Squatters take over foreclosed homes

[Peikko 1,575]

Imagine.

From the article:

Mr. Rameau said his group differed from ad hoc squatters by operating openly, screening potential residents for mental illness and drug addiction, and requiring that they earn “sweat equity” by cleaning or doing repairs around the house and that they keep up with the utility bills.

“We change the locks,” he said. “We pull up with a truck and move in through the front door. The families get a key to the front door.” Most of the houses are in poor neighborhoods, where the neighbors are less likely to object.

Kelly Penton, director of communications for the City of Miami, said police officers needed a signed affidavit from a property’s owner — usually a bank — to evict squatters. Representatives from the city’s homeless assistance program then help the squatters find shelter.

To find properties, Mr. Rameau and his colleagues check foreclosure listings, then scout out the houses for damage. On a recent afternoon, Mr. Rameau walked around to the unlocked metal gate of an abandoned bungalow in the Liberty City neighborhood.

“Let the record reflect that there was no lock on the door,” Mr. Rameau said. “I’m not breaking in.”

Inside, the wiring and sinks had been stripped out, and there was a pile of ashes on the linoleum floor where someone had burned a telephone book — probably during a cold spell the previous week, Mr. Rameau said.

“Two or three weeks ago, this house was in good condition,” Mr. Rameau said. “Now we wouldn’t move a family in here.”

They vet the housing and the squatters

Wrong Mr Unit, these squatters repair, keep clean and look after the property. They reject property that has been destroyed. Perhaps you should read it then again, I don't care either way

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

Responding to the article as posted.

If they are good enough to squat incognito, it has zip effect on the neighbourhood.

until the house gets destroyed from within

and odds are, the former owner is responsible for the damage in that he/she is financially liable for the difference between what is owed and what the house brings.

example: house bought for 150k

house foreclosed at 100k owed.

squatters move in and do 20k damage

house sells for 70k

former owner still liable for 30k

[Bobby+Umit 161]

Responding to the article as posted.

If they are good enough to squat incognito, it has zip effect on the neighbourhood.

until the house gets destroyed from within

and odds are, the former owner is responsible for the damage in that he/she is financially liable for the difference between what is owed and what the house brings.

example: house bought for 150k

house foreclosed at 100k owed.

squatters move in and do 20k damage

house sells for 70k

former owner still liable for 30k

But it doesn't matter, since there is one group, that makes their squatters fix things...

Still against the law, no matter how much lipstick you put on it.

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

Responding to the article as posted.

If they are good enough to squat incognito, it has zip effect on the neighbourhood.

until the house gets destroyed from within

and odds are, the former owner is responsible for the damage in that he/she is financially liable for the difference between what is owed and what the house brings.

example: house bought for 150k

house foreclosed at 100k owed.

squatters move in and do 20k damage

house sells for 70k

former owner still liable for 30k

But it doesn't matter, since there is one group, that makes their squatters fix things...

Still against the law, no matter how much lipstick you put on it.

[Peikko 1,575]

The question was, would you want this in your neighbourhood? The answer is, I am not a policeman, so legallity be damned, all I care about is whether house prices would be damaged or not. The reality is, no the neighbourhood would benefit from having these squatters. Empty housing is a lot worse.

More than that, these squatters make sure the druggies and scum do not in fact take over the neighbourhood, so yes, I am all for it.

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

The question was, would you want this in your neighbourhood? The answer is, I am not a policeman, so legallity be damned, all I care about is whether house prices would be damaged or not. The reality is, no the neighbourhood would benefit from having these squatters. Empty housing is a lot worse.

More than that, these squatters make sure the druggies and scum do not in fact take over the neighbourhood, so yes, I am all for it.

no, i would not want this in my neighborhood. in fact, there is a foreclosed house there. and i'd still not like to see some squatters there.

and that's your reality, not anyone else's, and shouldn't be confused for fact.

[Peikko 1,575]

Charles, you are the confused one. I am clearly stating MY opinion about MY neighbourhood. You are stating yours about yours.

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

Charles, you are the confused one. I am clearly stating MY opinion about MY neighbourhood. You are stating yours about yours.

no confusion here. and what may or may not happen in your neighborhood does not necessarily equate to being acceptable to your neighbors either.

[*Robert* 2]

Charles, you are the confused one. I am clearly stating MY opinion about MY neighbourhood. You are stating yours about yours.

no confusion here. and what may or may not happen in your neighborhood does not necessarily equate to being acceptable to your neighbors either.

gotta agree with that. MC, I can't believe you actually think it would be okay for people to be squating in a forclosed home... no matter where it located. It's just wrong.

[Peikko 1,575]

Yeah, what a terrible crime to actually use houses for living in.

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

Yeah, what a terrible crime to actually use houses for living in.

when people take a car and drive off with it, it's grand theft auto. when people live in a house that isn't theirs, without permission or knowledge of the owner, that's ok with you.

strange standards apparently......

[SuperDuper! 230]

Squatting has become such a popular past time!

[panamania79 2]

My neighborhood is 100% owner or renter occupied. No abandoned properties, and there won't be. The job market isn't bad enough yet.

Wow,that's cool.

[Scott & Lai 12]

'A modern-day underground railroad'

In Minnesota, a group called the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign recently moved families into 13 empty homes; in Philadelphia, the Kensington Welfare Rights Union maintains seven “human rights houses” shared by 13 families. Cheri Honkala, who is the national organizer for the Minnesota group and was homeless herself once, likened the group’s work to “a modern-day underground railroad,” and said squatters could last up to a year in a house before eviction.

"A modern-day underground railroad"?? Un-flipping believable Are these squatters honestly comparable to slaves fleeing to freedom? And just whom is Take Back the Land taking the land back from? Are we to believe that the land was stolen from the squatters, to whom it is now being rightfully returned?

well some of those people are just so slick!!!!! when we came home from over seas after being gone for four years we were told people were living in our home, so we called the police on our way to our home, sure enough there was a family living in the home the women slammed the door on my mom and locked it when my mom asked why are u in my home, so then her preacher husband came and told her well im purchasing this home, so mom said from WHO i am the owner so tell me who are u paying money to for MY HOME?????

A preacher was doing this?? What bible does he preach from? Does it have "Thou shall not steal" cut out of it??

[sara..... 371]

'A modern-day underground railroad'

In Minnesota, a group called the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign recently moved families into 13 empty homes; in Philadelphia, the Kensington Welfare Rights Union maintains seven “human rights houses” shared by 13 families. Cheri Honkala, who is the national organizer for the Minnesota group and was homeless herself once, likened the group’s work to “a modern-day underground railroad,” and said squatters could last up to a year in a house before eviction.

"A modern-day underground railroad"?? Un-flipping believable Are these squatters honestly comparable to slaves fleeing to freedom? And just whom is Take Back the Land taking the land back from? Are we to believe that the land was stolen from the squatters, to whom it is now being rightfully returned?

well some of those people are just so slick!!!!! when we came home from over seas after being gone for four years we were told people were living in our home, so we called the police on our way to our home, sure enough there was a family living in the home the women slammed the door on my mom and locked it when my mom asked why are u in my home, so then her preacher husband came and told her well im purchasing this home, so mom said from WHO i am the owner so tell me who are u paying money to for MY HOME?????

A preacher was doing this?? What bible does he preach from? Does it have "Thou shall not steal" cut out of it??

Baptist at least thats what the telephone company told us, and the electric company and the gas company...............he left all bills OWING