The state of Georgia ranked fourth in the nation for foreclosures at the end of last year, with more foreclosures expected. Along with many other metro Atlanta counties, DeKalb County and South Decatur have especially been hit hard by the housing bubble and crash. Ms. Christine Frazer, a 62 year old widow, along with four generations of the Frazer family are being threatened with eviction from the place they have called home since 1994. Mrs. Frazer refinanced her home in 2001; but after losing her husband in 2002, taking in her elderly mother in 2003, losing her job in 2009 due to a “no-fault, one-minute-late tardy policy,” and being denied unemployment after two appeals, she was left with no way to pay her mortgage.
The very same crumbling economy that caused the value of Chris’ home to depreciate left her hopeless in today’s damaged job market. Mrs. Frazer’s home was foreclosed on in October of 2011 after faithfully paying her mortgage for over 15 years! Investors One Corporation sent her a statement claiming she had to pay $176,000 on a house that the very same document stated is only worth $40,000. There is no sense in expecting such a large amount of money for a home that has lost so much value. Evicting this family means evicting an 85 year old great-grandmother and her 3 year old great-grandson. Why kick a family to the curb and allow a home to sit unoccupied? It would make much more sense to allow for a new mortgage, based on the current value of the home. This foreclosure is wrongful and Occupy Atlanta will assist Ms. Frazer in the fight to expose the fraudulent actions that have taken place. Many other families and individuals across America have fallen victim to these unlawful practices and Occupy Atlanta is fighting against such injustices. Occupy Atlanta has once again made a foray into the suburbs of Atlanta where so many families have been and are currently struggling to keep themselves afloat.
Occupy Atlanta hopes to not only save the Frazer home, but assist the community at large in helping find solutions to local problems. Too many homes nearby sit bank owned and vacant, or even worse: abandoned and in varying states of disrepair. This brings down the home values of EVERY home in the area and dampens the mood of the community. Let’s make Decatur a focal point for resisting foreclosures and foster a spirit of community that cares for and takes care of one another. We can start by saving the Frazer home. Come and join the fight!
