Trusting by nature, Oakland artist Alan Laird took the financial advice of a mortgage broker who claimed to represent a benevolent Christian organization. The broker convinced Alan that it would be in his best interest to refinance with Option One. "It was like a wolf in sheep's clothing," Alan remembers, "They'd come up close, gain your trust - before you know it, you're dinner. You go from a happy go lucky little lamb to being lamb chops." Many of Alan's neighbors were also fleeced by Option One.

Alan's loan had a 12% interest rate, and he dutifully paid each month. But his loan amount didn't change--paying those bills was like "going up a gravel hill. You're afraid to slip, because it's too scary. You know with them there's no mutual interest in your success." After having the loan for a year or so, he was late a couple of times, and the penalties were severe: "It was void of humanness, like pouring money into a black hole. If you don't pour your money in fast enough - the monster will get you," he remembers.

Alan saw his neighbors falling into debt and foreclosure, but he also saw ACORN bring strength back to his neighborhood and was compelled to get involved: "ACORN's not a business but became part of the community. Not only did I get this better loan, but I became an activist. I'm helping the process of liberation to continue."

Alan became the first recipient of our pilot program with Ameriquest. It's a program designed to rescue people from predatory loans. "This gives hope for other people, " he said. "It's like I'm attaching myself to our quilt - the more patches we get, the stronger we'll be. We have a common need and our common strength will protect us from these predators. Option One and others came into our community, researched it and developed a self-serving strategy. ACORN's not a business but an ongoing part of us."

Walking into ACORN, Alan said was like "walking into the 60's. There was a strong, positive feeling in that office, like in the days of grassroots activism when everybody worked together for a common goal." Alan says he's pleased with his new Ameriquest loan that saves him $750 per month, and also his new interest rate of 6.75% that provides great financial relief.

He was also really impressed with the people he worked with. He said the people at Ameriquest were "very good, just super," and that the ACORN Housing Regional Manager Lez Trujillo was "excellent. Everyone in that office was doing service, not business. That made the difference. When someone honestly takes an interest in you, you feel safe. You trust."

Alan is now an active ACORN member and works to help release his neighbors from predatory lenders. "I feel like I'm participating in a positive process of change."