Ramona Is Planned Starting Point for National Anti-Foreclosure Campaign

A network of organizations irate about the number of foreclosures across the United States is urging Ramonans to take action. Members of Ramona Forum, HERSid and National Homeowners Cooperative don't intend to stop there. The plan is to have Ramona protests be the kickoff for a nationwide campaign to put pressure on banks and the courts to halt the process of people being displaced from their homes.

Ramona Forum is a liberal progressive group that meets at Ramona Library. On the group's website, President Dave Patterson writes: "Many of us at the Ramona Forum believe that we cannot sit by and watch our community crumble as good hard-working families are sent to the street." He states that the group wants to set an example in Ramona by negotiating alternatives with homeowners so residents can stay in their homes.

Not everyone in attendance at Wednesday night's meeting described themselves as politically liberal. One speaker, Steve Campbell, who said he spent 30 years working in the mortgage and real estate industries, stressed that the picketing campaign "is not political; we're not Republicans or Democrats."

Campbell is one of the founders of HERSid.com, a Ramona-based data mining company that gathers information relating to the "Broken Chain of Title." He said he is originally from Colorado and worked in Las Vegas for 20 years. Campbell said he and HERSid's original founder, Charles Koppa, a Ramona Realtor, haven't decided yet whether HERSid will act as a nonprofit organization or a business.

Campbell founded a group called Protect American's Dream, of which Koppa is now a co-founder. Both men are co-founders of National Homeowners Cooperatives. These groups state on their websites that they want to unite people concerned about foreclosure and provide resources to prevent homeowners' "financial ruin." They do not offer legal advice.

Asked why Ramona protests would be the catalyst for a nationwide effort, Campbell said, "I feel that Ramona is indicative of the heart of America." He said the sense of community in the town gives him the impression that it represents the heartbeat of many small towns across America.

"This isn't San Diego up here," he said. "This isn't like any other town in San Diego County."

Campbell and Koppa urged the 40 or so people in the audience to get "mad as hell" about foreclosures. They're planning to offer "Mad as Hell" foreclosure prevention seminars starting April 6 at another meeting of Ramona Forum.

George Mantor, a Vista real estate consultant, gave a slide presentation about the division and selling of home loans, which he said resulted in people investing in loans for which full documentation never existed.

"The pooling and servicing agreements don't identify specific loans," Mantor said.

The value of the loans became inflated thereby creating an "avatar economy—all air, a giant bubble," he said. "People bought pieces of the revenue streams, not the loan itself."

Furthermore, he said, "There were a lot of people betting that the economy would tank, betting on imaginary shares," he said. "Nothing was really secured."

Mantor advised people against spending a lot of time trying to get loan modifications, but instead to make lenders or their agents or nominees prove that they hold legal title to the property and have the legal right to foreclose.

He advised people to pack the courts with title actions, share information, be visible and organize in order to save their homes and help others do the same.

Mantor urged people to protest in front of banks, courthouses, politicians' offices and media outlets and "in front of these people's homes."

It's estimated that foreclosure is pending for at least 100 Ramona homes.