Georgia lawmakers are introducing a bill, HB 1017, to address the squatting crisis in Atlanta, where approximately 1,200 homes have been taken over by squatters.
The bill aims to criminalize squatting and expedite the process of removing squatters from properties.
“We have to do something about this,” Rep. Devan Seabaugh said.
The proposed legislation also targets fake leases and fraudulent activities related to squatting.
The bill has bipartisan support and is expected to pass through the Georgia General Assembly, ultimately reaching Governor Brian Kemp’s desk for approval.
“We’re dealing with criminals… These are people that know exactly what they’re doing, and they’re stealing other people’s most valuable capital, which is their home. I’ve heard from a lot of people. This has caused them to file bankruptcy. They’re mentally harmed by it. It’s a tough situation, and we have to do something. I don’t know how it took us this long to get here… but no more free rides,” Seabaugh said.
“What we’ve done is create new code in the Georgia law that, in a nutshell, says, if you’re squatting in a home, and you do not have the consent or legal authority to be in it, you’ll be arrested and charged with a misdemeanor of a highly aggravated nature. You’ll be fined, and you may spend up to a year behind bars,” he said.
“To speed up the process, we’ve moved the proceedings, which now require a superior court jury trial that could take months to years to adjudicate, through a non-jury magistrate court trial that can be heard much sooner and hopefully significantly decrease the time it takes to remove these squatters from a property,” he added.
“No more fraud on the paperwork. If you falsify documents, and you get caught, you’re going to serve jail time on that. That’s wrong,” Rep. Matt Reeves said.
“The last incident that I had, there was a squatter there who totally destroyed the place,” real estate agent Kesha Chedeaux said.
“One has went to jail. They sold the appliances from the property and received money for them. Selling appliances, [there’s] feces everywhere, [they’re] sleeping in the beds because these properties are staged on the market.”
“It also hurts me because it deters buyers,” she said. “They want to know, ‘Why do you have to have these on the windows?’”
“I think this is a quick fix to a problem so that if you are squatting at someone’s home, we’re going to get you out. We’re going to move a 1-2 year process to hopefully less than 30 days and return this property back to the rightful owners,” Seabaugh said.
Most Popular:
FBI Informant Who Criticized Biden Gets Bad News
Drag Queen Principal Learns His Fate Amid Controversy
