“This is an anti-squatting bill, so that somebody else can’t just walk in and say I now own your property, because you weren’t here last week” – State Representative Tony Bacala (R – Dist. 59)

Click here to read the full story at KALB.

“The empty lot is in the same neighborhood where they own a home, but the Werohas had no idea the land was being sold because no “For Sale” sign was ever placed on it. They only realized it had sold a month later, after Seree had been diagnosed with cancer and decided to simplify his financial portfolio for his family by selling his investment properties.”

According to Kansas City’s FOX4 Problem Solvers, what happened to the Werohas was one of the boldest land scams that they have ever seen.  According to their report, the scammers provided the title company with fake driver’s licenses, claiming to be Seree and Sipa Weroha.  But the photos in those fake licenses looked nothing at all like the real Werohas – who are both in their 70s, were born in Thailand, but have lived in the U.S. for 40 years.  In addition, the fake sellers never appeared at the closing for the $26,000 transaction, claiming to live out of state. So, no one ever met them.  AND the Massachusetts notary who stamped the paperwork told an investigator that his seal had been stolen.

“The title company – Alpha Title – reported the scam to the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department. Both the title agent and Mercado, the listing agent, spoke to police. But that was more than a month ago and, so far, no arrests have been made.”

“An agent at Alpha Title said she provided police with dozens of documents, including a fake email set up by the scammers, the scammers bank account information (where they wanted the money transferred) and angry text messages from the scammers when Alpha put the brakes on the second deal.”

FOX4 says the Werohas are working with the title company’s insurance company to get their property back as well as putting a freeze on their credit.

Click here to read the full story at FOX4 Kansas City.

Hat tip to MAREI.

“They enter your property, change the locks. You try to get them out, they then claim you leased it, the sheriff can’t make that decision at the house, so it becomes a civil matter where you have to take them to court. Well, it could literally take months,” said State Rep. Tim Rudd.

“This law will finally give property owners a summary process to remove an authorized person in possession of property ‘squatter’ where the squatter never had any legitimate right to the possession to occupancy of the property.”  Memphis Investors Group Vice President, Joe Kirkland.

Click here to read the full story at WTVC Chattanooga.

Hat tip to Joe!

According to Bill Track 50:

“…The Act defines unlawful squatting as when an individual resides on another’s land or premises without their knowledge or permission. Violators will receive a citation, giving them three business days to present proof such as a lease or rental agreement confirming their authorization to be on the premises. If they cannot provide such proof, they are subject to arrest and could face misdemeanor charges. The bill also extends the jurisdiction of magistrates to include these violations and modifies proceeders against intruders. The reform provides a streamlined process for ejecting squatters, including a submission of property affidavit, setting a time frame for eviction, and provisions for the use of monetary relief…”

“Unfortunately, bad actors have figured out ways to take advantage of this, exploit, really the process that goes through the local government. So we’re passing legislation that I’m going to sign right after this interview to stiffen the penalties, to go after these folks, to also speed up the eviction process. But, also, allow the property owner to go after these squatters for damages,” Said Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.

Click here to read more at FOX News.

Click here to read more at WXIA (11 Alive).

“We are putting an end to the squatters scam in Florida,” DeSantis said. “While other states are siding with the squatters, we are protecting property owners and punishing criminals looking to game the system.”

Martin County’s sheriff made national headlines this week after warning of a viral video teaching squatters how to circumvent the laws.  “Crime is a lot like cancer,” Synder said. “It spreads and if you see it somewhere else, let’s be on guard. Let’s get ahead of it.”

Click here to read the full story at WPTV.

According to the NY Post, the Venezuelan national Leonel Moreno appears to live in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, and said in a recent video that under U.S. law, “if a house is not inhabited, we can seize it.”   His video rant along with captions in English cane be seen below.

The firebrand influencer, who lives with his partner and their baby daughter, argued that the only way for his fellow migrants to escape living on the streets and not become a “public burden” is to “invade” unoccupied homes.

He appeared to be referring to adverse possession laws, commonly known as squatter’s rights, which allow unlawful property occupants rights over the property they occupy without the owner’s consent, in certain circumstances.

Click here to read the full story at the NY Post.

UPDATE 3/28/24:  Migrant influencer Leonel Moreno mocks US taxpayers who ‘work like slaves’ in latest videos

“An online listing shows Flores advertising “The Prince Room” for $50 a night to males, females, couples, families, or students looking for a place to stay at the couple’s home.”

Click here to read the full story at the New York Post.

Click here to watch WABC’s report.

Interestingly, a few days later the squatters reached out to to arrange a meeting where they said they had found somewhere else to live and would leave the property for $2,000. The property owner ultimately paid them $1,200 after walking through the house – which was dirty, but thankfully undamaged.

“I had all my paperwork, purchase and sale agreement, homeowner’s insurance, the deed to the home, everything on me. They said it didn’t matter…” Said Chris Harte. [the property owner]

“The police told us that they get three to four calls a day similar to this,” real estate agent Bob Cervone told Fox News.

“The house was super dirty, trash everywhere…Luckily, there was no damage.”  Said Harte.

Click here to read the full story at FOX News.

Click here to listen on Spotify.

“I dissected the laws over a weekend. I basically figured out that until there’s civil action, the squatters didn’t have any rights. So if I could switch places with them, become the squatter myself, I would assume those squatter rights,” Shelton said Thursday on “Varney & Co.”

“I packed up my jeep, drove up there and paced out the joint around 4 a.m. I waited. About 8:00, 8:30 in the morning, three cars pulled out of the driveway and I made entrance to the house. I put up cameras, waited for them to come back,” he said.

“They didn’t have a lease, so that never came into play. But when they came back, I just laid it out for them, told them that it was all locked up, cameras, and the only way they would get back in the house is if they broke in on camera, and I would prosecute. I told them they had a day to get their stuff out or the furniture was not theirs anymore.”

Click here to watch on FOX Business.