'Squatter Hunter' discusses the ongoing squatting issue in America and proposes law changes
Flash Shelton, founder of Squatter Hunters in California, explained to Fox News Digital his solution for helping to solve the issue of squatting.
Squatters have taken over a home in an Atlanta suburb on a property owned by a rent-to-own real estate company.
Mykah Richard, a member of the homeowners association at the Villas at Camp Creek in South Fulton, told Fox Atlanta the squatters moved into a home and have disrupted the quality of life in the area.
"We’ve had very aggressive fights in the middle of the night. We’ve had large parties, liquor bottles and trash being left in our community," Richard said.
SELF-HELP EVICTION METHODS TO REMOVE SQUATTERS COULD LEAD TO LEGAL TROUBLE FOR HOMEOWNERS
The Villas at Camp Creek in South Fulton, Ga. Residents said a group of squatters had taken over a home in the community. (WAGA)
Other HOA violations, such as residents walking dogs off leash, have also become an issue.
The South Fulton Police Department told Fox News Digital officers responded to a report of squatting at a home on Kiram Terrace last month.
"We are aware of an ongoing alleged squatting incident at 116 Kiram Terrace Southwest, Atlanta," a police spokesperson said. "Officers cited an individual on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at this location for squatting, and the case is now moving through the court process.
"Additionally, our officers were called back out to this residence on Oct. 5 for new reports of squatting, and two additional people were cited."
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A sign says "Private Road" at the Villas at Camp Creek in South Fulton, Ga. (WAGA)
Residents told authorities the squatters have occupied the home for the past year and a half, police said. The police department isn't involved in the eviction process, which is managed by the Fulton County Marshal's Office.
In May, authorities evicted squatters who had been living in the home since October 2023, the report states. There was another eviction last summer, and the most recent group of squatters reportedly moved in in late August.
"It’s a problem, and it’s at this same location," Richard said.
Fulton County property records show the home is owned by Divvy Homes, a real estate agency that offers a rent-to-own program, which residents believe has been exploited by squatters. Fox News Digital has reached out to Divvy Homes several times for comment.
The general definition of squatting is when a person unlawfully possesses a property. There are two primary ways in which this happens, Daniel Phillips, a real estate litigation partner at the Belkin, Burden and Goldman law firm who specializes in landlord-tenant disputes, previously told Fox News Digital.
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The first is in the case of a foreclosure, where a property becomes abandoned. The second is by means of fraud, where a person will use a fake identity to rent a home and quickly stop paying.
Fox News Digital's Ashlyn Messier contributed to this report.
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