Handyman-turned-squatter hunter outlines ‘nightmare scenario’ when migrants catch on to housing laws
A handyman-turned-squatter hunter is concerned that migrants entering the U.S. will catch on to states’ lenient tenants’ rights laws and create a squatting crisis that’s “beyond control.”
“We have masses coming in. They’re going to be looking for places to live. And if we don’t have the housing for them, if they’re coming in with no money, they can’t rent the traditional way,” Flash Shelton, founder of the United Handyman Association and SquatterHunters.com, told Fox News.
When they start finding out that many states have permissive laws for squatters, “our squatter situation is going to go beyond control,” he added.
Squatters and tenants’ rights laws vary across the country, with some states providing protection for non-paying individuals, allowing them to occupy a property for extended periods.
In areas where complex laws bar police from taking action, homeowners have few options to reclaim their property beyond pursuing a civil case, which can take months.
Shelton has advocated for reforming laws to hamper people’s ability to squat and warned that the influx of migrants coming across the southern border could make the squatting problem substantially worse.
“What are we going to do later when we have a million people squatting in this country,” Shelton said, “when not only do we have a border issue that we can’t even figure out, but now we have people that are being mentally, financially, physically messed with because they’ve lost their home to all of these people?”
“Regardless of how you feel politically or morally about the situation, put that aside and just think about the masses,” Shelton added.
Nearly 7.3 million migrants have crossed into the U.S. illegally since the start of 2021, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Since 2022, Texas has sent over 100,000 migrants to major cities in other states, with most ending up in New York City and Chicago.
The Big Apple spent $1.45 billion in fiscal 2023 on migrant costs and expects to spend a combined $9.1 billion housing migrants in 2024 and 2025, according to Bloomberg.
“Let me tell you something New Yorkers, never in my life have I had a problem that I did not see an ending to — I don’t see an ending to this,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in September. “This issue will destroy New York City.”
The already lacking resources to handle the hundreds of thousands of homeless Americans living on city streets across the country have been further depleted due to the new flood of people seeking refuge, Shelton said. He questioned what’s to stop migrants from using squatting loopholes to their advantage if they realize they can reside in vacant homes rent-free for months on end.
“We have irresponsibly opened a door for a whole lot of people to come into this country, and we aren’t prepared to deal with them,” Shelton said. “What’s the negative for these people to then start taking over these houses?”
The California handyman had his first experience removing squatters in 2019 when two women took over his mother’s home that was up for sale.
After local law enforcement couldn’t help, Shelton spent days dissecting laws around squatters’ rights and managed to get rid of the women within a day using a loophole that included signing a lease agreement with his mother designating him as the legal resident of the home. Now he uses his experience to provide squatter removal services for others.
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.
He warned about the “nightmare scenario” the country will face down the road if politicians don’t take action to curb squatting now.
“I’m spending all this time trying to bring awareness to squatting and bring awareness to how the law needs to change,” Shelton told Fox News. “Is it going to get worse before it gets better? I think it’s already there.”
“I think it’s going to just get beyond repair at some point,” he added.
