Wow—16 years? Which state? Many states have 10-30 year takeover from squatters, but some (NYC) is 30 days and other states are 2-5 years.
Also, certain states, when renting you have to go through the eviction process to get ride of delinquent renters. It could take up to 2 years. This is how they reduce private property ownership from “serfs” like us.
They weren’t squatters and the local sheriff ran them out I think, I never saw them, they were just some homeless people wit no real intentions.
This is a simple, small, concrete block house that was already in a state of primitive since I had started adding studs and insulation on the inside of the walls etc. during the first couple of months of ownership when I had a handyman doing the work after I left town, so it was seen as a crash place rather than taking over a nice home.
Since there was only a ceiling in one room it would be rough living and windows were missing, as it was when I moved in, which made for a primitive first couple of years for me.