Habtemariam v. PNC Bank, National Assoc.

District Court, E.D. California·Decided August 18, 2025·No. 2:16-cv-01189·Unknown

Opinion

GENET HABTEMARIAM, No. 2:16-cv-01189-DC-AC Plaintiff, v. ORDER DENYING DEFENDANT PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION’S PNC BANK, NATIONAL SECOND MOTION FOR SUMMARY ASSOCIATION, et al., JUDGMENT Defendants. (Doc. No. 194) This matter is before the court on Defendant PNC Bank, National Association’s (“PNC Bank”) second motion for summary judgment. (Doc. No. 194.) Pursuant to Local Rule 230(g), the pending motion was taken under submission to be decided on the papers. (Doc. No. 198.) For the reasons explained below, the court will deny Defendant PNC Bank’s motion. A. Factual Background1 In 2001, Plaintiff Genet Habtemariam bought a house located at 7 Shipman Court, Sacramento, California 95823 (the “Property”). (DUF ¶ 1.) Plaintiff obtained a $348,000 loan from Gateway Bank secured by a first deed of trust on the Property in March 2007. (DUF ¶ 2.)

1 This relevant factual background is undisputed, except where otherwise noted. The court will refer to Defendant PNC Bank’s undisputed facts (Doc. No. 194-1) as “DUF” and Plaintiff’s undisputed fact (Doc. No. 196-4) as “PUF.” Shortly thereafter, in June 2007, Plaintiff obtained a $43,500 loan from National City Bank secured by a second deed of trust on the Property. (DUF ¶ 3.) National City Bank later merged with Defendant PNC Bank. (DUF ¶ 4.) In April 2009, Plaintiff defaulted on her loan from National City Bank. (DUF ¶ 5.) In February 2010, Defendant PNC Bank “charged off” Plaintiff’s loan from National City Bank.2 (DUF ¶ 6.) A few months later, in June 2010, Plaintiff received a 1099-C form titled “Cancellation of Debt” from Defendant PNC Bank. (DUF ¶ 7.) That form stated that $46,134.46 was the “amount of debt canceled.” (DUF ¶ 7.) Plaintiff expected Defendant PNC Bank would send her “some sort of clearance to give [her] deed [of trust] back,” but Plaintiff never received such clearance. (DUF ¶ 14.) Since 2010, Plaintiff has checked her credit score at least once a year. (DUF ¶ 8.) In 2010, Plaintiff was aware that her credit report reflected Defendant PNC Bank’s reporting of her National City Bank loan. (DUF ¶ 9.) In 2011, Plaintiff attempted to rent a property for her business but was unable to do so because of her “poor credit,” which included Defendant PNC Bank’s reporting of Plaintiff’s National City Bank loan. (DUF ¶ 13.) Plaintiff has had no other “credit problems or issues” besides her National City Bank loan and a dispute about her loan from Gateway Bank, which was resolved in 2009. (DUF ¶ 12.) Between 2010 and 2017, Defendant PNC Bank reported Plaintiff’s National City Bank loan along with the loan’s outstanding balance to credit reporting agencies as “180 days past due.” (DUF ¶ 10.) Plaintiff did not rely on what PNC Bank reported to the credit reporting agencies, however, and instead relied on her receipt of the 1099-C form from PNC Bank reflecting the cancellation of the debt in believing that she was ///// /////

2 Plaintiff does not dispute that Defendant PNC Bank “charged off” the National City Bank loan in February 2010, but she asserts that the term “charged off” is “vague, ambiguous, and calls for a legal conclusion.” (Doc. No. 196-1 at 2.) In its reply, Defendant PNC Bank acknowledges the “quibble” over the ambiguity of the term but does not offer any clarification as to its intended meaning. (Doc. No. 199 at 1.) no longer expected to make payments on the National City Bank loan.3 (PUF ¶ 1.) In May 2012, Plaintiff received a letter from Defendant PNC Bank stating that servicing of her National City Bank loan would be transferred to BSI Financial Services, Inc. (DUF ¶ 15.) Through a series of assignments, the National City Bank loan and the second deed of trust was ultimately transferred to Defendant Vida Capital Group, LLC (“Vida Capital Group”). (DUF ¶ 16.) In February 2016, Defendant Vida Capital Group foreclosed on the Property and upon sale, a trustee’s deed was recorded conveying the Property to Defendant Vida Capital Group. (DUF ¶ 17.) B. Procedural Background On April 19, 2016, Plaintiff filed a complaint initiating this action against Defendants PNC Bank, Vida Capital Group, U.S. Mortgage Resolution, and Gateway Bank N.A.4 (DUF ¶ 18.) In her SAC, Plaintiff asserts a (1) wrongful foreclosure claim against Defendant Vida Capital Group and the following causes of action against both Defendants PNC Bank and Vida Capital Group: (2) cancellation of recorded instruments; (3) unfair competition claim (“UCL”); (4) negligence; (5) declaratory relief; and (6) breach of contract. (Doc. No. 44.) On May 22, 2020, Defendant PNC Bank filed its first motion for summary judgment in its favor on all of Plaintiff’s claims brought against it. (Doc. No. 116.) Defendant Vida Capital Group joined in that motion. (Doc. No. 118.) On May 17, 2021, the court granted that motion for

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Habtemariam v. PNC Bank, National Assoc., (E.D. Cal. 2025).

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