have been seized since 2007, and over the next four years an estimated 8 million more are predicted go into foreclosure.
• A 2009 Urban Institute report, The Impacts of Foreclosures on Families and Communities, reviewed studies on crime, foreclosure, and policy.
• Recently, activist groups around the country including the Occupy Movement moved into action on December 6, with the Occupy Our Homes campaign.
• We, as a nation, have not yet had the debate over the legal and moral requirements assumed by bankers, governments, tenants, homeowners and lenders in a housing market with changing real estate values, or I would provide a link to the summary.