Squatting, while seemingly a problem from another generation, is a growing issue in America. Insane laws on the books in many states actually protect squatters while ignoring the rights of property owners. These laws can often result in months of expensive litigation and thousands of dollars in property damage before owners can boot vagrants from their property.
One state is taking a stand against the destruction and cost of squatting. Florida lawmakers are moving ahead with key legislation that will fix a loophole that squatters have exploited for years in the Sunshine State. House Bill 621, which Florida Republican Kevin Steele sponsors, was proposed in response to a Jacksonville woman who incurred almost $40,000 dollars in damages to her property when several squatters broke in and set up shop.
Patti Peeples, the property owner, discovered two female squatters in a rental property she owned when she sent a handyman to make repairs in preparation for a home inspection for a prospective buyer. Peeples attempted to evict the squatter, but they showed a bogus lease from a fraudulent landlord and refused to leave. The legal battle that ensued costed Peeples thousands in legal fees and property damage.
The damage included smashed walls and windows, destroyed cabinets, a stolen washer and dryer, broken toilets, and poop scattered throughout the residence. It was a disgusting, expensive scene that Peeples ultimately was responsible for. The unlucky property owner was quoted as saying: “These squatters know the laws better than most attorneys do, and they use them to their advantage and the police are absolutely hamstrung. They know that this is a civil matter. The police have absolutely no right to remove these squatters and treat them as criminals, as individuals that have broken in or trespassed, and they simply throw up their hands and say, ‘You need to go through this civil court system and evict them.’”
It is an absurd situation. Property owners nor the police are legally allowed to evict or arrest trespassers. Law enforcement has to remove themselves from the situation and refer the rightful owner to the legal system, which takes months and thousands of dollars in legal fees to see through. In the meantime, the squatters treat the property like their own personal playground of drug use, vagrancy, and lawlessness.
Lawmaker Steele spoke about the proposed bill: “I pursued this bill because I saw the impact that it had on Patti and as well as others in the state. Number two, we’re putting penalties on the individuals if they provide fraudulent documentation. So. they’re gonna have criminal charges on that perspective.” Peeples also reported dangerous interactions with the illegal squatters. She said: “We were driving by at night, and they threw a brick at my car and damaged it, and we had the window partway down, and they threw human feces into the car.”
Rightful property owners shouldn’t be put in dangerous situations because of lawless criminals like squatters. What should be something as simple as calling the police and having the interlopers removed has become bogged down in red tape, bureaucracy, and the liberal mindset that vagrants and the homeless should be nurtured and protected despite their crimes. Thankfully, Florida is leading the way and protecting property owners, and if the bill passes, maybe more states will step up and defend the rule of law.
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