News & Actions Archive

Man at Brighton Realty Company Flips the Middle Finger to Tenants Protesting High Rent

By Morgan Rousseau Published: February 27, 2013 City Realty Gives Middle Finger to Protesters PHOTO BY NICOLAUS CZARNECKI/METRO

A Call for Change in Freddie Mac Foreclosure Policy

A Call for Change in Freddie Mac Foreclosure Policy from Chris Lovett on Vimeo.

Advocates protest outside Dunkin' Donuts for sick-leave bill

Workers’ rights advocates are planning to show up where lawmakers eat today, or at least where many of them get their coffee, to rally support for an earned sick time bill.

The Dunkin’ Donuts across Beacon Street from the Statehouse will be the site of a protest for activists who are hoping to require businesses to grant sick time to workers. According to organizers, operating as The Massachusetts Paid Leave Coalition, Sen. Dan Wolf and Rep. Kay Khan have filed legislation that would ensure sick leave for Bay State workers.

Fannie Mae's Refusal to Cooperate Leads to Brockton Family's Eviction and Arrest

Fannie Mae holds millions of homeowners underwater, and their actions have led to the arrest of a Brockton man and his family. Without warning, police entered the home of Tyrone Hubbard during a City Life eviction blockade on Friday, and arrested him, his sons, and City Life member Rev. Stewart Lanier. The police also took into custody a young mother and her 6-week old baby who are part of the Hubbard family.

Hundreds Gather in D.C. to Deliver Demands to Fannie & Freddie (and Demarco, too!)

Following a huge showing in NYC two weeks earlier, City Life joined other members of the NEW ROAD Network among the two hundred protesters who gathered at Fannie Mae headquarters in Northwest, Washington D.C. on Thursday.

City Life is Hiring a Communication Coordinator

City Life is loking for a Communication Coordinator to work 20 hrs/wk part-time.

Organizational description:

300 March in NYC Against Fannie & Freddie

City Life joined 300 demonstrators, including 50 students from the 7th and 8th grade class of Boston’s Smith Charter School Academy, in a demonstration in New York City on September 12th. Protesters gathered in Bryant Park and marched to the Fannie & Freddie headquarters as part of a national effort organized by the Right to the City Alliance.

Medford/Malden Tenants Union Facing Eviction, Rally Sept. 4th

This is an update to our earlier story on the Medford/Malden Tenants Union, which was formed recently to negotiate with their notorious landlord, Alpha Management.

Rally Against Fannie/Freddie in NYC on Sept. 12th

City Life/Vida Urbana is part of a national movement of grassroots groups rising up against Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac, and we’re heading to NYC on September 12th to join forces with groups from across the region for a major action. Protests are also planned in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Atlanta at the regional offices in those communities. All the rallies will demand principal reduction and that President Obama use his power of recess appointment to get rid of Ed DeMarco. We will also demand that:

Seeing the writing on the wall: Heather Gordon’s message projected on her home

Heather Gordon was evicted from her home at 3 Mendell Way a month ago. As part of City Life’s ongoing work with artist John Hulsey, Heather’s own handwriting about her struggle will be projected on the wall of her home tomorrow evening, Tuesday, at 8:30. This will take place right after our Tuesday night meeting. If you are at the meeting, we will march over together.

Act Now! Dangerous Foreclosure Bill Removes Rights Provisions

City Life and other NEW ROAD groups have been working through the Mass. Alliance Against Predatory Lending to try to win mandatory mediation and just cause eviction for homeowners. Right now, a bill that offers no eviction protection for foreclosed families is headed to the Governor to be signed. We need to make sure that Governor Patrick hears from us about this bad bill.

Good News and Bad News Results from Supreme Judicial Court Ruling

Here’s the good news: a bank needs two things—which they often can’t prove they have—in order to foreclose on a homeowner, thanks to a new Supreme Judicial Court ruling brought by a CL/VU Boston Bank Tenants’ Association member. The bad news is that we expect a new wave of evictions as a result of this ruling, and we are organizing to step up our mass resistance to those evictions. Read More

East Boston Tenants Unite Against Investor Landlord

An investor in East Boston wants to disregard a collective bargaining agreement made last year and raise rents for tenants. City Life is helping to bring back negotiations. Read More

Tenants Square off against Anwar Faisal with City Life's Help

City Life is nationally known for our direct action strategies against eviction, but did you know that we have a long history of tenant organizing? Over the last 12 years, we have developed a collective bargaining approach that went into full effect most recently against the infamous landlord, Anwar Faisal, and his management firm Alpha Management. Read More

Pressure from homeowners and housing activists wins Mandatory Mediation in Senate foreclosure bill

Grassroots pressure from NEW ROAD, a regional network fighting foreclosures in MA and RI, played a key role in strengthening an anti-foreclosure bill passed by the State Senate last week. Read More

City Life Organizer Jim Brooks Joins MBTA State House Wheelchair Protest

Wheelchair users protest MBTA fare increase. Six protesters chained their wheelchairs together causing a traffic blockade in front of the State House. Read More

Two-Story High Projections Make Sure Bank of America Gets the Message

Video via Myrna Morales.

Road Warriors Head to Charlotte May 9th - 1,000 to Protest at Bank of America Shareholders Meeting

A busload of people from City Life’s Bank Tenant Association and from other bank tenant organizing projects around New England is heading to Charlotte, North Carolina, for the Bank of America shareholders meeting. We will leave Monday evening late. The shareholders’ meeting is May 9.

Heather Gordon Eviction Blockade/City Life Video

Watch City Life's Teach In with Occupy Quincy

Occupy Quincy held a teach in at the Thomas Crane Library with speakers Dr. Paul Atwood, Senior Lecturer on American Studies at UMASS Boston, and Steve Meacham, Organizing Coordinator for City Life/Vida Urbana. Watch the three videos of Steve’s presentation below.

CL/VU Organizers Rap for Justice

CL/VU organizer Antonio Ennis (aka Twice Thou) hit the stage at Yale University last week for the Rap for Justice, part of an ongoing collaboration between New Haven Public Schools, Yale, and the Boston-based hip hop group 4Peace. Middle school students caught Twice Thou’s message of nonviolence and some even wrote and performed their own songs. Check out the video below for clips of the performance.

Our Visit to the White House and why Principal Reduction is Winning!

Principal reduction is now at the center of a national debate on how to solve the mortgage crisis. Four members of our New England network (from City Life, DARE in Providence, and Springfield No One Leaves) joined a delegation of 25 people from around the country at the White House. Read More

What's Wrong with the Attorney Generals' Foreclosure Settlement

As of today, Monday February 13th 2012, City Life/Vida Urbana does not recognize the multi-state Attorney Generals foreclosure bank settlement as a solution to the foreclosure crisis. Download our statement about the settlement. Read More

Rescue HUD from the Evil Side of the Force!

Once up on a time – not long ago but right now!… in a galaxy – not far away but right here on Earth!… there unfolded an epic struggle.

The People’s desire for democracy (the 99%!) has been thwarted by a corporate ruling class, led especially by its financial wing, the emperors of the Wall St. Banks. They are symbolized by the cruel Count Bankula, who tried to disrupt the City Life press conference two days ago.

Reportback from the Home for the Holidays Speak-out and Press Conference

About 50 people joined the Bank Tenant Association press conference at 40 Fowler St., which we occupied Oct. 1. We started the press conference by chasing away Count Bankula, who had arrived to claim our neighborhood. We chased him down Fowler St., trailed by reporters and news cameras.

Why I Got Arrested: City Life member Carolyn Grant’s story of protest during Occupy Boston

City Life member Carolyn Grant talks about why she joined a growing movement of people who refuse to leave their homes after foreclosure. During the Right to the City March to Take Back Boston on September 30, 2011, Carolyn joined 24 others in civil disobedience, and her story was recently published in the Bay State Banner. Read More

CityLife/VidaUrbana Protesters Rally Against Freddie Mac CEO Just Before He Resigns

City Life carried a straightforward message to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on Wednesday: we want to negotiate. “Fannie and Freddie both have offers pending for owners to buy back property, but they refuse to negotiate until those owners are evicted,” said City Life organizer Steve Meacham, “It’s unnecessary punishment.” Read More

Occupy November!

Today, the Northside Bank Tenant Assoc. (the East Boston, Revere, Malden area) will sponsor a rally against Wells Fargo. One of their members is Soeurette Sainto, whose family has been approved for a new mortgage by the non-profit lender, Boston Community Capital. Wells, however, refuses to negotiate until Ms. Sainto is evicted.

Click here to view all Occupy November! events.

For more on the Wells Fargo protest, please click READ MORE below.

Fannie Mae Evicts Malden Resident

Yesterday, Fannie Mae carried out the eviction of Bank Tenant Association member Rose Kyeswa in Malden, Massachusetts, even though Rose has been willing to pay rent and is in the process of negotiating the repurchase of her home. Around 50 community members came out to rally in support of Rose and try to stop the eviction. In spite of unethical behavior on the part of the constable and the Malden police force, Rose and her community stayed strong and are continuing to fight. Produced by Kelly Creedon of We Shall Not Be Moved. Read More

Take Back Boston March & Rally Highlights

City Life/Vida Urbana led a colorful, raucous march of 3,000 people through the streets for Take Back Boston, a mass action by the Right to the City Alliance. Our members carried signs describing their fight against foreclosure, and we were joined by more than 50 organizations, including members of UNITE/HERE picketing at the Hyatt Hotel, and CWA picketing at Verizon Wireless. The march ended at Bank of America’s Massachusetts headquarters, where 24 Boston residents proudly blocked the doors and sat inside of the bank lobby, and refused to leave.

Eviction Blockade for Drusilla Francis and Family Leads to Successful Outcome

Drusilla Francis has lived in her home in Dorchester for more than 20 years, had two foster children, and played an active role in creating community and reducing crime in her neighborhood. Vacancies in her rental units put Drusilla behind on mortgage payments for the first time ever, and she asked US Bank to negotiate repayment. The bank gave her wrong information and delayed correspondence until after they had foreclosed.

KC Bailey’s Court Victory Enables Legal Challenges to Property Seizures

A bank cannot evict you from your home unless it can prove in court that it legally owns your property – this recent ruling by the state’s highest court says you have the right to make them prove it. When Bank of New York tried to evict KC Bailey, a member of City Life/Vida Urbana, he chose to fight his eviction in housing court. His struggle reached the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, which found in his favor, ruling that every tenant and homeowner should have the right to challenge the bank that is trying to take their home away.