When a tsunami of foreclosures threatened families in the San Fernando Valley and South Central LA, Fr. John Lasseigne -- with One LA - organized homeowners into negotiations with banks and crafted a unique solution involving shared sacrifice on the part of homeowners, the banks and the public.

Two thousand leaders rallied to compel the City of LA to not just adopt the strategy, but invest at least $1 million into the innovative pilot project.  One LA and California IAF leaders then worked with the California Housing Finance Agency to expand this project into an $11 Million program that made “silent second” loans available to incentivize lenders to make loan modifications that included principal debt forgiveness.

Local leaders secured commitments from commercial banks to reduce principal on bank-held loans, saving 500 families from foreclosure.

Priest Becomes Savior in Foreclosure Crisis, CNN [pdf]

Video: Fighting For Our Homes, Brave New Films Foundation

Beltway Bubble, KCRW [skip to 26:41 to hear the plan]

CalHFA Principal Writedown Plan is ‘Bank Bailout’, Sacramento Bee

Churches Helping People Keep Their Homes, Santa Cruz Sentinel

Family Sues Bank for Alleged Loan Modification Snub, CBS LA

Pacoima Priest Leads Push to Save Parishioners from Housing Foreclosures, LA Daily News