Squatting is a lot like Something Else
April 05, 2024
As if inflation and high interest rates weren’t enough of a worrisome burden for property owners, squatters are now seizing American homes. This phenomenon occurs nationwide though some cities are disproportionally affected. Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, has 475 homes now occupied by squatters, while 125 homes in Orange County, Florida, are under the control of interlopers. Atlanta, Georgia, is the hardest hit with 1,200 homes occupied by squatters according to the National Rental Home Council (NRHC) trade group. The problem is so bad some residents are too afraid to leave their homes for a vacation.
By definition, and in practice, squatting is trespassing, occupying space without consent that you don’t own, and refusing to leave. If this sounds vaguely familiar to another contemporary problem, here are several more clues to link the two.
Squatters are adept at identifying loopholes in the law, and if none exist, defy the law anyway.
While laws vary by state, squatters understand that after a certain period of time, they’ll never have to leave.
The more squatters successfully achieve their objectives, the more motivation there is for future squatters.
Inherent in squatting is lawlessness and a sense of entitlement that diminish property values, and compromise stability and standards within a community.
Ok, we know, it’s not a tough quiz question: squatting sounds — and is — a lot like illegal immigration! The behavior, by and large, is similar for 16.8 million illegal aliens currently residing in the U.S., with 150,000 to 200,000 more arriving each month.
https://www.fairus.org/blog/2024/04/05/squatting-lot-something-else
