Friends, family and neighbors of Dixie Mitchell joined her and Washington CAN at her 21st Ave home today to show their support for Dixie's efforts to modify her home loan. She is facing foreclosure after she and her husband Luster ran into health issues. Dixie is a cancer survivor, and Luster has been paralyzed by a stroke.
Dixie has lived in the home 44 years, having raised several children and foster children during that time. She says she fell victim to a predatory loan shortly before the housing bubble burst, and has been fighting to keep her home for several years (see our post from March 2010). Her request today was simple: She wants to be able to pay back what she owes.
"I want to stay in my house," she told reporters and supporters gathered on the front lawn of her home.
"I made that debt, and I'm not trying to get away from it." She has gone through all the proper channels to get her loan modified, but responses from her ever-changing creditors have yielded no results. Her home is scheduled for auction October 28.
Today, shortly before the press conference on the Mitchells' lawn began, members of a Washington CAN ally organization delivered a petition with over 7,000 signatures and the Mitchells' reworked loan modification proposal to the Ocwen Financial headquarters in Florida.
With her home set to go to auction October 28, she has requested a loan mediation session under Washington's Foreclosure Mediation Program, which went into effect in July. 500 homeowners have already applied for foreclosure mediation under the law.
The law requires lenders to have a face-to-face meeting with homeowners to discuss loan modifications and attempt to come to an fair, negotiated and voluntary agreement. Banks have 45 days to set up the mediation session.
"There's no reason to put this woman out of her house," said one neighbor. He and others said they had discussed renting a room in the home to help pay the loan, but two of Dixie's children have already done so.
Recommend
-----Rumors have flown about the money being used for casino debts, trips, cars, and a wildly excessive life style. My understanding, not from Mrs. Mitchell, but a close supporter, is that her children ( not sure if this is one of the many loving foster children or her own genetic children, as they all adore this wonderful woman ), took her to a local Indian casino to celebrate a special day. Again, I understand she was a guest,... read more d that this was only meant to brighten the gloom beginning to decent arround her. Yet somehow this has grown into the reported lavish life-style. I challenge you to drive by this home, and tell me someone living there is living a lavish life style!
-----All our neighbor is requesting, and I aplode NOW for their support, is to work with Mrs. Mitchell in adjusting her loan terms to see what can be done to keep her and her husband off the street. She has contacted way too many public agencies to no avail, been patted kindly on her head and then ignored. Even her much publisized meeting with Governor Gregoir resulted in assurances of help, only to die after the re-election cameras were gone.
-----Please, just look at the current needs and situation of our neighbor, and look past the rumors and anger.