Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a bill that will allow squatters in the state to be immediately evicted.
DeSantis signed the bill, HB 621, during a news conference Wednesday in Orlando, promising that Florida is "ending the squatter scam."
"The squatter scam ends today with my signature on this piece of legislation and the state of Florida will be better for it," said DeSantis.
Before the bill, squatters were considered to be tenants and a process was required to evict them. But now, this bill strips squatters of those rights.
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"If you are the victim of squatting you can simply fill out a form, give it to your local sheriff and the sheriff is instructed to go and remove the people who are inhabiting your dwelling illegally," DeSantis said.
Lawmakers overwhelmingly passed the bill, which allows law enforcement to immediately remove squatters who don’t have a lease authorized by the owner of the property.
In addition, it creates strict criminal penalties for anyone who presents a false document purporting to be a valid lease agreement, deed, or other instrument conveying real property rights.
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It also prohibits listing or advertising for sale, or renting or leasing, residential real property and makes it a felony for anyone to cause $1,000 or more in damages to the property.
Up in Jacksonville, Patti Peeples captured her confrontation with squatters on video. It took months to get them evicted because they had a fake deed to the property, and they damaged the home extensively.
“It is, quite frankly, one of the most frustrating, unfair experiences, and frightening experiences of my life, the burden of proof was on me," Peeples said.
Justin Carrick of Winter Park said squatters turned a neighbor’s house into a drug den.
“We were prisoners in our own homes because of these squatters, this insanity lasted for five months," he said.
The bill will go into effect on July 1.
