Posted on 04/01/2024 10:09:16 AM PDT by John Semmens
This week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) signed a bill to protect homeowners from squatters moving into their homes while the owners are away and attempting to assert "squatters rights," i.e., the right to live in the home without paying for it. The new law allows the home owner to show proof of ownership and have law enforcement officers evict the squatters.
DeSantis contrasted Florida's new law with the markedly dissimilar laws in New York and California, saying "in those states people who break into homes while the owners are absent are deemed to have established a prima facie claim to ownership if they can remain in the property for 30 or more days. The deed-holding owner has to go to property court to try to establish his or her claim. These courts typically have lengthy backlogs of cases. It could take months or even years for a newly filed case to reach the head of the line. In the meantime, the squatters have free run of the place. They are not required to pay rent. The deed holder is not permitted to turn off the water and power, but is required to pay all the bills for gallons and kilowatts used by the squatters."
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif) called Florida's new law "harsh. Let's look at the facts. The only way the squatters can move in is because the deed holder is absent from the property. As I see it, if the deed holder isn't living in the house his need for the property seems very tenuous. Space that could serve a poor family is going to waste. Why shouldn't this poor family move in and, by a continuing presence, demonstrate their stronger claim to ownership? Isn't this what we used to call 'sweat equity?' I reject DeSantis' effort to denigrate the progressive values that have made California the greatest state in the Union. We put need ahead of greed when it comes to settling disputes over property and money."
If you missed any of the other Semi-News/Semi-Satire posts you can find them at...
https://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,528399.0.html
Do NY and CA require utilities to be kept on?
They forbid “landlords” (i.e., the owners of the homes squatters are trying to steal) having the utilities turned off as long as the “tenants” (i.e., squatters) are on the premises.
I’m glad I don’t own a rental house any more.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.