Squatters take over 1,200 homes in Atlanta, open illegal strip clubs and terrorize neighbors: ‘Is this even America?’
Squatters are ruining entire neighborhoods in Atlanta and police response to evict is so slow, some homeowners have resorted to paying nuisances to leave.
Brazen squatters even opened an illegal strip club on a property they had taken over — one of the 1,200 homes which has been squatted in the city, according to the National Rental Home Council (NRHC) trade group.
“I’d be terrified in Atlanta to lease out one of my properties,” Matt Urbanski, who manages a local home-cleaning company, told Bloomberg.
Urbanski’s company cleans out homes for corporate landlords, and in some cases has to remove squatters’ possessions.
Recently one of his employees was shot after attempting to remove intruders from a property.
Simon Frost, CEO of large-scale landlord Tiber Capital Group, said there have been incidents of unlawful occupants brandishing weapons and threatening neighbors, which affects the safety of neighborhoods and other residents, according to Bloomberg.
Evicting squatters in Atlanta is tough, involving negotiating court backlogs and strained police resources.
Meanwhile, online listings and virtual real estate agents make it easy for squatters to identify vacant properties to break into.
In October, an Atlanta neighborhood found itself at the center of a scandal involving squatters who transformed a home into an illegal strip club, complete with weekend parties and even live horses on the property.
The drama unfolded in the South Fulton area, where four individuals — DeAnthony Maddox, Jeremy Wheat, Kelvin Hall and Tarahsjay Forde — took up residence without permission. Little did the neighbors know that the 4,000-square-foot, five-bedroom home with three bathrooms would become a den of illicit activity.
The squatters ran the clandestine strip club, held noisy parties and even organized car races in the street, ruining the neighborhood for others, according to local reports.
“They would get live horses. One day they had live horses,” one neighbor told Atlanta station WSB-TV TV2.
Eventually a SWAT team had to clear out the house and recovered two stolen cars, a stolen weapon and stolen credit cards from the property, according to the local report.
What you need to know about squatters in New York:
What are squatter’s rights in New York?
Squatters in New York state can claim a legal right to remain on a property without the owner’s permission after 10 years of living there. However, in New York City, a person only needs to be on the property for 30 days to claim squatter’s rights.
Why is it so hard to get rid of a squatter?
Squatters are allowed a wide range of rights once they have established legal occupancy, making it difficult to evict them.
How does someone become a squatter?
Some of the scenarios in which a person becomes a squatter include: a tenant refusing to pay rent, a relative of a former owner refusing to leave the property or even a stranger who entered the property and never left.
According to Manhattan-based law firm Nadel & Ciarlo, squatters must have a reasonable basis for claiming the property belongs to them and must treat the home as if they were an owner — such as doing yard work or making repairs.
How can a property owner get rid of a squatter?
A property owner must first send a 10-day eviction notice and then file a court complaint if the order is ignored. If approved by a judge, the owner can get a summons and have a sheriff evict the squatter.
Why does the law provide squatters with rights?
The law was designed to help prevent long-term tenants from getting evicted. New York City’s law was partially made in response to vacant and abandoned buildings that were becoming a blight on the city.
How can property owners protect themselves from squatters?
Owners should avoid keeping any properties vacant for an extended period of time. They should also make sure the building is secure, has adequate lighting and has surveillance cameras installed.
If a squatter does appear, owners should notify the police quickly before squatter’s rights are established.
One neighbor told The Post they are afraid to even go on vacation because if squatters find out their home was vacant, they just move right in.
“Is this even America anymore? We are homeowners and we can’t even do anything about trespassers?” the neighbor said in frustration.
In another incident, US Army Lt. Col. Dahlia Daure discovered a convicted criminal squatting in her home.
Daure returned to her property to find a squatter living in her sprawling, $500,000 residence while she was away on active duty.
She previously told WSB-TV she came home to find a man by the name of Vincent Simon living in her home.
Simon, who has been convicted on gun, drug and theft charges, refused to leave the house.
When Daure reported the unwanted man in her home to cops, they initially told her their hands were tied because it was a “civil matter.” Serving him eviction papers also didn’t help.
After an obscure law was used to finally get the police involved, cops found guns and drugs at the home.
“To find out that this person moved into my home right after I got done renovating — it was very aggravating and I was angry,” Daure told Fox.
