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ABC13's years of Houston-area squatter stories leads to first steps in Austin to bolster laws

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ABC13's years of Houston-area squatter stories leads to first steps in Austin to bolster laws


HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — The sound of construction equipment at a house on the 6300 block of Costa Mesa is music to the ears of long-time neighbor Jethro Cooper.

The southwest Houston house sat empty for years, and a mix of teenagers after school, squatters, and a fire left the home as a community eyesore.

“Thank you for your effort in trying to bring it to their attention,” Cooper told ABC13 on Tuesday, about two weeks after Eyewitness News first noted problems with the house. “Now, since you brought it to their attention, they’re doing something about it.”

SEE MORE: Houston homes taken over by squatters leave owners, neighbors frustrated by legalities

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However, Cooper knows one repair project on this house is insufficient to solve the more significant problem of homes in bad shape or occupied by squatters proliferating neighborhoods.

“We need help,” he said, noting that efforts to get the house torn down have gone nowhere, and chasing out drug users and others who may squat in the house offered temporary relief.

State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, promised, “We’re going to put this all together and fix it.”

Bettencourt is leading the Texas Senate’s initiative to improve the state’s squatter laws.

Generally speaking, squatter situations in Texas are considered civil matters, and it is challenging to get squatters out of a home without going through the tedious eviction process. In addition, Texas has strong property rights laws, so demolishing abandoned or dilapidated homes is also a prolonged problem.

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Bettencourt said he has seen reports of these issues across the state, including the cases ABC13 highlighted over the past year.

“I’ve seen horror stories about squatting – some of your good work – all across the state. So, we’re bringing everyone in to talk about what we can do to stop squatting,” he said.

On Wednesday, Bettencourt is holding a hearing in Austin with an eye on passing bills next year to make it easier to push out squatters by increasing criminal penalties and giving law enforcement more tools.

“It’s just part of the times, but that doesn’t mean it’s acceptable. It shouldn’t be tolerated. It’s illegal, and we’re going to make it a lot more illegal once we get bills passed in the next legislative session,” he said.

“I think anything to help the person who is the victim is needed,” Riana Sherman, one of the squatting victims ABC13 first profiled in 2023, said. “When our situation happened, we called this person, we called that person for help, and nobody was able to help because the person who was squatting had a lease that was not a real lease.”

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Sherman and her family were under contract to buy a house in Houston’s Meyerland area but had to pull out because squatters moved in and stayed.

She said her children were traumatized, and she lost thousands of dollars in the process.

“Am I hopeful? I always try to see the good in situations. I always like to be hopeful,” Sherman said, reacting to the possibility of new laws passing.

The Texas Legislature will convene next January. ABC13 will keep you updated on whether the state’s squatter laws will be refreshed to address the problem plaguing homeowners.

For news updates, follow Miya Shay on Facebook, X and Instagram.

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Woman claims trespassers moved into her Meyerland rental home and changed her locks

The Meyerland homeowner reached out to ABC13 extremely frustrated, saying a family of five is refusing to leave her rental home after changing its locks.

Copyright © 2024 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.





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Austin, TX

Texas Relays draws in top athletes to Austin

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Texas Relays draws in top athletes to Austin


Hemp Rules Tighten – Texas regulators have officially banned intoxicating hemp flower, a move supporters say closes a loophole but critics warn could cripple a billion‑dollar industry. Adam Schwager looks at how retailers are scrambling to adjust, what products remain legal, and why some business owners believe the change will push buyers back toward the illicit market.

State Backs Psychedelic Research – Texas is investing $50 million into clinical trials for ibogaine, a powerful psychedelic some veterans say helped them overcome PTSD and addiction. Dylan McKim examines why the research plan hit a roadblock with private partners, the state’s decision to fully fund the studies, and questions about how much more Texas may need to spend to pursue FDA approval.



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Austin, TX

Austin weather: Storms, gusty winds expected across Central Texas as cold front moves in

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Austin weather: Storms, gusty winds expected across Central Texas as cold front moves in


A cold front moving through Central Texas is expected to bring scattered storms, gusty winds, and a sharp drop in temperatures Saturday, with conditions improving by Easter Sunday.

Austin Saturday Forecast

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The primary threats include wind gusts between 40 and 60 mph and the potential for localized flooding.

The approaching cold front is expected to intensify storms as they move eastward late Saturday morning into the afternoon. Residents are advised to remain weather-aware during this period.

Temperatures, which started in the low 70s Saturday morning, are forecast to drop throughout the day, falling into the 50s and 60s by late afternoon. Strong northerly winds, with gusts up to 30 mph, will continue into Sunday.

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Easter Sunday forecast

By Saturday evening, rain chances are expected to diminish, leading to a mostly dry but cloudy and breezy Easter Sunday. Morning temperatures will begin in the 50s, with afternoon highs only reaching the 60s.

Austin 7-Day forecast

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The Source: Information in this article comes from FOX 7 Meteorologist Adaleigh Rowe.

WeatherAustin



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Austin, TX

Detectives Investigating Homicide on Tuscany Way in East Austin

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Detectives Investigating Homicide on Tuscany Way in East Austin


The Austin Police Department is investigating a Thursday evening shooting at the Penske Rental Truck facility in East Austin that resulted in the death of a 39-year-old man.

The department revealed details about the incident in a Friday press release. At around 5:42 p.m., Austin police officers responded to a shoot/stab hotshot call at the Penske Rental Truck facility located at 8201 Tuscany Way.

The caller reported that a man had been shot. When officers arrived, they encountered two individuals next to a man on the ground suffering from visible gunshot wounds. The injured person was later identified as 39-year-old William Rogers.

APD officers provided Rogers with medical assistance until Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services arrived on the scene to transport him to a local hospital, where he died.

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Homicide detectives and crime scene specialists responded to the scene and learned that Rogers and another man, 28-year-old Javarus Crumpton, knew each other and both worked as movers.

The two men and the third man arrived at the facility to rent a Penske moving truck. After an argument arose regarding the rental deposit cost, Crumpton allegedly shot Rogers. Crumpton and the third person remained on the scene and are cooperating with the investigation.

No arrests have been made in the case, which is being investigated as Austin’s 17th homicide of 2026. The Travis County District Attorney’s Office was notified about the incident.

Residents with information about the case can contact APD at 512-974-TIPS. Submit anonymous tips through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting its website or calling 512-472-8477. A reward of up to $1,000 may be available for any information that leads to an arrest.





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