DENVER - Tensions between homeowners and bank lenders hit a boiling point in Denver on Saturday. A group of people stormed into the Chase Bank branch on Speer and Federal Boulevards, demanding fair loans and customer service.
The protestors took to the sidewalks after leaving the premises of the bank.
"The people of America bailed the big banks out. Now we need to have them listen to the problems we're having," said former homeowner Cassandra Jefferson-Lewis.
Jefferson-Lewis lost her home to foreclosure in 2008
"We had been in that home for 40 years, and that hurt," she said. "Children were born in this home and grandchildren came home in this home."
Jefferson-Lewis is now living in her daughter's home, but says that property is also facing foreclosure.
"She had that home for 17 years, and now the bank has come in trying to take it," Jefferson-Lewis said.
Protestor and homeowner Leonard McWilliams said he's been dealing with a similar situation.
"What I would like to see is for the bank to renegotiate ... to modify my loan," McWilliams said.
Representatives with Chase Bank said they are more than willing to try and find solutions for their customers
In a statement issued on Saturday, they said:
"We are working hard to keep people in their homes and have offered over a million modifications to customers struggling with their mortgage payments. In Colorado, we have a Chase homeownership center at 7301 N. Federal to work with customers face to face, six days a week."
Still, the protestors said it's going to take more than that if they're going to keep their homes, and they said they'll keep marching until that happens.
"We want to continue to own a part of our American dream, and a part of our American dream is a home so we can pass that down to our children, their children, and our great grandchildren," Jefferson-Lewis said.
9NEWS has taken hundreds of tips from viewers who say they've had problems with loan modification. We've found cases where it appears the bank has made a mistake, and then we call the bank and ask managers the tough questions. So far, Bank of America, Chase Bank, and Wells Fargo have agreed to take part in our challenge.
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