Squatters take over foreclosed homes

[Peikko 1,575]

Land wasn't being used? I think the Native Americans would take issue with you there.

You know what I mean, by US government definition, it wasn't being used. We all know it was a way to push the indians out by settling non-indians on those lands.

. I just like the way there is one rule for 'us' and one rule for 'them' and it's all in the name of 'civilization' these days.

[S and S 12]

Land wasn't being used? I think the Native Americans would take issue with you there.

You know what I mean, by US government definition, it wasn't being used. We all know it was a way to push the indians out by settling non-indians on those lands.

. I just like the way there is one rule for 'us' and one rule for 'them' and it's all in the name of 'civilization' these days.

I don't see anyone now giving their land up to the Indians to reciprocate for the wrongs against them from the past. Yet, technically, we are all living on land once owned/lived on by the Indians. It is a matter of perspective.

[Peikko 1,575]

My perspective is, I don't have a problem with squatters who repair and upkeep the housing they squat in.

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

They are not stealing, they are using the property while it is empty and they do move if the police decide to enforce the law, which interestingly they are not particularly keen to do.

It is trespass at worst.

never heard of theft of services? staying rent free is that.

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

Well, when it's only land at stake, who cares? It's only when something has been built by someone else that we get this furore, apparantly.

again, the owner of the land would. in many places, having a structure on the property will increase it's taxable value. guess who pays that

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

My perspective is, I don't have a problem with squatters who repair and upkeep the housing they squat in.

why would they? they have no financial or emotional investment in it. and if they have money to do that, they'd probably rent somewhere.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

This topic confuses the hell out of me. If this is so illegal, how is it so openly discussed in the news? Are the lienholders ok with it? Someone must be, otherwise #######.

[Mags 112]

My perspective is, I don't have a problem with squatters who repair and upkeep the housing they squat in.

why would they? they have no financial or emotional investment in it. and if they have money to do that, they'd probably rent somewhere.

Actually, when they don't have house payments or rent to pay they have MORE money available to use towards upkeep.

Edited April 11, 2009 by Mags

[Marilyn. 340]

NYT: Squatters call foreclosures home

Advocacy groups screen potential residents, move them into vacant homes

By John Leland

The New York Times

updated 10:31 a.m. CT, Fri., April 10, 2009

MIAMI -

Anita Beaty, executive director of the Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless, said her group had been looking into asking banks to give it abandoned buildings to renovate and occupy legally. Ms. Honkala, who was a squatter in the 1980s, said the biggest difference now was that the neighbors were often more supportive. “People who used to say, ‘That’s breaking the law,’ now that they’re living on a block with three or four empty houses, they’re very interested in helping out, bringing over mattresses or food for the families,” she said.

Ben Burton, executive director of the Miami Coalition for the Homeless, said squatting was still relatively rare in the city.

But Take Back the Land has had to compete with less organized squatters, said Max Rameau, the group’s director.

“We had a move-in that we were going to do one day at noon,” he said. “At 10 o’clock in the morning, I went over to the house just to make sure everything was O.K., and squatters took over our squat. Then we went to another place nearby, and squatters were in that place also.”

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.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30148409

My perspective is, I don't have a problem with squatters who repair and upkeep the housing they squat in.

why would they? they have no financial or emotional investment in it. and if they have money to do that, they'd probably rent somewhere.

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

My perspective is, I don't have a problem with squatters who repair and upkeep the housing they squat in.

why would they? they have no financial or emotional investment in it. and if they have money to do that, they'd probably rent somewhere.

Actually, when they don't have house payments or rent to pay they have MORE money available to use towards upkeep.

i rarely see people who rent spending money to fix things up, and those that do aren't on the low end of the economic scale.

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.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30148409

and that makes it ok

[Marilyn. 340]

My perspective is, I don't have a problem with squatters who repair and upkeep the housing they squat in.

why would they? they have no financial or emotional investment in it. and if they have money to do that, they'd probably rent somewhere.

not saying it's ok.. just answering your question

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

My perspective is, I don't have a problem with squatters who repair and upkeep the housing they squat in.

why would they? they have no financial or emotional investment in it. and if they have money to do that, they'd probably rent somewhere.

not saying it's ok.. just answering your question

it was a rhetorical question.

[Marilyn. 340]

My perspective is, I don't have a problem with squatters who repair and upkeep the housing they squat in.

why would they? they have no financial or emotional investment in it. and if they have money to do that, they'd probably rent somewhere.

not saying it's ok.. just answering your question

it was a rhetorical question.

yeah sure ..lol

it is rhetorical when the answer isn't to your liking

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

My perspective is, I don't have a problem with squatters who repair and upkeep the housing they squat in.

why would they? they have no financial or emotional investment in it. and if they have money to do that, they'd probably rent somewhere.

not saying it's ok.. just answering your question

it was a rhetorical question.

yeah sure ..lol

it is rhetorical when the answer isn't to your liking

or a reason to jump on when i post it

[S and S 12]

My perspective is, I don't have a problem with squatters who repair and upkeep the housing they squat in.

why would they? they have no financial or emotional investment in it. and if they have money to do that, they'd probably rent somewhere.

Exactly