Mary Ward's Case Headed to State Attorney General

After several failed attempts to negotiate an agreement between , an 82-year-old Bed-Stuy resident who reportedly lost her home due to predatory lending, and the property's new owner , Assemblywoman Annette Robinson today confirmed a meeting with the office of New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman to launch an investigation into irregularities in the paperwork that facilitated the loss of Ms. Ward's home.

"I honestly don’t think there's going to be a written agreement with Mr. Chowdhury—not until we are able to dissect all that has taken place so that we can straighten it out," Robinson said. "But what we have gotten from him is a verbal stay that he is not initiating any eviction at this point."

Simultaneously, supporters were gathering outside of 320 Tompkins Avenue, the home of Ms. Ward, for a "March For Mary!" protest to 768 Dean Inc., the office of Mr. Chowdhury, located at 1168 Fulton Street.

And Ms. Ward remains optimistic.

"Without a shadow of a doubt, we're going to win," she said from her kitchen, right before the march. "We must win, for the sake for of myself and my great-grandbaby and all the others that are in the same shape I'm in now and will be in the future."

For the past three weeks, Bed-Stuy residents, community activists and local politicians have , even staging and “” August 19, that prevented city marshals from putting her out.

However, according to Chowdhury, who purchased the property three years ago at a mortgage auction for $345,000, Ms. Ward has had more than enough time to work out her legal battles, and as the property’s legal and rightful owner, he eventually plans to take full possession.

"This is a difficult story that goes on again and again in gentrifying communities like Bedford-Stuyvesant… people who wind up getting their homes foreclosed on without no recourse," said Valery Jean, a member of Families United for Racial and Economic Equality (FUREE).

“Mr. Eric Schneiderman is one of the only voices in the country that is calling for investigation and prosecution of the big banks,” said Karen Gargamelli, a lawyer with Common Law, who is representing Ms. Ward. “What needs to happen in the long term is that the attorney general needs to investigate Ms. Ward’s case and not give immunity to the big banks so they can never be prosecuted or sued for their actions. We’re calling on him to stay strong and hold his position.

Chowdhury says, while he sympathizes with Ms. Ward’s situation, he’s done nothing wrong and that the courts have backed his claim to full ownership of the house.