Northeast
'Commonsense' proposal would strengthen homeowners' ability to boot squatters: 'It's insanity'
A Republican lawmaker in Pennsylvania has proposed legislation addressing the nationwide squatting surge because homeowners find themselves legally powerless to remove unwanted trespassers from their properties.
Donna Scheuren, who represents the Pennsylvania House of Representatives’ 147th district, introduced the Homeowner Protection and Squatter Eviction Act earlier this month and says she was inspired in part by legislation in Florida recently signed into law eliminating squatters’ rights.
“With multiple, recent high-profile squatter incidents happening across the country, my office has received multiple calls and emails from constituents concerned about it happening in our community,” Scheuren said in a press release.
Scheuren told Fox News Digital squatters can “easily take advantage” of a variety of buildings in her district ranging from homes to barns to sheds to vacation homes and cabins, and she hopes to eliminate the red tape in the process.
DELAWARE MAN LOSES $125,000 PROPERTY TO SQUATTER NEIGHBOR AFTER TRYING TO REMOVE GOAT PEN SHE BUILT ON IT
GOP Pennsylvania Rep. Donna Scheuren and a photo of damage caused by a Philadelphia squatter (Fox News Digital)
“I think eliminating all the red tape, such as having an owner go to court to prove the squatter is not a tenant, or that they never had a previous landlord relationship at some point, are some red tape steps that exist now. All of that is just gone, and the police can grab them, throw them out and reinstate the homeowner immediately, which is common sense and what needs to be done,” Scheuren told Fox News Digital.
In squatting situations across the country, homeowners who call police to report a squatter are often told there is nothing law enforcement can do since they do not have the authority to determine who is telling the truth in terms of property paperwork.
Scheuren’s bill aims to change that by allowing municipal and state officers to immediately remove a squatter from a building if the homeowner signs an affidavit stating he or she lawfully owns the property.
HOMEOWNER ISSUES DIRE WARNING AFTER ‘SCARRING’ ORDEAL WITH SQUATTER: ‘IT COULD BE YOUR STORY TOMORROW’
Chris Harte, 35, bought an investment property last year in northwest Philadelphia. After substantial renovations, he listed it for sale, only to have squatters break in. (Photos courtesy Chris Harte)
Fox News Digital has previously reported that homeowners face lengthy court delays and hurdles that can rack up substantial legal fees along with damage costs. Scheuren’s bill would alleviate that by increasing the penalty of damaging property and allowing homeowners to seek treble damages and attorneys fees through the civil courts.
“Incidents such as a recent one in Philadelphia, where a homeowner paid squatters $1,200 to get them to leave because police would not remove the squatters, or in New York, where a woman was murdered by squatters when they bashed her head into the wall upon returning to her home after vacationing in Spain, are unacceptable and show the law needs to provide better protections for homeowners,” Scheuren said.
“This legislation does just that, protecting the rights of lawful property owners, instead of the criminals who are breaking the law.”
PORTLAND FAMILY TERRORIZED BY FIRES SET BY HOMELESS SQUATTERS NEXT DOOR: ‘MY WIFE WAS SCREAMING’
Venezuelan TikToker Leonal Moreno urged illegal immigrants to take over abandoned homes and invoke squatters’ rights. (TikTok/Screenshot/Leonal Moreno)
Across the country, the squatting crisis has become intertwined with the illegal immigration crisis. Recently, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela bragged on TikTok about squatting and urged his followers to abuse the system to do the same.
Scheuren told Fox News Digital calls from her constituents came rolling in after that viral video, and her bill addresses the issue of illegal immigrant squatting by requiring law enforcement to notify Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) if a squatter is in the United States illegally and to comply with any detainers placed by ICE.
“We have to look out for homeowners before illegal or just criminal squatters. Doesn’t even have to be illegal immigrants,” Scheuren told Fox News Digital. “The fact that the criminal squatters seem to have a little bit more protection than the homeowners and the citizens of the country. It’s insanity.”
Scheuren’s bill will have to make its way through the Democrat-controlled House in Pennsylvania, along with the GOP-controlled Senate, where a bill has also been introduced to eventually be signed by the commonwealth’s Democratic governor.
But Scheuren told Fox News Digital she was encouraged by Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman recently blasting squatters and saying they “have no rights.”
“With the pressure and hopefully the media putting more attention on it and then bringing it to the forefront that now even one of our senators wants to see Harrisburg legislate on this issue, I have renewed enthusiasm that we might be able to get something done,” Scheuren said.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office declined to say whether he would sign either bill if they reached his desk, saying, “We are reviewing this proposal as it moves through the legislative process.”
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Stationery
GUS & RUBY
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Event Designer
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Makeup Artist
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Bridal Boutique
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Wedding Dress Designer
CANDICE WU COUTURE
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Engagement Rings
BOSTON DIAMOND COMPANY
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Rentals
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Urban Venue
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Coastal Venue
WYCHMERE BEACH CLUB
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Rustic Venue
THE BARN AT GIBBET HILL
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Best Ballroom Venue, Fairmont Copley Plaza / Courtesy photo
Ballroom Venue
FAIRMONT COPLEY PLAZA
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Light rain is expected to arrive in the Pittsburgh area this afternoon with the best chance for rain coming later in the week.
Any Alert Days Ahead? No
Aware: Snow continues to melt, with yesterday’s snow depth measuring 2″ still. Thursday will be a good day for most to ‘clean the yard’.
Snow continues to slowly melt off. Today should be a big day with light rain and warm temperatures helping to bring snow depth totals in Pittsburgh down from yesterday’s 2″ down to an inch or less by Wednesday morning. By Wednesday evening, most of the snow will be off the ground, with exceptions for shaded areas.
If you have dogs, Thursday is going to be the best time to get outside to ‘clean the yard’. Our best chance for rain this week comes Friday through Saturday, with rain and some rumbles expected.
For today, rain chances arrive right at noon and stick around through 7 a.m. on Wednesday. Rain totals will not be very impressive. I am only expecting five hundredths of an inch or less for most places. The best chance for rain will probably occur around 7 p.m this evening through around 10 p.m. A lot of your afternoon will be dry.
When it comes to temperatures, morning lows dipped to the low 30s this morning and highs today should be around 50 degrees. Yesterday’s high of 47 degrees was a good four degrees warmer than what I forecast for our daily high. It felt amazing outside. We will see more ‘mild’ weather this week with highs in the mid-40s on Wednesday behind the rain. Thursday highs should hit the mid-50s. I still have Friday highs near 60 degrees.
Before wrapping things up, I do want to quickly talk about Sunday morning’s weather with rain, snow, & sleet all expected over just a couple of hours. Travel in some spots will be slowed with the rapid drop in temperatures, slick conditions, and windy conditions. At this point, the usual suspects of the Ridges, Laurel Highlands, places north of I-80, and the snowbelt of Armstrong and Indiana counties will be most impacted. We will continue to have more on timing and what to expect for the rest of the week, but at least for now, I wanted to give an early warning about what is heading our way.
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