Mayor Murray Instructs SPD Not to Evict Disabled Veteran from West Seattle Home

[one_voice]

Last edited Wed Jul 23, 2014, 10:27 AM - Edit history (1)

A group of activists from Standing Against Foreclosure and Eviction (SAFE) sat outside Mayor Ed Murray's office for four hours today, asking that he intervene to prevent the eviction of veteran and his wife from their West Seattle home, until the mayor and his chief of staff came out and met with them this afternoon.

According to SAFE organizer Josh Farris, Murray told them "the SPD is not coming" to evict Byron and Jean Barton, and that he'd let the activists know if anything changes.

As I reported on Friday, SAFE—joined by members of Socialist Alternative, including state house candidate Jess Spear—surrounded the Bartons' West Seattle bungalow when King County Sheriff deputies arrived that morning to enforce an eviction order, following the foreclosure and sale of their house. The deputies attempted to evict the couple by loading Byron, who uses a wheelchair to get around, into an ambulance.

Supporters of the Bartons lay down in the way of the ambulance, preventing it from leaving, and the authorities eventually gave up. It's now fallen to Seattle police to enforce trespassing laws.

But activists demanded that they hold off, and the mayor has agreed. "He's has asked SPD not to act until we’ve explored all options," confirms mayoral spokesperson Megan Coppersmith. "That means essentially standing by while the latest court proceedings unwind." (The Bartons are currently challenging the legality of their foreclosure in court.)

"This is a small victory," Farris says. "We punched capitalism in the nuts and we won a battle."

For now, Farris says he's calling off the eviction blockade, though SAFE will continue to push more broadly for the city to sue banks for fraudulent foreclosures, as Los Angeles and Miami have done, and fine them for empty bank-owned properties that cause blight. "We want them to expand the just-cause eviction protections for tenants and continue to pursue principal reduction," he says.

http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2014/07/21/mayor-ed-murray-instructs-spd-not-to-evict-disabled-veteran-from-west-seattle-home

More here:

UPDATE: Barton family eviction protest heads to City Hall

m
Mayor Murray responded with a statement on the Barton family situation via the web.

“We are attempting to understand all options that may exist in this situation and I have asked Chief O’Toole and the Seattle Police Department to stand by while the latest court proceedings unwind.

An interdepartmental team has been working on the issue of foreclosure and how the City of Seattle can proactively connect residents to resources early in the process. I’ve pledged the City of Seattle’s participation in the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness in 2015, and will launch a separate process to address homelessness and increase housing affordability in the months ahead, one of my visions toward making Seattle an affordable city.
In Washington State, we’ve seen recent victories such as the 2011 Washington State Foreclosure Fairness Act, which I worked on closely, designed to help homeowners and their lenders explore alternatives to foreclosure and reach a resolution when possible. I’m committed to working with all stakeholders, using this and other alternatives in the work Seattle does on housing affordability.”
- See more at: http://murray.seattle.gov/mayor-murrays-statement-on-barton-foreclosure/...

Original Post
Meeting just outside the Mayor's office at City Hall, protestors for S.A.F.E. (Standing Against Foreclosure and Eviction) held a press conference to ask that the City of Seattle stand down, and more precisely that Mayor Ed Murray and the Seattle City Council order the police to refrain from arresting Byron and Jean Barton. The Bartons were evicted from their home last week by King County Sheriff's deputies in accordance with an eviction notice from Triangle Properties LLC.

Protests at the home by S.A.F.E. members and others blocked authorities from taking the disabled Vietnam Veteran to the hospital (where he was offered shelter for 5 weeks), so he was put on the sidewalk, the locks changed on the home. Access was later gained to the home and he and others have chained themselves to his hospital bed hoping to prevent either eviction or arrest.

Police did visit the home and the Bartons were assured they would not be arrested (despite the fact that police say they are committing the crime of criminal trespassing), until such time as a determination could be made as to how to best serve everyone's rights in the matter.

Speaking on behalf of S.A.F.E. Joshua Sturman read the letter to the media:

"Byron Barton is a disabled Vietnam Veteran who has lived in his home at 6548 41st Ave. S.W. for 61 years. He has lived there since he was two years old. On April 11th, he and his wife, Jean has their home fraudulently foreclosed upon, and they now locked in a civil land dispute with Triangle Properties LLC. The ownership of the property is being disputed in state court. The Bartons should be allowed to remain in the home until the court has decided on this matter.

http://www.westseattleherald.com/2014/07/21/news/update-barton-family-eviction-protest-heads-city-

Josh from S.A.F.E. was the primary speaker at an press conference held just outside the office of Seattle Mayor Ed Murray on July 21. The group is hoping to prevent the eviction of Jean and Byron Barton from their home in West Seattle and asked that while the matter is in the legal process, that the Mayor order that no arrests be made for what has been called criminal trespassing by the authorities.



edited to add more:

Synthia Melton, the attorney for Triangle Property Development, sent KING 5 the following statement:

“This is an unfortunate situation for all parties involved. My client, Triangle Property Development, was not involved in any part of the foreclosure process before the sale. The home was purchased at a King County Trustee’s Sale on April 11, 2014. My client is now the legal owner of the property and is entitled to possession. After making several attempts to resolve this matter amicably, which included offers of assistance, we were forced to seek relief from the court. Litigation is ongoing in this matter and we have no further comment at this time. Thank you.”

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/07/18/i-want-to-go-home-to-my-bed-protesters-fight-disabled-seattle-veterans-eviction/

There's a question as to whether this person took out a loan and didn't pay and now wants to stay. *I* could only find one place reporting this and it's a self proclaimed right wing radio host. I will continue to look. Here's that source...

http://mynorthwest.com/76/2570445/Is-it-right-for-mayor-Sawant-to-block-eviction-of-disabled-Seattle-veteran

[yeoman6987]

1. This is one of the comments at the bottom of the article

There are a lot of "bank screwed me over" examples, but this certainly isn't one of them. This couple has lived in the house for decades, pulled out 450K cash via refis, stopped making payments in 2011, refused to sell, got 100K from the foreclosure auction, refused to move out after someone else bought it (not a bank), and are now trying to milk public sympathy.



if this is true then should he really stay in the house?

[one_voice]

2. I don't know...

I will have to see if I can find more on the story.

[Lee-Lee]

3. If accurate, they need to go

The assumption these days that every foreclosure=bad is causing knee-jerk response in some cases where people really did bring it on themselves.

I do have a serious issue with a mayor instructing police not to carry out a lawful eviction ordered by the courts. That is a serious breakdown of the rule of law here, and an area where the Mayor clearly went way past what is acceptable in running a department.

[kelliekat44]

4. Unlike Bundy supporters. Huh. right? I didn't see any guns..did you? nt