This breakout session will examine the use of direct action organizing tactics against the foreclosing entity as a mechanism for delaying or stopping the eviction of residents from their homes as a result of foreclosure of the property. Particular attention will be paid to the use of these strategies in situations in which the foreclosed property is a rental building and those being evicted are tenants who have not defaulted on their rent.

All too often, community organizers/builders and housing counselors do not know how to work together, even if they are employed by the same organization. However, strategies that combine the individual focus of housing counseling with the structural approach of community organizing can lead to greater success in both arenas. This session will introduce best practices for bridging the gap between these two approaches and developing joint strategies that are of greatest service to our communities.

Though the foreclosure crisis has called our attention to it most directly, predatory lending has been plaguing our communities for decades. This session will explore various community-based approaches to dealing with the many faces of predatory lending, whether targeting subprime home loans, payday lending or high interest credit cards.

Many organizations are finding that the shame associated with defaulting on a mortgage causes a serious barrier to engaging families in the development of solutions to the foreclosure crisis. However, community organizing offers a unique perspective that joins individual situations into a collective issue, providing the opportunity to overcome these barriers and develop a real constituency of affected residents. This breakout session will focus on how collective organizing strategies have been used to help families overcome their shame and take action against foreclosures.