Superior Equity Restoration exists to help people who have lost their homes reclaim the equity they are legally owed — with no cost unless we succeed, and the conviction that justice is not just a legal concept, but a human one.

We are the only equity recovery firm founded by a lifetime consumer protection advocate who charges nothing upfront and gives back to foreclosure prevention — so that the people we serve don't just recover money, they recover dignity.

We never lose sight of what our clients have been through. The loss is real. This isn't just a financial transaction. It is a second chance. And second chances deserve to be handled with honesty, patience, and genuine care.

In 2023, the United States Supreme Court made it official. In Tyler v. Hennepin County they unanimously ruled that surplus equity belongs to the former homeowner — not the bank, not the county. Full stop.

For our founder, this wasn't just a legal headline. He had spent decades fighting for people harmed by systems — leading consumer protection organizations, advocating for workers' rights, championing human rights at home and abroad. This isn't just a business. This is a campaign for justice for those who have had their hard earned equity seized by the government or the bank.

It is this values first commitment to justice, to your interests and to giving back to the community that sets Superior Equity Restoration apart from the rest of the pack.

Hi, I’m Robert Coldwater, founder of Superior Equity Restoration.

I was raised by loving parents who taught me the importance of honesty, compassion, justice, hard work, community service, and giving back. Those values have stayed with me throughout my life and have shaped both my professional career and the way I believe people should be treated.

For decades, I have worked as an advocate for consumers, workers, human rights, child protection, environmental justice, and communities whose voices were too often ignored. I am a disabled survivor of torture as a direct result of the human rights and environmental justice work I have undertaken here at home and around the world. These experiences have strengthened my commitment to standing up for people when they need someone in their corner.

I founded Superior Equity Restoration after learning about the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling concerning surplus equity following tax-forfeiture foreclosures in Minnesota.

For years, counties could retain money beyond what a homeowner owed after taking and selling a property through tax foreclosure. To me, the idea that someone could lose their home and the hard-earned equity they had spent years building was fundamentally unfair.

I knew I wanted to help.

Superior Equity Restoration was created to help former property owners understand their rights and pursue surplus funds that may rightfully belong to them. Recovering that money can mean more than receiving a check—it can provide an opportunity to pay bills, rebuild financial stability, support a family, or simply move forward with greater peace of mind.

Why I Founded Superior Equity Restoration

Before founding Superior Equity Restoration, I spent much of my career advocating for people and communities.

I used to say that I worked in the “conflict creation industry.” What I meant was simple: when people were being ignored by those in power, my job was to help them organize, speak up, and create the conditions necessary to finally be heard.

Throughout my career, I have also worked on campaigns involving consumer protection, public safety, workplace and food safety, workers' rights, safe drinking water, clean air, forest and wildlife protection, living wages, and other community issues.

A Lifetime of Standing Up for Others

Representing federal employees in contract negotiations, workplace disputes, disciplinary matters, and labor cases.

American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)

Serving as Network Director for an international network working to protect ancient forests and support Indigenous and First Nations communities.

Native Forest Network

Serving on the Board of Directors and working on public-interest initiatives, civil-rights issues, and an early successful living-wage campaign.

Progressive Minnesota

Organizing non-teaching public-school employees throughout Minnesota and developing an early plan to organize child-care workers.

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 284

Serving as Treasurer on the Board of Directors and working on campaign-finance and election-law reform.

Common Cause Minnesota

 Supporting advocacy and legal efforts addressing significant air and water pollution.

National Environmental Law Center

Working on consumer protection, public safety, human rights, and environmental campaigns while recruiting and training more than 5,000 people for advocacy efforts.

Fund for Public Interest Research & Public Interest Research Groups

Serving on the Board of Directors and helping protect parks and wilderness areas, including the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Minnesota Parks and Wilderness Alliance

Organizing public advocacy efforts to protect America's wildlands.

American Lands Alliance

Serving on the National Board of Directors and supporting candidates focused on public-interest issues.

The New Party

Helping grow the organization during its early years at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Men Stopping Rape

Researching government ethics and campaign-finance issues while attending college.

Common Cause Wisconsin

Serving as manager of a valued small-town community grocery cooperative.

Cook County Whole Foods Co-op

I have also worked on campaigns involving consumer protection, public safety, workplace and food safety, workers' rights, safe drinking water, clean air, forest and wildlife protection, living wages, and other community issues.

The organizations and causes I have worked with have changed throughout my life, but my guiding principle has remained the same:

People deserve to be treated fairly, have their voices heard, and have someone willing to stand beside them when the system feels stacked against them.

That principle is at the heart of Superior Equity Restoration.

When you work with us, you can expect the same determination and commitment I have brought to decades of advocacy. We believe in treating every client with compassion, honesty, dignity, and respect while working diligently to help them pursue the equity that may rightfully belong to them.

Our commitment doesn't stop with our clients. Supporting community-based nonprofit organizations and giving back to the communities we serve are important parts of who we are.

Bringing That Commitment to You

If you believe you may be entitled to surplus funds following a tax foreclosure, Superior Equity Restoration is here to help you understand your options and take the next step.

Contact us today to learn more about the recovery process.

Your Equity Was Earned. Let Us Help You Pursue It.