CitiesacrossAmericaare experiencingasurge insquatting–whenpeople illegally enterand occupyapropertythey have no right to inhabit.
But many in the corporate media, suchasthe Washington Post,WNYC(New York City’s public broadcaster),andDave Weigel,have published stories diminishing the importanceand even existenceofthis trend. They,and many others, contend that recent news coverageofsquattingissimplya”right-wing talking point” or “crusade”againstanissue that “rarely” occurs.
Butas usual, the mediaiswrong,and in more ways than one.
Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs bill addressing squatters into law. (Gov. Ron DeSantis/FB)
First, they needlessly politicize theissue.And second, the rise in squattingisreal, especially in large cities,and bad lawand shortsighted housing policyaremaking it worse.
InAtlantaalone,an estimated 1,200 homesare subject to squatting,according to the National Rental Home Council.The city has struggled with this problem for overadecade, withstoriesofindividuals moving into homes they did not ownand refusing to move out dating back to 2013.
Andin Philadelphia, the 2018 City Council was forced to passan ordinance to make it easier to removesquatters. Professionalsquatterswho understood how long it could take to removeasquatter through the courts – up toayearat the time,although in other cities like New York it can take up to two years – would move inand demand money to move out. Joseph Rey, the presidentofthe Greater PhiladelphiaAssociationofRealtorsat the time, called it “extortion.”
VideoAnd then there’s New York. The Gothamistclaims that thereisno squatter problemin the city.
Tell that toAdeleAndaloro, who wasarrested for “illegally evicting”squatterswho had moved into the home she inherited from her mother in Flushing. Or tell Steve Markowski,who saw his neighbor’s Bayside hometakenoverbysquatters, which led toateenager being shot in the home.
THE LEFT IS ALL ABOUT SQUATTERS’ RIGHTS, PUTTING HOMEOWNERS LIKE YOU AT RISK
While these stories just scratch the surface, theaffected homeowners would hardly say squattingismerelya”right wing talking point.”
VideoThe realityisthat squattingisareal problem;and it’s getting worse becauseofthe lackofhousing supply. Limited supply drives up thepriceofhousing,and that prohibitive cost putsaffordable housing outofreach for too many living in our country.
To be sure, this harsh reality doesnotjustify trespassing onprivateproperty. But it does explain where city, stateand national leaders should focus to solve the squatting problem onalong-term basis: increasing the supplyofhousing.
Byincreasing supply, costs will come down. Cheaper rent will make squatting less enticing, which will lead to fewer people breaking the law to findaplace to live.
VideoAnd throwing taxpayer moneyat the housing cost problemisnot theanswer.
Rather, the way to increase the supplyisto make it easier to build. Regulations should be cut, fees should be loweredand zoning should be less restrictive. NIMBYs should be given less opportunity to interfere with other people’sprivatepropertyrights.
These changes will make it moreaffordable to build housing, which will in turn lead to lowerprices for the buyer or residential tenant.
VideoBut thatisthe long-term solution. In the short term, local ordinancesand state laws should be rewritten to ensure that illegalsquattersare not treated the sameas lawful tenants who have genuine disputes with their rentalproperty’s homeowner.
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In Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis recently signedalaw to make it easier to removesquatters,andat the same time protect tenants in legitimate conflicts with homeowners.
And in New York, the legislature responded to Andaloro’s case in Queensby passing legislation that explicitly excludedsquattersfrom landlord/tenant law protections for tenants. New York recognized thatsquattersare trespassers. Other statesand cities should do likewise.
VideoPropertyrightsare the foundationofastablesociety.Whenpropertyisprotected from the “grasping hand”ofgovernment or from theft, it encourages peaceful co-existenceand leads to calculated risk-taking, which redounds to the benefitofthe owneras wellassocietyat large.
Looking the other wayassquatterstakeawaypropertyrights – or denying the problem exists – simplyamounts to tacit encouragementofan effort to destabilizesociety.
Squattingisareal problem that calls for real solutions. Denying it existsisto deny reality.
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Mark Miller is a senior attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation. Representing J.P. Krause, he has written a formal letter to school officials demanding that they rescind their punishment of him.
