Philadelphia 'MoveOn' Members Upset Over Housing Crisis Protest Outside 'Obama For America' Office
By Cherri Gregg
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Members from local chapter of MoveOn.org rallied outside of the Obama for America office at 15th and Market Streets to send a message to the President about the housing crisis.
"Save our homes!! Save our homes!!" shouted the protestors.
"I'm a homeowner for over 35 years and I just went through a modification program with the help of PUP," said Wendell Ridley, who lives in West Philadelphia.
He says he almost lost his home, after losing his job at a law firm.
"In 2008, I became a victim to the recession. It could have happened to anybody."
But Ridley says he is lucky- because the Philadelphia Unemployment Project helped him save his home. Others aren't as fortunate so he says, he decided to stand in solidarity with MoveOn.org.
"We want Obama to know that the guy he has in office from the Bush regime is doing nothing for the homeowners. Instead, he's helping his corporate buddies."
The guy is Ed Demarco- the head of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Philadelphia Unemployment Project Organizer Tim Styer agrees that Demarco is a major problem:
"With the other mortgage companies, people are able to get help under the Obama {home refinancing} plan. But if your mortgage is owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, you can't do anything."
Styer says the HFA refuses to let Fannie or Freddie engage in principal reduction of loans.
"It's a travesty for somebody in the Obama administration to not go along with the program."
The protest was a part of a number of MoveOn.org protests scheduled nationwide.
