Support HB5665

The Far South Suburban Branch of the NAACP has been workiing with State Rep. Constance A. Howard to address the improper foreclosure documentation problem in Illinois. As a result, Rep. Howard has introduced HB5665. This bill would make it a felony to deliberately submit false or fraudulent documents in a foreclosure proceeding. Further, it would allow homeowners who are victimized by this practice to recover damages from the banks.

It's about time someone decided to do something about this problem. Until now, there haven't been any laws to control the actions of banks. Many judges have just looked at a homeowner's payment history and pretty much ignored the paperwork submitted by the bank. This has allowed for all sorts of abuses, and it has left the victimized homeowner with no recourse whatsover. That kind of thing will stop if this bill is put into law.

It's important to realize that this bill will not stop foreclosers, but it will make sure that when a bank initiates a forclosure proceeding, it has all of the correct documentation to support the action. If a bank decided to submit false or fraudulent paperwork, the state will be able to pursue legal action, and the homeowner will be able to recover damages. It is a totally reasonable bill, and is simply requiring honest behavior from banks. Is that too much to ask?

I strongly encourage you to support this bill. You can contact your rep at:

http://www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/DistrictOfficialSearchByAddress.aspx

Charles Teeter