Inside the seedy world of online squat how-to guides

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by Selim Algar

Thousands of homes across America have been invaded by squatters, who legally move in and live rent-free, but surprisingly, homeowners and police are unable to evict the squatters. There’s no easy way to do it.

The problem is so severe in Atlanta that some residents can’t even go on vacation for fear of returning to unwanted visitors or having their homes turned into pop-up strip clubs.

But squatting isn’t as easy as going into someone’s house and breaking into their home.

For this reason, a number of internet forums and dark web pages dedicated to the subject have sprung up, offering fascinating “dummies’ guides” for breaking into someone else’s home and establishing their right to live there.

“I don’t know if you know this, but there is a housing crisis in this country,” one prolific contributor told the Post anonymously. “And it’s only going to get worse. People are going to do what they have to do. You can’t stop them.”

Here are some tips shared by squatters that homeowners and cautious citizens should be aware of.

One professional artist said he puts up for sale and rent signs on properties and has a phone number on his cell phone. If there is no response, the home is not being monitored and may be owned.

Many squatters scour real estate listing sites like Zillow and Trulia to find and view homes that have been listed for sale without any activity for long periods of time.

One squatter suggested leaving an orange cone in his driveway and coming back in a week to see if it had been moved.

Several mansion takeovers have dominated the news in recent months, including one in Beverly Hills near LeBron James’s home and a $2 million mansion in Queens, New York, but lavish spreads inevitably attract attention. , these incidents are rare.

Swimming pools and tennis courts have temporary appeal, but squatters will recognize the deed holder, the sheriff, and the media and eventually slam down the door and force a public evacuation.

In one recent case that made headlines on New York TV news, Adele Andalolo, whose parents lived in a million-dollar home in Queens until their deaths, changed the keys to a squatter who had moved in. It all started when he was caught on camera trying to do so.

Police temporarily evacuated the residence Friday while investigating unspecified email threats inside the residence, officials said. It is unclear how long the suspected squatters had been out of the house.

One experienced squatter set the monetary limit for viable targets at $500,000.

A home far away from nosy neighbors is the golden rule of squatting, but subtle interactions with locals are often unavoidable.

One experienced squatter set the monetary limit for viable targets at $500,000.

A home far away from nosy neighbors is the golden rule of squatting, but subtle interactions with locals are often unavoidable.

Some people preach a hermit-like existence in order to hide their existence, but my advice is to behave as if you own the place and interact normally, as if you have a rental agreement. Some people.

The legal term for illegal occupation is “unlawful occupation,” and all 50 states have regulations recognizing this. The exact rules vary by state, but in many cases, squatters can claim ownership of the property as long as they live there openly for a certain period of time and meet other requirements.

When engagement with neighbors is necessary, many squatters favor charm attacks and property maintenance to minimize friction.

When there are signs of improvement in dilapidated homes, some residents, who hope that local property values ​​will increase, turn a blind eye even if they suspect there is something wrong with them. Maybe.

Public works, or lack thereof, is another flashpoint for squatting. While some occupiers manage to get lights and gas running with fake lease agreements, others want to remain literally in the shade without the benefit of electricity.

One poster wrote that he dealt with the lack of plumbing in a long-term squat by repurposing the toilet as a “composting toilet” that biologically breaks down waste. Usually, a makeshift toilet bowl is filled with sawdust or peat moss.

Other threads discuss the ethics of free living, arguing that corporate-owned investment properties sitting vacant for years are fair rights and do not pose a moral dilemma. There is also.

Some squatters blame those who invade properties owned by more vulnerable groups, such as the elderly and other working-class people who manage to secure rental housing to supplement their incomes. .

“The number of people facing homelessness in this country is trending in one direction,” the Reddit poster said, noting that the recent influx of immigrants is only accelerating that trend.

“Do you think squatting is a problem now? Wait a minute.”

Additional reporting by Steven Vago