GMAC Mortgage details efforts to help Rosemary Williams

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I am the minister in this picture. You do not have my permission to use my picture. Please remove it immediately from this very biased article. Your time would have better been spent covering the way the police abused their power during the eviction resulting in pepper spraying supporters, refusing medical attention to someone with severe asthama and kicking those committing civil disobedience.

Rev. McGrail:
This blog post is a follow-up to our Friday story about Ms. Williams, which addresses the events you describe (here’s the full list of our stories about Williams, dating back to March). As for the photo, it stays: you were at a public protest and clearly posed for our reporter.

Thanks, Paul,

This is really interesting. I’ll be curious to hear how her attorneys respond. The devil is in the details — for example, on the first point, a 30% reduction from the increased ARM payment may just not have been feasible for a person who has lost her job — but it definitely adds some texture to these stories.

As for Rev. McGrail’s complaints, it’s hilarious that she mugged for the photo only to complain when it was featured in an article that didn’t ape her beliefs.

Thanks for this article. Finally seeing some truth come out in this situation, now the last bit of the puzzle would be the amount of equity (cash) she pulled out during the refinance.

[...] GMAC Mortgage details efforts to help Rosemary Williams By Paul Demko 9/14/09 5:43 PM Original Article: http://minnesotaindependent.com/44799/gmac-mortgage-details-efforts-to-help-rosemary-williams [...]

Paul you should be ashamed of this piece, which makes no mention of GMAC’s culpability in the situation as a predatory lender using ARM’s to hike up mortgage payments to an unaffordable level. Their offer to let her lease the house is absurd. They need to negotiate with her in good faith to allow her to keep her home.

Good article.

Nick, your comment is so typical of the times…. – and getting verrrrry old. I’m so sick of seeing everyone jump on the “Bad Lender” band wagon. Maybe individuals, and their family members should make more of an investment into their aging parents and family members who’s judgement might be impaired. 90% of the people who took out risky loans, ARM’s, 100% financing knew all damn well they couldn’t afford the arrangement long term, but were banking on equity building so they could take it out. Why don’t you look back to the Clinton administration. That’s when sbprime reared it’s ugly head, yes, a democrat started this mayhem. The crash of the market and Wall street were planned. It’s all part of a plan to pull the financial rug out from under Americans, cause them to be dependent on the new saviour… our Government. That along with an ethnic President are all you need to cause people to agree with Socialism.

Paul,

If I had posed for your reporter then why didn’t you use my name?
Answer: Because you didn’t have my permission.

Your comment is disrespectful at best. If I had been interviewed I would have told your reporter my name and the coalition that I belong to- the MN Clergy and Laity Against Foreclosures and Evictions and our position.

Rev. McGrail

Loren,

At a public event, you’re fair game for a news photographer or reporter. It’s your choice whether you pose for those aiming cameras your way. That said, I’ve removed the photo, at your request.

I have been documenting my experience as a 52 year old Slidell, Louisiana woman who is disabled and trying to acquire assistance with housing programs from our Federal Government with an eviction looming from GMAC Mortgage. 

My husband and I taped an interview with “Action Reporter” Bill Capo from WWL-TV Channel 4 (New Orleans).  On Thursday, June 16th, 2010, this feature aired on the 10:00 p.m. news.  The edited result can be viewed online at http://www.wwltv.com under “Action Reports” or type in the search engine “Karen Pettit” and it will take you directly to my story.

I was in hospice care last year, and during this time my husband lost his job.  As I was terminal, my husband kept our financial situation from me.  When my husband notified GMAC Mortgage about our hardship, they said they were sympathetic to our plight, and we had a couple of options.  They could tack the amount we were behind to the back of our mortgage, raise our premium until we caught up, or submit us for a loan modification that our government was providing for folks like us to save their homes.  To this end, my husband provided GMAC with our current financial information. My husband’s mistake, however, was trusting in GMAC to follow through with their suggestions.

We purchased our home in 2003. We had just gotten married in 2002 and were celebrating my promotion to a lucrative management position. We were both gainfully employed and were excited about the next step–becoming homeowners. However, shortly after we purchased our home, I became ill and quickly went down hill. It wasn‘t very long before I just couldn‘t work anymore. My condition quickly degenerated and eventually, I became permanently disabled.

I became painfully aware of our housing situation when the sheriff came to our door in January of this year with a foreclosure notice from our mortgage company, GMAC.  Even with that, when my husband kept calling them, GMAC was always reassuring–that they didn’t want the house back, that they were still in the process of submitting us. We kept in contact with GMAC throughout the next several months and the response was always the same–that GMAC hadn’t heard back from any of the available programs. Again, our regret is trusting what GMAC said they would do. We were led to believe that one of GMAC’s suggested options would remedy our situation.

We also contacted our mortgage company requesting the total amount that we were behind in our payments, and advised them that our church needed this information as they were offering to throw a fundraiser on our behalf and hopefully, at least get us caught up and current while seeking a loan modification.

The sale of our home was set for April 28th, 2010.  On the 27th, GMAC asked us to send some additional financial information. My husband scrambled around to fulfill their request, faxed 9 pages to GMAC, and then called to confirm that GMAC had received the information.

The next day, we were told that we were “denied” by everyone and we lost our home.  Our foreclosure took place on April 28, 2010, right after we celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary.  About a week later, we received a letter from their attorney stating how much we owed in back payments…after they foreclosed. What happened to our “options“?

I was a little suspicious, as GMAC certainly didn’t have enough time (literally overnight) to submit us anywhere and receive a response.  I had repeatedly asked for the documentation of who they submitted us to and why we were denied, to no avail. 

I knew that our government had given GMAC a lot of our tax dollars. And I have done some research and found out that on April 13, 2009, GMAC Mortgage made a commitment to our government to participate in the Home Affordable Modification (HMP) Program and offer this option to their customers suffering from the effects of our economy and falling behind in their mortgage. GMAC Mortgage sent out hundreds of thousands of “financial packages“ to their customers who were struggling with their mortgage payments and could benefit from this program. We never received one of these packets although they claim they sent it. Yet, GMAC Mortgage has proudly stated in one of their press releases “Our foreclosure department is the most successful division”. I’ll bet.

One day, I placed a call to GMAC’s customer service and their representative “Mary” assisted us.  With me on one phone and my husband on the other and a tape recorder running, Mary informed us that we were never submitted to anyone…so there was no denial!  Conveniently, she did state that they had received the paperwork that we had faxed, but it was dated the 29th–the day after the foreclosure.  We knew that we provided this on the 27th and objected–Why did we receive a denial? Still, Mary insisted that “everything is in the computer…and there were no submissions or denials”.  We were devastated…and stunned.

This presents a real problem for us.  If GMAC had no intention of working with us, they should have informed us so we could pursue other programs on our own.  Instead of assisting my husband in a timely manner when he called about our hardship, when we were just 2 months behind in our mortgage payment, now, due to their stalling, we were seriously delinquent. And, because of this mortgage company’s deception, we were denied the opportunity and right to apply for a loan modification program and possibly save our home. Why were we not getting the same assistance that every other United States citizen was entitled to in these difficult economic times? And our government gave 6.3 billion dollars of our tax money to GMAC. In theory, we are paying GMAC to discriminate against me.

As I looked to our government for affordable housing for the disabled, I was told at the time that in the state of Louisiana, there were no housing programs for the non-elderly disabled (the fastest and largest growing group in our homeless population).  There are programs for children (and there should be) and seniors (and there should be) and the developmentally disabled (and there should be), but nothing at that time in Louisiana for the non-elderly disabled.  Not accepting this as fact, and with newly acquired cynicism after being lied to by our mortgage company, I turned to the internet. And lo and behold, I found a currently open federal program being offered from HUD titled “Rental Assistance for Non-Elderly Disabled Persons”. However, for some unknown reason, the State of Louisiana didn’t apply for this funding. Consequently, our federal government and state government have identified each other as the culprit and seem more concerned about shifting the blame instead of assisting me and listening to my concerns, and didn‘t even address the fact that I was being denied access to a federal program. And at the time, neither our state or federal government were offering any housing vouchers, rental assistance, or permanent supportive housing. Many housing programs were not even taking applications due to their straining waiting lists. However, I did discover one local program being offered by a non-profit organization, but first I have to become homeless and then there is a waiting list.  I have a hospital room setting in my home…where will my equipment go?

The funny thing is, Mr. Capo the action reporter spoke with the attorney representing our mortgage company, GMAC.  She confirmed that our home had been foreclosed on and we will soon be evicted.  Mr. Capo asked what will happen to our home, will it be put up for sale?  Her answer shocked him–our home is becoming a HUD home!  He has suggested to all parties involved that we be allowed to stay put and has now reached out to HUD about this situation.  The other day, I received a call from an office that is handling the transition from GMAC Mortgage to HUD. Unfortunately, there is a law that in order for HUD to take possession of our home, it needs to be vacant…huh?

Mr. Capo wants to do a follow up interview and in the interim, asked me to keep fighting to get my voice heard and document my experience. The file I have kept is two inches thick. I hope to compile a booklet for advocacy groups with all the information I have logged since our foreclosure. I have carefully recorded every single person or agency that I have spoken with since that dark day in January when the sheriff came to the door.  And besides the television exposure, this email was sent to everyone in my address book, asking for my story to be forwarded to everyone they know.  And it was sent to any federal, state and local government offices, and every organization that I could find that deals with advocacy, disability issues, homelessness and consumer affairs.  I also contacted our local media, as well as newspapers, magazines, talk shows and news programs nationally. In addition, I have filed formal complaints with the Better Business Bureau, The FHEO, The Federal Trade Commission, House Financial Services Committee, The Department of Justice Civil Rights/Disability Rights, the ACLU, the FDIC, Department of the Treasury, our Attorney General, the Subcommittee on Housing, the Office of Financial Institutions, and HUD,–just to name a few. I am touched by the messages of support from people I’ve never met and numerous advocates and organizations that really care about this country’s disabled citizens.

I volunteer one day a week at a nonprofit organization working with the severely disabled.  Many of them live in group homes. It’s difficult to have an “pity party” after spending one hour with these amazing people who give love unconditionally and are so joyously engaged in life. If nothing else, perhaps some good will come out of all this through my tenacity. With the knowledge that I’ve compiled in my journey, perhaps I can assist other disabled people. And just maybe, GMAC Mortgage and others will adapt a more sensitive approach and position towards the disabled. And maybe our government will enforce their own laws.

I am not someone with any “pull”, but I have a voice.  And there are so many disabled Americans out there just like me that are frustrated with trying to stay healthy and not stressed while facing chronic illness and/or end of life issues.  And some are too tired and sick and just give up after the first 5 “No’s”–I’ve heard 55 “No’s” and I’m not going away…at least on my own volition.

GMAC Mortgage fully understood my terminal status. In light of their agreement with our government to offer modification programs, the least they could do is the minimum–we didn’t even rate that. And GMAC also knew they were dealing with a legally disabled person that was terminally ill and would be put in harm’s way by facing homelessness. My doctor has written a letter describing my condition and how important it is for me to have safe housing and as little stress as possible. I am not looking for special privileges, Lord knows, with what our citizens are facing economically in our country and with so many joining the homeless population for the first time. But I want an equal shot and the same rights as other people to a mortgage modification and affordable housing.

Where is the heart? Where are ethics? Has our disposable society become so desensitized that people and their lives have so little meaning? And I know if they are doing this to me, that they are doing this to others.
So I did a search online and read the numerous complaints filed by consumers against GMAC Mortgage. The sheer numbers will speak volumes regarding this mortgage company business tactics. I’d even read several stories that sounded similar to our experience with GMAC.

To date, we are existing on my disability payment of $800 a month–for both of us. Yet, we have been told on several occasions that we make “too much money” to qualify for Food Stamps or Medicaid.

GMAC Mortgage’s position regarding the events of our relationship changes depending on who you talk to. At first, according to GMAC, our financial information was submitted a day late. Now they are claiming that we never provided our financial information at all–which is it?

I want to thank GMAC Mortgage and our government for making me so mad that I’m just too angry to die. I know realistically, I may not see any results that can help me and my husband, but maybe my legacy will be a catalyst for change and this won’t happen to anyone else. But I wouldn’t count on it.

My husband is a seminary graduate.  If GMAC will lie to a minister and his terminal wife, I guess no one is safe. 

[...] and her husband’s long struggle with GMAC over the foreclosure of their home is documented in this extensive comment under a post about an earlier GMAC foreclosure controversy. I have been documenting my experience [...]