Activists Save Mpls. Homeowner From Foreclosure

On Monday, February 27th at noon, South Minneapolis homeowner Bobby Hull, supporters from Occupy Homes MN and Neighborhoods Organizing for Change publicly declared victory in their fight to save Hull's family home from an unfair and avoidable foreclosure.  Following a three-month public campaign, Hull's lender has agreed renegotiate his mortgage so that he and his family can keep their home!!


Bobby Hull has lived in his South Minneapolis home since 1968. He bought the home from his mother in 1971 with his Marine Corp salary. in 2009 Hull suffered a series of serious health problems including shoulder surgery, a collapsed lung and three heart attacks. Hull's contract business suffered and he fell behind in his payments to Bank of America. In 2009 Bobby had a series of serious health problems, including 3 heart attacks, a collapsed lung, and surgery on both shoulders. Because his work as a General Contractor was interrupted in the process, he fell behind in his payments to Bank of America. When Neighborhoods Organizing for Change and Occupy Homes met Bobby in November he had all but given up on saving his home, was beginning to pack his personal belongings, and had become chronically depressed.

NOC and Occupy Homes believed that Bobby had a moral and practical reason to fight for his home. Further, they believed that the Bank had a responsibility to come up with a solution that would allow him to stay. They began a series of tactics designed to mobilize community support for Bobby. During the campaign to save Hull's home, activists organized neighborhood forums, erected a "Foreclosure Free Zone" fence around the entire block and  rallied 500 supporters at a Foreclosure Free Block Party on February 17th—the last day of the foreclosure redemption period on Hull's home. Hull's story has made national news including a live broadcast on the Ed Schultz show. Hip Hop artist Toki Wright recorded "OCCUPY(Bobby's House)."

"Bobby won his home 3 days after the end of the Redemption period. This is one of the 1st example in the country of a homeowner getting a loan modification under these circumstances. Rather than a miracle, we look at this deal as one that's appropriate and necessary if we're going to get the American economy back on track." -Anthony Newby, NOC

Hull says he will continue to support others facing foreclosure. "We won't stop until all Americans across the country get the same deal that I did." said Hull.