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superpatriotman

(6,232 posts)
Fri May 4, 2012, 08:25 AM May 2012

Activists met by police in attempt to clean up downtrodden bank-owned home

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/palm-beach/fl-bad-neighbor-bank-protest-20120503,0,3084881.story

MIAMI – Police surrounded and blocked a small group of community activists Thursday as they tried to clean up the sidewalk around a neglected, foreclosed house and then deliver the garbage to the homeowner: Bank of America.

A half a dozen members of the Miami Workers Center, a housing rights organization, arrived in the downtrodden Liberty City neighborhood in the morning expecting to tend to the trash-strewn lawn of the single-story house, only to find a swarm of police cars there.

Officers threatened the activists with trespass if they ventured onto the bank-owned property.

Rather than go home, the group set about picking up litter from the sidewalk and swale.


more and video at link
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Activists met by police in attempt to clean up downtrodden bank-owned home (Original Post) superpatriotman May 2012 OP
Police have no duty to protect people.. Recent SCOTUS decision.. Fumesucker May 2012 #1
Raises many, many questions... Scuba May 2012 #2
You're welcome superpatriotman May 2012 #3
The distinction between care for homes in poor vs rich neighborhoods is noted in the article, but... Scuba May 2012 #4
I would boycott BoA ... meeksgeek May 2012 #5
 

Scuba

(53,475 posts)
2. Raises many, many questions...
Fri May 4, 2012, 08:31 AM
May 2012

Why were the police there?

How did they know about the clean-up (assuming they did)?

Were they there on a BofA tip?

Why isn't the bank keeping the property clean (and salable)?

Why object to cleaning up?


superpatriotman, thanks for bringing us this report.

 

Scuba

(53,475 posts)
4. The distinction between care for homes in poor vs rich neighborhoods is noted in the article, but...
Fri May 4, 2012, 08:51 AM
May 2012

... why would a bank be willing to allow its assets to decay, regardless of location? Is it pressure from other home-owners, like the activists in the article are trying to bring on the bank? If so, then why isn't the bank responding to these activists?


If it's something else, what? I don't want to jump into conspiracy-land, but I can imagine some sinister scenarios.

meeksgeek

(1,214 posts)
5. I would boycott BoA ...
Fri May 4, 2012, 09:16 AM
May 2012

But I already closed my account with them, years ago now, and joined a credit union.

I really would like to know why local governments aren't insisting - through legal action if necessary - that the banks take care of their properties? If a private homeowner was violating health and safety laws, you know their city government would bring the hammer down. As an example - there was an abandoned house next door to an apartment I used to live in. The owner was using it for storage, but otherwise it was in horrible condition. They left the door open sometimes and the windows were all smashed. Local children would go in and play there... Eventually the city tore it down and sent the owner a bill.

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