Last night I went to a training session for the No One Leaves program. Started by the Harvard Law School and the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau, this is an outreach program that helps to let residents of foreclosed homes learn about their legal rights. The home foreclosure crisis has hit the majority of the nation very hard. No One Leaves intends to make sure that these residents do not suffer any longer.
Thanks to Massachusetts law, residents are provided security with regard to their homes. While many banks are taking possession to private homes and apartment buildings due to foreclosures, the residents have the ability to remain in their home until they receive a fair hearing in court. Many homeowners and renters however are unaware of these rights.
Myself and at least 50 other undergraduate and graduate students attended the training session last night at Harvard. Coming from Harvard, Harvard Law, Tufts, Suffolk Law, and Northeastern, each student was certainly inspired by the stories and the potential to help. While we will not be giving legal advice, we go to the foreclosed homes to provide information for the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau.
The foreclosure crisis, brought on by faulty and poorly conceived mortgages, has blindsided both homeowners and renters. The banks then make the situation worse by illegally telling residents they need to move out immediately. Thankfully, we will be able to help make sure they don’t have to actually leave. I’ll be sure to update the blog after each outreach session.
Tags: boston, foreclosure crisis, harvard law school, massachusetts, no one leaves, training
