Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Florida lawmakers pass bill to revoke squatters' rights, protect property owners
weartv.com ^ | Mar 14th 2024 | Tanner Stewart

Posted on 03/15/2024 5:59:25 AM PDT by V_TWIN

House Bill 621 authorizes property owners to request action by the sheriff's office to immediately remove squatters.

Now, squatters will soon face criminal charges for violation.

HB621, allows property owners to file an affidavit showing the property doesn't belong to those who are occupying it.

The bill creates stiff penalties for violators, like a 2nd degree felony for damage to a home and a 1st degree felony for fraudulently selling or leasing the property.

The sheriff is required to serve the notice and remove unwanted occupants without delay.

"This is an important bill if you see the stories that happen," Perry said. "It is egregious what people are getting away with under legislation."

WEAR News has covered several squatter-ridden properties over the years, including a home Le Jeune Drive in Pensacola.

It has since been cleaned up, but not before a months-long battle in the courts.

Pensacola City Councilwoman Jennifer Brahier helped find a solution, but says the time it took was overwhelming.

"We still had to give them notice of eviction, they had to be given time," she said. "I think that's shocking to owners that someone's illegally in their home and yet they still have to go through that process. So I can see how this new law would really aid people in that situation."

Brahier says this bill is long overdue for both property owners and residents living nearby.

"It was affecting their wellbeing, their sense of security, their financial aspect," she said. "For people who've had someone take over their home, the idea that they have to do due rights with someone that's essentially stealing their home is pretty shocking for them."

"I hope this law helps others to be able to rectify a situation quicker," she added.

The bill is now awaiting the governor's signature.

(Excerpt) Read more at weartv.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: squatters
Florida once again leads the way in common sense law
1 posted on 03/15/2024 5:59:25 AM PDT by V_TWIN
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Red Badger; moovova; EEGator; rlmorel

PING!


2 posted on 03/15/2024 6:00:27 AM PDT by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: V_TWIN

About time. I don’t know how squatter laws ever got on the books.


3 posted on 03/15/2024 6:02:51 AM PDT by BBQToadRibs2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: V_TWIN

waaaaaay past time for this to become law nationwide.


4 posted on 03/15/2024 6:03:01 AM PDT by TexasFreeper2009
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TexasFreeper2009

“waaaaaay past time for this to become law nationwide.”

Here’s the thousand dollar question: what do we as a society do with “squatters” (to use today’s term for bums).

I’m referring to those that are being bums but are not obviously in need of care by the rest of us.

I’m not for providing a free, housed life for them.


5 posted on 03/15/2024 6:15:14 AM PDT by cymbeline
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: cymbeline

throw them in jail first then out on the street. Not our problem.


6 posted on 03/15/2024 6:24:24 AM PDT by TexasFreeper2009
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: V_TWIN

FL continues to point the way for the GOP.
One of my closest friends in Oregon lost her condo to a squatter.
The Sheriff was legally prevented from doing anything.


7 posted on 03/15/2024 6:50:48 AM PDT by Zathras
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BBQToadRibs2

Squatter situations are ten-fold with the open border, if not more.
Glad to say I’m a Floridian


8 posted on 03/15/2024 7:05:55 AM PDT by George from New England (escaped CT back in 2006)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: BBQToadRibs2

Yup, but we’ll soon see how when leftist orgs sue to stop this law from being implemented after it’s signed. This is the part that folks behind this bill need to be ready for. Would be great if homeowners, their lawyers, realtors, the governor and legislators could get together to provide streaming-ready protest video and countersuits to affix blame on the leftist orgs/individuals who created this mess and need to be stomped for blocking this needed legislation.


9 posted on 03/15/2024 8:00:26 AM PDT by TimSkalaBim
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: BBQToadRibs2
About time. I don’t know how squatter laws ever got on the books.

Unfortunately, there’s a lot of instances of squatters posing as landlords and drafting up fake leases for others.

You wind up with a family signing a lease, paying a deposit, turning on the utilities, and moving in to a home that they legitimately thought they were legally renting only to discover the “landlord” was a squatter who broke in and changed the locks.

10 posted on 03/15/2024 8:09:20 AM PDT by Drew68
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: V_TWIN

yeah, this legislation should be a model for all 57 states ...


11 posted on 03/15/2024 8:11:25 AM PDT by catnipman (A Vote For The Lesser Of Two Evils Still Counts As A Vote For Evil)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson