Little did we know a year ago that Common Ground would be engaged in three campaigns that have the potential to impact so many lives in southeastern Wisconsin. At the March 7 Delegates Assembly held at Mount Mary College 120 members heard updates on our campaigns and discussed next steps in these important campaigns. (more…)
As a major follow up to our Healthy Neighborhoods, Healthy People event just 3 weeks before, over 200 Common Ground members listened as banks committed to move forward with us on tackling the foreclosure crisis in Milwaukee. The meeting took place on November 15th, 2010 at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
All five banks were again in attendance (including Deutsche Bank, who originally declined our invitation) agreed to our short-term demands. They clearly recognized the importance of their relationship with Common Ground and the City of Milwaukee. The demands are
1. Provide reasonable maintenance and monthly status reports on properties under their responsibility.
2. Commit to bring people with decision-making authority to a mid-February 2011 meeting to review a Sherman Park Revitalization Plan.
A most valuable new partner in the issue campaign was also announced – Mercy Housing, represented by Cindy Holler, President Mercy Housing Lakefront in Chicago. Mercy Housing is a non-profit, nationally known organization with twenty-four years of experience in the management of housing development and rehabilitation for the purpose of preserving communities. Ms. Holler reported that Mercy Housing recently opened an office in Milwaukee and is very excited about the opportunity to work with Common Ground, the City of Milwaukee and the banks to develop and execute a plan that will revitalize the Sherman Park neighborhood and beyond.
This is a stunning achievement because just a year ago the banks barely responded to our invitations to discuss the foreclosure crisis.
The meeting was a satisfying report on the progress of the Faces of Foreclosure Campaign but it closed with a reminder that there is still much to be done. Common Ground members committed to photograph and evaluate the condition of two to six vacant properties each month.
This shows that we are serious about our commitment to Transforming Lives and Strengthening Communities.
On September 10th, Common Ground leaders along with city officials packed the hearing room at Milwaukee City Hall to listen to what the banks and servicers had to say regarding the upkeep of the homes they are responsible for in Milwaukee neighborhoods.
July Meeting with Banks and Servicers
In July banks and servicers (companies hired by banks to “service” their work with mortgage customers) met with Common Ground and representatives of the City of Milwaukee. That meeting was the culmination of long, steady pressure by Common Ground on Deutsche Bank, US Bank and Wells Fargo Bank to take responsibility for vacant foreclosed properties throughout the City of Milwaukee. In that meeting, the servicers agreed in principle to several demands and to a meeting in September to review their results.
September Follow-up with Banks and Servicers
The agreed-upon follow-up meeting took place on September 10 at Milwaukee City Hall. Prior to the meeting Common Ground Faces of Foreclosure Issue Team members had worked with city representatives to create clear steps each bank or servicer must make to take care of these properties. Banks and servicers must:
• Register all of their vacant foreclosed homes with the city
• Provide a responsible contact person in Southeastern Wisconsin
• Present a plan to maintain the vacant properties
• Explain their current state of services
The banks and servicers responses were mixed. Some of the banks were prepared and provided clear results and plans. Others seemed not to have taken the demands seriously, providing flimsy excuses for not taking action and not bringing the requested information. Common Ground leaders and the City of Milwaukee presented up-to-date poster size photos of properties, demonstrating where banks and servicers are not living up to their commitments. In their signature brown Common Ground t-shirts, twenty-five participants created an obvious demonstration of citizen interest.
Common Ground and the City of Milwaukee will continue to work with the banks and servicers until all are responding to requirements.
Read this recent article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article about the meeting. The article states that there was an “overflow committee room.” Common Ground filled the majority of the seats in the room that day.
We had an outstanding trip to Germany in late May!
Mark Fraley and Sue Giaimo of St. Catherine’s traveled to Frankfurt Germany to attend the Deutsche Bank Shareholder’s meeting and present Common Ground’s demands concerning Deutsche Bank’s involvement with the foreclosure crisis in Milwaukee.
On Wednesday, May 26th, they met with the German press and a member of the German Parliament in order to share our plight and gain international attention. The next day, they attended the Shareholder’s meeting where they addressed the CEO, Board and Shareholder’s with two speeches about the poor state of homes Deutsche Bank holds in trust and our analysis, including a series of informational questions about Deutsche Bank’s relationship to these houses. At this time, they also asked for a face-to-face meeting in Milwaukee with Deutsche Bank staff.
We are happy to report that Josef Ackerman (CEO of Deutsche Bank) responded. He committed his legal staff for Deutsche Bank in New York to meet with Common Ground leaders in Milwaukee. The time and date of this meeting is currently being worked out between both parties.
In addition, Common Ground received outstanding press for our effort, including:
A front page article in the “TAZ”, a Berlin newspaper
An article in the Financial Times Deutschland – the major German newspaper
A 4-page article about Deutsche Bank’s involvement with foreclosed homes in Mind Der Spiegel – the major news magazine in German
We thank all of the leaders of Common Ground for their hard work and commitment to this campaign and we are excited to begin seeing some results!
Click here for a link to an article in the Huffington Post about our trip to Germany and the Faces of Foreclosure campaign.
Mark Fraley and Sue Giaimo will be traveling May 24 to Frankfurt, Germany to present Common Ground’s demands concerning Deutsche Bank’s involvement with the foreclosure crisis in Milwaukee. For the last six months we have been trying to meet with Deutsche Bank U.S. officials in both Milwaukee and Chicago. They have refused. We are now going to the shareholders meeting in Frankfurt, Germany where we have been allotted time to speak.
On Wednesday, May 26 we will be meeting with Green Party representatives to gain more insight as to how to prepare for the shareholder meeting and the best way to put pressure on Deutsche Bank to meet with us face-to-face in Milwaukee.
Our meeting on Thursday, May 27 with Deutsche Bank shareholders will allow us to make our case, ask important questions pertaining to ownership and trusteeship and urge Deutsche Bank to work with us.
The week will also include other meetings, research and press conferences to help find potential allies in Germany, tell our story to the German press and help further our issue campaign by getting Deutsche Bank to commit to a face-to-face meeting.
Look for updates during the trip through the Faces of Foreclusre email. If you have not signed up to receive these emails you can at Faces of Foreclosure
Read several articles pertaining to Common Ground going to Germany – bizjournal, and jsonline
Germans built Milwaukee, a German Bank is destroying it!
On Saturday, April 17 and Sunday, April 18 ,Common Ground held two neighborhood walks through the Sherman Park neighborhood. We spoke with residents about: foreclosed and abandoned homes, safety issues, areas in need of clean up, street, sidewalk and lighting issues.
We are using the information gathered to create our Sherman Park development plan for the Faces of Foreclosure issue campaign.
Fifty Common Ground leaders traveled to the State Capitol on April 7 to attend a hearing of the Committee of Financial Institutions in support of Rep. Jon Richards Foreclosure Accountability Bill (AB 816). The bill, developed in response to the CG Faces of Foreclosure Campaign, requires the State of Wisconsin refrain from doing business with banks that have more than 100 homes in foreclosure.
To begin the public hearing Rep. Richards breifly explained the Faces of Foreclosure Campaign and introduced the bill to the committee. After he spoke CG leaders delivered testimony to the committee:
Jenny Vellinga explained the background of the foreclosure crisis and CG’s involvement and goals.
Pastor Jason Butler told about his church’s ordeal attempting to purchase a foreclosed house from Wells Fargo in Sherman Park.
Joy Botts spoke about the impact of vacant foreclosed homes on the quality of life and property values in her Sherman Park neighborhood.
Mary Leach-Sumlin addressed the issues of property damage, speculators and rent-to-own scams.
Frank Finch III talked about the quality of life and houses destroyed beyond rehabilitation in the Sherman Park neighborhood.
Marecca Vertin, a Marquette University student, told about neighbors with young children who had to abandon their home, and about the condemned property next door.
Pastor Willie Davis spoke about the crime, vandalism and safety issues in the Amani neighborhood around his church.
Pastor Bobby Sinclair addressed the impact to the larger community and the legal and legislative actions being taken by cities and states around the nation to address foreclosure issues.
Pastor Joseph McLin shared his observations about the irresponsible actions of banks in the foreclosure crisis, and the impact of those actions on his congregation and family.
Throughout the hearing, the committee members, led by Rep. Jason Fields, asked thoughtful questions and offered insightful remarks. The only testimony against the bill was presented by a representative of the Wisconsin Bankers Association, who advocated for other approaches to address the foreclosure crisis, none of which are contrary to the direction of CG
Since there were only two weeks left in this legislative session as of the date of the hearing, it is not clear if the bill would be released by the committee intime to go to the Assemby. Nevertheless, the leaders who attended felt that the process had been a success. The goals of the Faces of Foreclosure campaign had been well represented and received in a public forum.
Foreclosure Campaign
For information concerning our Foreclosure Campaign please go to our Faces of Foreclosure website. Faces of Foreclosure
Health Care
Plans are still underway for the roll out of the Common Ground sponsored Health Insurance cooperative for small businesses, non-profits, the self-employed and unions. The timetable is to begin enrollment in April with the insurance effective in June. Stay tuned for an announcement of the timetable for action. If you have questions contact Bob Connolly at 414 272-0101 or Email
Sherman Park
The Sherman Park Common Ground Team will be holding a meeting with area neighborhood leaders, St. Joseph Hospital representatives and the Faith-based community at Wheaton-Fransiscan St. Joseph Campus on Monday, March 15th. We will be setting the focus of the 2010 Spring/Summer Campaign in the Sherman Park area in regards to foreclosed and abandoned homes and general safety issues. Plan to join us from 6:30-8:00pm on Monday, March 15th.
Waukesha County
There has been a growing interest to build a Common Ground presence in Waukesha County and a team has been diligently working on this over the last few months. They have conducted numerous listening sessions and several more are scheduled for this spring. Through these listening sessions potential members, leaders and local issues are emerging. As a way to continue to build on these efforts, and to report on what has transpired to date, Common Ground is holding a gathering for Waukesha County on Tuesday, March 16 from 7:00 to 8:30pm at St. Anthony on the Lake Parish (W280 N2101 Hwy. SS, Pewaukee) Directions
For more information on what Common Ground is doing in Waukesha County, contact Heather Dummer Combs, Email or 414-559-6608.
Friends of Common Ground
To date our Friends campaign has raised $163,000 from 57 donors. Our goal is to get to $300,000. Some 30 potential donors are now being approached. if you woudl like to contribute and join the campaign contact Bob Connolly at 414 272-0101 or Email
Sixty Common Ground leaders packed onto a bus and into cars for a trip to Madison, where we met with over 30 Assembly and Senate representatives and aides to:
1. Enlist support for Representative Richards’ bill that prohibits the State of Wisconsin from conducting business with a financial institution holding more than 100 foreclosed homes across the state
2. Ask the same legislators to send letters to the three banks in question requesting that bank officials meet with Common Ground
3. Develop relationships with these state legislators
We will continue to follow the status of the bill and build relationships with these state legislators in order to gain their support in this and future campaigns.
The Greater Milwaukee area has much to offer — and much to fix. We have a health care crisis, there aren’t enough jobs, and crime is out of hand. We created Common Ground to address these critical social issues. Our members come from all races, religions and political backgrounds, but we share a common mission: To replace despair with hope in our community.
