On January 19, 2010 Common Ground released it’s Foreclosure Research and Action Report. The report identifies the need for three banks – Deutsche Bank, US Bank, Wells Fargo – to take responsibility for their part in the foreclosure crisis and meet three demands:

Sell Responsibly:  Stop selling to speculators and work with us to develop a plan to sell to responsible owners.

Tear Down the Bad Ones: Pay for the demolition of the properties beyond rehabilitation and donate the land to a community trust for future residential construction.

Fix the Salvageable Ones: Each bank contributes $25 Million towards a $75 Million fund, which will be used to rehabilitate and sell these properties.

The report can be downloaded here:  CG_FOF_ResearchReport_web

Georgia Pabst of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel brings exposure to the foreclosure battle in an article published November 24, 2009. Click the photo to link to the article.

On the evening of Thursday, November 19 2009, Common Ground conducted a hearing to learn about the foreclosure crisis and the impact of bank-owned foreclosed homes. Over 240 Common Ground members listened to testimony from a broad variety of sources. These included:

Alderman Michael Murphy, District 10, City of Milwaukee, Chair of the Council Finance Committee

Mr. Lew Ameel, Housing Counselor, HBC Services

Ms. Suzanne Dennik, Project Manager, Milwaukee Foreclosure Project Inititive

Ms. Catherine M. Doyle, Attorney, Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee

Ms. Margaret Henningsen, Founder and Vice President, Legacy Bank

In addition, a number of community members shared their experiences living near and trying to purchase these bank owned foreclosed homes.

Our Next Steps:

Common Ground will issue a ‘white paper’ with our research findings and recommendations on what we will do to address this problem by January.

on January 21, 2010 Common Ground will begin a campaign focused on outlining what we want the large national banks that own most of these properties to do.

If you would like more information or have questions please contact us here. Email

On Saturday, September 26, 2009, 100 Common Ground members spread out across the city as part of a photographic survey of bank owned foreclosed houses in Milwaukee.  The nearly 500 photographs gathered speak graphically to the blighting effect on our community of economic challenge and unscrupulous, predatory lending.  De-briefing conversations of the photo survey revealed that while some houses have already been resold and rehabilitation has started, many others still sit boarded up – and unphotographed.  Common Ground is now looking to organize a follow-up shoot focusing on areas of heavier foreclosure saturation.  Saturday’s action is a first step in addressing the banks responsibility regarding their property and its impact on neighborhoods.