Left with Nothing

[n2doc]

Written by Michael Sallah, Debbie Cenziper, Steven Rich

On the day Bennie Coleman lost his house, the day armed U.S. marshals came to his door and ordered him off the property, he slumped in a folding chair across the street and watched the vestiges of his 76 years hauled to the curb.

Movers carted out his easy chair, his clothes, his television. Next came the things that were closest to his heart: his Marine Corps medals and photographs of his dead wife, Martha. The duplex in Northeast Washington that Coleman bought with cash two decades earlier was emptied and shuttered. By sundown, he had nowhere to go.

All because he didn’t pay a $134 property tax bill.

The retired Marine sergeant lost his house on that summer day two years ago through a tax lien sale — an obscure program run by D.C. government that enlists private investors to help the city recover unpaid taxes.

more

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/investigative/2013/09/08/left-with-nothing/

[LiberalEsto]

1. This is a national disgrace

Where are laws protecting average citizens?

I have a close friend facing foreclosure. They were having trouble meeting the mortgage payments for the first time in many years, because of her husband's medical problems and the economic slump. They can't afford health insurance.

They applied to the bank for a loan modification, but the bank has jerked them around for 16 months, constantly demanding additional information or "losing" information that was already given. The last time the bank re-requested information, they refused. Now the bank has filed for foreclosure on the house where they have lived since at least 1987, when we first met. They may have re-financed it at some point - I don't know the details. These people are being driven insane by process servers, bill collectors, harassing phone calls at all hours. They are honest, hard-working people and like many other Americans they are being screwed.

Damn the fucking banks and their evil executives.

[factsarenotfair]

2. They should try gofundme.com.

It might help.