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A California man launched a petition last week to make squatting federal illegal after illegal occupants took over his mother’s home in March.
"A lot of people have reached out saying ‘why don't you do something positive with your attention?" Flash Shelton, who founded the United Handyman Association, told Fox News. "So I started looking into the laws and realized that there is no law."
Shelton’s story received national attention earlier this year after he staked out his mother’s California home to wait for squatters to leave for the day so he could take it back. Once he secured the property, he installed cameras and told the two women who returned to get their belongings and leave.
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Dozens of people who are sympathetic or have similar situations reached out to Shelton.
"I've had an outcry and from, you know, messages and comments and emails of people just saying it's wrong and somebody needs to do something," he said. "This is not about me. It's bigger than me and I should do something to help the cause with this attention."
Shelton said he hopes his petition can get enough momentum to make squatting illegal at the national level. He hopes such a law would allow law enforcement to take action.
While trespassing is illegal in every state, each has its own laws on how to handle squatters. Most rely on civil courts to resolve disputes.
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"I figured if I go national, then it's going to be heard in the other states as well," Shelton said, adding that he hopes to work with people in other states to spread the word on his petition as well.
Flash Shelton removed squatters from his mother's home in California. (United Handyman Association "Handyman Answers"/YouTube)
The petition has gathered more than 80 signatures as of Tuesday morning.
"Right now, squatting itself is not illegal," the petition states. "This creates a shield and desire to trespass and set up house"
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"Please sign this petition and help make squatting an illegal act," it adds. "This will shift the burden of proof onto the squatter and make the crime punishable with restitution an option for damages."
Shelton took several steps to secure his mother's home including having his mom write a lease and put utilities in his name.
Handyman Flash Shelton captured video of alleged squatters in the driveway of his mother's home. ( United Handyman Association "Handyman Answers"/YouTube)
"I had keys to the house, and at that point, I would have entered the house, and if the squatter can take a home, I can take a home," he said during an interview with Jesse Watters.
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Shelton hoped his actions would help him use existing laws on trespassing to secure the California home.
"If I enter the house, they can't kick me out just as much. But with having a lease and keys and utility bills at that point, you know, if they call the police, the police would tell them the same thing," Shelton told Watters. "If I call the police, I can say, ‘Hey, I have an intruder in my house, and they broke in the back door.'"
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