The Occupy movement in Los Angeles has found a new target following its eviction from L.A. City Hall: Squatting in foreclosed homes and trying to keep families in them.

The movement is targeting at least two houses in Southern California today — in Riverside and South Gate — as part of a national Occupy Homes operation.

According to a statement from organizers:

This action is part of a national kick-off for a new frontier for the occupy movement: the liberation of vacant bank-owned homes for those in need, and the defense of families under threat of foreclosure and eviction.

One of the targets is the home of South Gate's Ana Wison, said to be …

… a court interpreter and disability advocate with cerebral palsy … [She] has announced that she and her family are refusing to leave their home after Wells Fargo foreclosed on them despite three stable incomes and the ability to pay the mortgage.

That action is happening at 8968 San Juan Ave. in South Gate, according to the Huffington Post. (The Riverside event is at 3350 La Sierra Ave.).


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Organizers include the Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment and those instigators at ReFund California.

Bank of America was ready for the actions and issued this memo, obtained and posted by CBS Los Angeles:

We believe protests will likely take place … at auction sites, homes that are being foreclosed, homes in the eviction stage and vacant homes. We want to make sure that we are all prepared.

Occupy participant Karanja Gacuca said:

Banks got bailed out, but families are still getting kicked out of their homes. If we can bail out the big banks, those banks have a moral obligation to find a way to keep families in their homes.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

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