A new bill giving state law enforcement officials more power to remove illegal occupants and increasing penalties for offenders went into effect Monday, potentially giving the state even more power to remove illegal occupants. Florida Homeowners Finding ways to protect your assets while avoiding lengthy court processes.
In a video posted on X, Governor Ron DeSantis said his state is “ending this illegal occupation scam once and for all” with HB 621.
“While other states are siding with squatters, we are protecting property owners and punishing criminals who game the system,” DeSantis said at a news conference held at the Orange County State Attorney’s Office after signing the bill in March.
Here’s how homeowners can fight back against the madness of illegal occupants
Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, signed a bill in March to crack down on illegal occupants — it goes into effect Monday. (Governor Ron DeSantis/FB)
“We have people who live here seven months of the year, and then they go to Michigan or New York or even Canada. You come back after the summer and someone lives in your house, and then they’re there for six months. Now in Florida, you call, you fill out a form, the sheriff comes, and the sheriff evicts them off your property,” DeSantis previously said. told Sean Hannity Of the law.
He added, “If we didn’t have private property rights, we wouldn’t have a free society, so that’s a cornerstone of Florida and we’re proud of it.”
Kevin Fabricant, supervising attorney at a Florida eviction law firm, told Fox News Digital that Florida’s legal process for removing a squatter from a property was one of the fastest in the country even before the bill was passed, typically taking about a month.
Comparatively, illegal occupiers in the states People living in cities like New York and California are facing months-long headaches for some homeowners.
But Fabricant said that can be costly for homeowners, involving a $300 filing fee and then, usually, expensive legal representation.
But under the new law, Law enforcement Officials, whose hands were previously tied, will be able to bypass the court process and carry out an eviction, provided the homeowner files an affidavit and the intruder meets several criteria:
“If you stay illegally, I will not come to live in Florida.”
The unauthorized entrant must be asked to leave the property, must have already been asked to leave the property by the homeowner, cannot be a current or former tenant of the home, and cannot be a close relative of the homeowner who is seeking to evict him or her from the property.
“It’s designed for a very narrow situation — if you let somebody onto your property and you want to kick them out, it probably doesn’t apply,” Fabricant said.
An Atlanta property owner says squatters ripped wires out of walls, causing thousands of dollars in damage. (Fox News)
In most Florida counties, the standard eviction fee charged by the regional sheriff’s department will be $90. $115 in Miami, Fabricant said.
“If you’re staying illegally, I’m not going to come to Florida to live,” Fabricant said.
Under the new law, once officials verify ownership and deem the complainant eligible, the sheriff must remove the illegal occupant.
The bill states that those who “encourage or participate in illegal occupation” will face greater penalties under the law.
Illegal occupants who forge lease or other proof of residence will face severe punishment. first degree crime For submitting false written statements or fake documents.
Now anyone who causes $1,000 or more in damage to a property while occupying it could face a Class 2 felony.
“Somebody breaks into a house, destroys the house, that’s (this type of person).” Governor “The intent is to police this law,” Fabricant said. “These are people who fix property damage from handymen or contractors.”
Now any person who knowingly advertises the sale or rental of a residential property without the permission of the owner will be punished under a Class I offence.
“Sometimes, Bob the squatter turns back and finds some people,” Fabricant said. “Now you have to remove Bob the squatter and all the other unknown people who (may not be aware they are living on the property illegally).”
It’s unclear how law enforcement in Florida will operate under the new law.
“They have to make an immediate decision about whether or not someone is eligible under these circumstances,” Fabricant said.
“Many times the sheriff is put in a difficult position because of the language and the claims that are made against it,” Fabricant said. “There’s every possibility that the sheriff’s office will have to face a civil suit … if they fire somebody wrongfully they can be sued.”
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Martin County Sheriff William Snyder previously reported, “Fox and Friends First, He believes this law will “absolutely” make the situation better.
“When you go into a home and somebody claims they live there, it’s a real technicality, then the legitimate owner has to prove it’s their home,” he said in March.
“This gives us the power to enforce the law and get the house back to its rightful owner,” he said. “We’ll go right there, and our intent in Martin County is to get that house back in the hands of its rightful owner and get the squatter out … and then I’ll provide them (the squatters) with housing. They’re not going to be homeless. I’m putting them right in our jail.”
