America Has A Squatter Crisis

What’s happening: Throughout America, many thousands of homes are being taken over by squatters who move in and reside without paying rent. In many states, there is very little law enforcement and homeowners can do to remove them.

The Empire State: New York is bearing the brunt as it has some of the most lenient squatting laws in the country. Once a squatter has lived in a home for 30 days, tenants/homeowners must go through a court eviction process to legally have them removed.

Illegal migrants: Illegal migrants making their way into the U.S. often find vacant homes by scrolling through realtor sites like Zillow to identify properties that have been on the market for an extended period.

• A Venezuelan migrant and influencer was arrested recently after a video of him giving tips on how to squat successfully in people’s homes went viral.

Why it matters: The consequences of illegal migration and laws that insufficiently protect property owners inevitably impact ordinary Americans.

Cracking down: Some in the media have been quick to label the squatting problem a “right-wing talking point.” However, legislators in New York, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida have felt the problem was pervasive enough to draft new laws.

• Florida’s new law: Governor Ron DeSantis just signed into law a bill to “[protect] property owners and [punish] criminals looking to game the system.” The bill allows property owners to petition a sheriff’s office to immediately remove squatters, eliminating the need to go to court.