Thank You, Governor Patrick! Protecting people’s right to regain their illegally foreclosed homes matters to us. We’ll remember your legacy here!

We appreciate your listening to our voices. 65,000 people and more have been foreclosed in Massachusetts during this foreclosure crisis and it is not over yet. 

The Massachusetts Legislature’s bill, S1987, would have curtailed our longstanding right to sue to regain our homes foreclosed illegally – as has been the case for so many. Wealthy interests used S1987 to attack our 300 year-old property rights. They tried to strip us of them in the back halls of the State House. With no debate, the Legislature wanted to slam the 20 year window to sue down to one year for the 65,000 and three years for anyone in the future. 

That’s not the way to clear title to foreclosed homes. You amended the bill and sent it back to the legislature. It can agree with your 10 year window or the bill will likely die. That was the right thing to do. 

The banking industry targeted their predatory loans on women and people of color. Those loans were illegal. People were purposefully harmed. Allowing only one year to sue gives banks a legal pass on this discrimination. People deserve the right to reverse the ill-gotten gains of the most powerful in our society.

Foreclosed homeowners have rights. Thank you for helping us keep it that way!