Under pressure from the community, Jobs with Justice, and other groups, Wells Fargo has agreed to terms that will allow Belva Davis to stay in her home.
Homeowner Belva Davis of Detroit’s East English Village fell behind on her mortgage while unemployed. Last December, Wells Fargo started to foreclose on Belva’s home.
Belva got a new job, and wanted to renegotiate terms and pay the mortgage. For months Wells Fargo refused to modify Belva’s loan, but they weren’t counting on the outpouring of support Belva got from her neighbors and allies throughout Detroit and across the country.
Belva’s struggle to stay in her home turned a corner after SE Michigan Jobs with Justice brought labor into the fight. On September 29, more than 50 people picketed the Wachovia/Wells Fargo branch office in Grosse Point Woods, MI to demand that Wells Fargo not evict Belva Davis and the thousands of homeowners like her who have fallen behind on their mortgages.
Immediately following the rally, the bank called Belva’s attorney, Jerry Goldberg, to begin negotiations to modify her loan, and Belva finally got a payment plan she can afford.
While this victory is thrilling, we also know that Belva is only one of millions of homeowners across the country facing foreclosure, a number that continues to grow. Jobs with Justice will continue to stand in solidarity with struggling homeowners and tenants of foreclosed properties. JwJ will help keep people in their homes, stop evictions, and advocate for affordable housing and community reinvestment.
