• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
University of Florida Closes DEI Office, Halts ‘DEI-Focused Contracts’

DeSantis Ends ‘Squatter Scam Once and for All’ by Signing New Bill Into Law

March 28, 2024
Comey’s Daughter Reportedly Fired From DOJ

Comey’s Daughter Reportedly Fired From DOJ

July 16, 2025
Trio Of Police Chiefs Cooked Police Reports To Let Illegals In, DOJ Alleges

Trio Of Police Chiefs Cooked Police Reports To Let Illegals In, DOJ Alleges

July 16, 2025
Democrats’ Medicaid Meltdown Totally Ignores Inconvenient Facts

Democrats’ Medicaid Meltdown Totally Ignores Inconvenient Facts

July 16, 2025
Trump Signs Law Jacking Up Punishment For Fentanyl Peddlers Poisoning Americans

Trump Signs Law Jacking Up Punishment For Fentanyl Peddlers Poisoning Americans

July 16, 2025
DAVID BLACKMON: How Pittsburgh Plans To Leverage Local Gas, Nuclear To Become A Major AI Hub

DAVID BLACKMON: How Pittsburgh Plans To Leverage Local Gas, Nuclear To Become A Major AI Hub

July 16, 2025
Trump’s Ukraine Pivot May Be Only Way To Get Putin To The Table

Trump’s Ukraine Pivot May Be Only Way To Get Putin To The Table

July 16, 2025
‘Very Serious Constitutional Crisis’: James Comer Says ‘No Evidence’ Yet Suggests Biden Controlled Use Of Autopen

‘Very Serious Constitutional Crisis’: James Comer Says ‘No Evidence’ Yet Suggests Biden Controlled Use Of Autopen

July 16, 2025
JD Vance Puts Washington Elites On Blast For ‘Forcing’ College On Americans At Expense Of Skilled Trades

JD Vance Puts Washington Elites On Blast For ‘Forcing’ College On Americans At Expense Of Skilled Trades

July 16, 2025
Here’s All The Nauseatingly Sexual Books The Left Wants Military Kids Reading

Here’s All The Nauseatingly Sexual Books The Left Wants Military Kids Reading

July 16, 2025
EXCLUSIVE: Epstein-Funded MIT Lab Hosted Panel On Giving Pedos Child Sex Robots

EXCLUSIVE: Epstein-Funded MIT Lab Hosted Panel On Giving Pedos Child Sex Robots

July 16, 2025
CASEY RYAN: Most States Now Prohibit Men From Playing In Women’s Sports

CASEY RYAN: Most States Now Prohibit Men From Playing In Women’s Sports

July 16, 2025
Brit Hume Rips Kamala Harris As ‘Single Weakest Presidential Candidate’ He ‘Can Remember’

Brit Hume Rips Kamala Harris As ‘Single Weakest Presidential Candidate’ He ‘Can Remember’

July 16, 2025
  • Donald Trump
  • State of the Union
  • Elon Musk
  • Tariffs
  • Congress
  • Faith
  • Immigration
Thursday, July 17, 2025
  • Login
IJR
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls
No Result
View All Result
IJR
No Result
View All Result
Home News

DeSantis Ends ‘Squatter Scam Once and for All’ by Signing New Bill Into Law

by Western Journal
March 28, 2024 at 1:08 pm
in News
237 15
0
University of Florida Closes DEI Office, Halts ‘DEI-Focused Contracts’

BETTENDORF, IOWA - DECEMBER 18: Republican presidential candidate Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks to guests during the Scott County Fireside Chat at the Tanglewood Hills Pavilion on December 18, 2023 in Bettendorf, Iowa. Iowa Republicans will be the first to select their party's nomination for the 2024 presidential race when they go to caucus on January 15, 2024. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

491
SHARES
1.4k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill Wednesday to protect the rights of homeowners in the state against so-called “squatters.”

That morning, DeSantis posted a video to X explaining the need for the new law.

“Does your house belong to you?” the Republican governor asked rhetorically. “Or, if you are not using it, can someone just come in, squat for a period of time, and then claim that they have a right to be there?

“This so-called ‘squatter scam’ is something that’s happening around the country — there’s even videos telling people how to go in and take over and empty house,” he said.

“That was never how the law was supposed to work,” DeSantis said. “And in Florida, we are going to take action today to end this scam and to protect the private property rights of our homeowners.

Commandeering a private residence through “squatting” is a scam that violates private property rights.

While some states are choosing to indulge this behavior, Florida is putting an end to it.

Stay tuned… pic.twitter.com/ESBuwgtFZH

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 27, 2024

DeSantis called the current state of affairs “absurd” and said his state would lead the way in ending the scam.

The new law, HB 621, will take effect on July 1, Tampa’s WTVT reported Wednesday.

Once it does, homeowners will have a much more streamlined process to evict a squatter by filing a complaint with their local sheriff’s office and requesting assistance.

“Sheriffs from across the state will be able to provide the adequate resources and support for victims of these crimes and homeowners to preserve their property,” Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma told WTVT.

Squatters rely on the fact that, even when they are clearly not authorized to be present in a given residence, getting them out can be expensive and time-consuming for a homeowner. Meanwhile, the can continue to live rent-free in an unoccupied home while the eviction process drags on, DeSantis said.

Under the new process, the sheriff can make a quick determination about who actually owns the property and then take action against unauthorized occupants. Homeowners who files such complaints do so under penalty of perjury, according to a summary of the bill on the Florida Senate website.

“If the complaint shows that the owner is eligible for relief and the sheriff can verify ownership of the property, the sheriff must remove the unauthorized person,” the summary says. “The property owner must pay the sheriff the civil eviction fee plus an hourly rate if a deputy must stand by and keep the peace while the unauthorized person is removed.”

If that process results in an improper removal, however, the person so removed would have recourse.

“A person wrongfully removed pursuant to this procedure has a cause of action against the owner for three times the fair market rent, damages, costs, and attorney fees,” the summary explains.

According to that site, the bill passed both houses of the Florida legislature unanimously.

Later on Wednesday, DeSantis shared another video on X that showed some of the recent horror stories involving squatters around the country.

Other states are allowing squatters to take over homes, and those states even side with the squatters.

Not in Florida.

We are ending the squatters scam once and for all. pic.twitter.com/yRe1Pc8cDR

— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) March 28, 2024

“Other states are allowing squatters to take over homes, and those states even side with the squatters,” the governor wrote in that post. “Not in Florida. We are ending the squatters scam once and for all.”


This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.

Tags: FloridalawProperty RightsRon DesantisU.S. News
Share196Tweet123
Western Journal

Western Journal

Advertisements

Top Stories June 10th
Top Stories June 7th
Top Stories June 6th
Top Stories June 3rd
Top Stories May 30th
Top Stories May 29th
Top Stories May 24th
Top Stories May 23rd
Top Stories May 21st
Top Stories May 17th

Join Over 6M Subscribers

We’re organizing an online community to elevate trusted voices on all sides so that you can be fully informed.





IJR

    Copyright © 2024 IJR

Trusted Voices On All Sides

  • About Us
  • GDPR Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Editorial Standards & Corrections Policy
  • Subscribe to IJR

Follow Us

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Politics
  • US News
  • Commentary
  • World News
  • Faith
  • Latest Polls

    Copyright © 2024 IJR

Top Stories June 10th Top Stories June 7th Top Stories June 6th Top Stories June 3rd Top Stories May 30th Top Stories May 29th Top Stories May 24th Top Stories May 23rd Top Stories May 21st Top Stories May 17th