Pass the California Homeowner Bill of Rights! CALL TO ACTION!

URGENT! Stop the banking lobby and the California Chamber of Commerce from blocking the CA Homeowner Bill of Rights.

WHAT DOES THE CALIFORNIA HBR DO?
In response to the foreclosure crisis, CA Attorney General Kamala Harris and key state Assemblypersons and Senators have put the California Homeowner Bill of Rights (HBR) on the legislative agenda. The “Bill of Rights” is a package of bills to give greater protection to homeowners facing foreclosure, to neighborhoods and municipalities impacted by the wave of foreclosures, and to tenants living in foreclosed properties. We need to show support for this legislative initiative quickly and effectively. The Banking Lobby has already moved to table the legislation in Committee.

REASON #1 TO SUPPORT HBR: California is the hardest hit of all fifty states by foreclosures. It is estimated that there will be 2 million homes that have been foreclosed upon in California by the end of this year, with one-third of homeowners currently “underwater” financially, were they must pay more to the banks on their homes than what they are worth.

REASON #2 TO SUPPORT HBR: As an example of fraudulent bank behavior, San Francisco Assessor Phil Ting has documented that 84% of all foreclosures in SF County are based on documents that are suspect or fraudulent. This is typical across the state and nationally, as documented in the government's own HUD report. The requirement that the banks provide legal foreclosure documentation and other common sense and fair measures in the California Homeowners Bill of Rights, would likely reduce the foreclosure rate in California by over 75 percent, as has happened in Nevada where a similar package of foreclosure abatement laws have passed. The bill also provides for more effective criminal enforcement against mortgage and foreclosure-related fraud.

The CALIFORNIA HOMEOWNER BILL OF RIGHTS is a set of homeowner-friendly bills that can protect millions of California homeowners and communities state-wide from fraudulent banking practices, if passed by the Legislature. Stop the banking lobby and the Chamber of Commerce from blocking HBR.

BELOW IS A SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE COMPRISING THE CA HOMEOWNER BILL OF RIGHTS: 1)
 Basic standards of fairness in the mortgage process, including an end to foreclosure document fraud, such as "robo-signing" and false notarizations and a stop to unsuspected "dual-track" foreclosures when still in compliance with another bank representative. 2) Transparency in the mortgage process, including a single point of contact for homeowners. 3) Community tools to prevent blight after banks foreclose upon homes. 4) Tenant protections after foreclosures. 5) Enhanced law enforcement to defend homeowner rights - paid for by fees imposed on banks. 6) A special grand jury to investigate financial and foreclosure crime.