Georgia House candidate recounts squatter situation in Atlanta-area neighborhood
Mel Keyton, a candidate for Georgia's House of Representatives and the president of a homeowners association, tells Fox News Digital about squatting in his community and reacts to Georgia's new law.
Every state has taken a different approach to dealing with squatters unlawfully living in resident's homes.
Squatters often cause extensive damage to the properties they reside on, an expense that commonly falls on the shoulders of the homeowner.
Many states have laws in place that tend to favor squatters in these situations by putting homeowners through lengthy and costly legal battles in order to get the squatters removed from the property.
States around the country, like Florida, have begun to pass bills protecting homeowners against squatters. (Gov. Ron DeSantis/FB)
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There are certain states throughout the country which have signed bills that put the rights in the hands of homeowners by helping them remove unlawful residents from their property quickly.
States, like Pennsylvania, for example, have introduced proposals to protect homeowners. In Pennsylvania, Donna Scheuren, who represents the Pennsylvania House of Representatives' 147th district, introduced the Homeowner Protection and Squatter Eviction Act in April, saying she was inspired by Florida's legislation to do so.
In Texas, a relator previously told Fox News Digital that he spoke at a May Senate hearing in Austin to talk about the squatter situations he has dealt with over the years. He told Fox News Digital in an email that the state seems serious about creating laws to make the process of dealing with squatters easier for homeowners.
Below are three states that have taken strong stances on squatting by passing legislation to protect homeowners.
1. Florida
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill in March 2024 that eliminated squatters' rights in the state of Florida.
"You are not going to be able to commandeer somebody's private property and expect to get away with it. We are in the state of Florida ending the squatter scam once and for all," DeSantis said during a press conference on the signing in Orlando.
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Under the law that will go into effect on July 1, property owners will be able to immediately request the assistance of law enforcement to remove a squatter from their property if the individual is not a current or former tenent in a legal dispute and has unlawfully entered and remained once they are asked to leave by the owner.
There are harsh penalties for squatters under this law, which include a first-degree misdemeanor if an individual provides false documentation to prove their residency and a second-degree felony for those who occupy or trespass in a residential property and cause $1,000 or more in damages intentionally.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill in March that helps residents to remove squatters quickly from their property. (Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Before this law was passed in Florida, property owners would have to go through long legal battles in order to remove squatters from their homes. This is how the process remains in many U.S. states.
The squatter stories that came straight from those living in the state of Florida helped the bill get passed.
One example is Patti Peeples, a Florida resident who found herself a victim to a squatter situation. After squatters took over her property, it took 36 days for them to be evicted, and thousands of dollars of damage was left behind.
Sharing her story led her to provide powerful testimony before the Florida Senate and House committees while the bill was still under consideration.
Her testimony contributed to the ultimate passing of the Florida bill.
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"I certainly would have never anticipated that my personal experience would have motivated a state law change and, in fact, movement around the United States, with regard to criminal charges against squatters," Peeples previously told Fox News Digital in a phone interview.
"I'm amazed, surprised, and really, really encouraged that this particular case of mine showed me and I hope shows others that our legislatures can listen to everyday citizens and sometimes actually seek to efficiently make new laws to address common everyday problems."
2. Georgia
Georgia is another state that has passed a bill to protect homeowners against squatters.
The Georgia Squatter Reform Act was signed by Gov. Brian Kemp at the end of April.
This bill speeds up the eviction process and increases the penalties for those who squat in homes.
The Georgia Squatter Reform Act was signed by Gov. Brian Kemp at the end of April. (Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
"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," Kemp said on "Fox & Friends."
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"This is insanity, that people just think they can come in and take over somebody's home. I mean it's just outrageous," Kemp said. "It really points to, as we've seen around the country, the lawlessness that's gone on under the Biden administration."
Under the law, individuals will need to present proof that they are authorized to be on the property. If they are unable to do so, they are subject to arrest and possibly misdemeanor charges.
3. Alabama
In May, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed a bill strengthening homeowners' rights against those who squat on their property.
House Bill 182 gives harsher penalties to those who illegally occupy a home and increases penalties for those who provide false documents such as a lease or deed to prove their residency.
This law also allows law enforcement to remove individuals from a home they do not own quickly.
This law started to become enforced on June 1.
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey signed into law a bill that strengthens the rights of homeowners against squatters who illegally occupy their property. (Governor Kay Ivey/X)
"It has been said that a person’s home is their castle, yet after a national rise in illegal occupations of homeowner’s private property, it is apparent that more must be done to halt criminals from commandeering people’s homes," Ivey said in a statement.
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"In Alabama, private property rights are paramount. This new law puts would-be squatters on notice that any attempt to hijack and take over someone’s home will be met with swift action by law enforcement. The best dwelling for an illegal squatter is a jail cell, and we in state government should never rest easy until all Alabama homeowners’ rights are fully protected."
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