‘Squatters took over our squat’
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Remember that Miami group, Take Back the Land, that was just moving people into vacant homes? Similar movements have sprung up across the country. From the New York Times:
Michael Stoops, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, said about a dozen advocacy groups around the country were actively moving homeless people into vacant homes — some working in secret, others, like Take Back the Land, operating openly.
The story goes on to reference such groups in Ohio, Minnesota, Kentucky and Atlanta. Back in Miami:
But Take Back the Land has had to compete with less organized squatters, said Max Rameau, the group’s director. “We had a move-in that we were going to do one day at noon,†he said. “At 10 o’clock in the morning, I went over to the house just to make sure everything was O.K., and squatters took over our squat. Then we went to another place nearby, and squatters were in that place also.â€
Looks like squatting will not be going away any time soon, just based on the manpower and resources that would be required to turn it around:
Kelly Penton, director of communications for the City of Miami, said police officers needed a signed affidavit from a property’s owner — usually a bank — to evict squatters.
Signs of the times.
-- Lauren Beale
Thoughts? Comments?
