Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the “Property Rights” bill (HB 621), which seeks to provide homeowners remedies against squatting and increases penalties on squatters.
“We are putting an end to the squatters scam in Florida,” DeSantis said in an announcement. “While other states are siding with the squatters, we are protecting property owners and punishing criminals looking to game the system.”
Prior Democrat reports shared DeSantis used the bill’s signing to criticize liberal states again and compare them to Florida, which he has called the “law and order” state.
“What passes muster in New York and California is not passing muster here,” he said. “You are not going to be able to commandeer somebody’s private property and expect to get away with it. We are, in the state of Florida, ending the squatter scam once and for all.”
What is HB 621?
House Bill 621 authorizes property owners to request action by the sheriff’s office to immediately remove unauthorized persons from your home, according to the bill analysis.
With a form, it will allow sheriff’s offices to charge an hourly fee if the property owner requests their assistance “to keep the peace while the property owner or agent of the owner changes the locks and removes the personal property of the unlawful occupants from the premises to or near the property line.”
What are squatter rights?
Squatting is defined as when someone who occupies a property without the owner’s consent. They may live in abandoned buildings, vacant land or even in someone’s home, making it legally contentious and logistically contentious to kick them out.
Squatters rights usually provide that a person has the legal right to live in a place they have lived in for an extended amount of time, provided the owner does not take legal action, according to the American Apartment Owners Association. That time ranges from five to 30 years.
But many of the illegal “squatting” incidents making headlines recently have occurred in the short-term, where people claimed tenant rights laws to require property owners to go through a lengthy eviction process to remove someone and stay for free in the meantime, Newsweek reported.
Every state has squatters rights, but when and how these laws are enforced varies state by state.
When does HB 621 go into effect?
HB 621 will go into effect on Monday, July 1 of this year.
What are the penalties for those who violate HB 621?
According the bill analysis, it will create criminal penalties for violators, including:
- A first-degree misdemeanor for making a false statement in writing to obtain real property or for knowingly and willfully presenting a falsified document conveying property rights.
- A second-degree felony for any person who unlawfully occupies or trespasses in a residential dwelling and who intentionally causes $1,000 or more in damages.
- A first-degree felony for knowingly advertising the sale or rent of a residential property without legal authority or ownership.
Which states have squatter laws?
Florida is one of a few states currently considering laws to target squatters. USA TODAY tracked down other anti-squatting laws currently in the works, such as:
- Oklahoma State Senate Bill 456 filled in 2023 sought to repeal part of property acquisition law to target squatters. The bill did not make it past the first reading.
- New York Assembly Bill A6894 seeks to exclude squatters from tenant protections. It was originally filed in May 2023, but was touted again Wednesday by the state Assembly GOP in light of the NYC murder.
- Alabama House Bill 182 was introduced earlier this year and has been placed on the calendar with amendments. It aims to give property owners more rights to remove squatters.
- Georgia Squatter Reform Act (HB 1017) was introduced in the current session, has passed both the state House and Senate, and is headed to the Governor’s desk. It adds squatting to criminal trespassing definition.
