Squatters have become a growing menace in Atlanta, wreaking havoc on entire neighborhoods and leaving homeowners desperate for a solution. With the sluggish response from law enforcement agencies to evict these illegal occupants, some homeowners have resorted to paying them off to vacate their properties. The brazenness of these squatters has reached new heights, with reports of an illegal strip club operating out of one of the 1,200 homes currently occupied by squatters in the city, as reported by the National Rental Home Council (NRHC) trade group.
The dire situation has left homeowners like Matt Urbanski, who manages a local home-cleaning company, fearful of leasing out their properties. Urbanski’s company is often tasked with cleaning out homes for corporate landlords, and they have encountered situations where they had to remove squatters’ possessions. Tragically, one of Urbanski’s employees was shot while attempting to remove intruders from a property, highlighting the dangers faced by those involved in the eviction process.
Simon Frost, CEO of Tiber Capital Group, a large-scale landlord, has also expressed concerns about the safety of neighborhoods and residents. Unlawful occupants have been known to brandish weapons and threaten neighbors, further exacerbating the already precarious situation.
Evicting squatters in Atlanta proves to be a challenging task, with court backlogs and strained police resources hampering the process. Compounding the issue is the ease with which squatters can identify vacant properties through online listings and virtual real estate agents.
In a shocking incident that unfolded in October, a neighborhood in South Fulton found itself at the center of a scandal involving squatters who transformed a home into an illegal strip club. The property, occupied without permission by DeAnthony Maddox, Jeremy Wheat, Kelvin Hall, and Tarahsjay Forde, became a den of illicit activity. Neighbors reported noisy parties, car races on the street, and even live horses on the premises. Eventually, a SWAT team had to intervene, recovering stolen cars, a weapon, and stolen credit cards from the property.
The fear and frustration among homeowners are palpable. One neighbor expressed their apprehension about going on vacation, as squatters readily move into vacant homes. The inability of homeowners to take action against trespassers has left them questioning the state of their rights and the security of their properties.
In another distressing incident, Lt. Col. Dahlia Daure, an army officer, returned from active duty to find a convicted criminal, Vincent Simon, squatting in her $500,000 residence. Despite reporting the situation to the police, they initially claimed it was a “civil matter.” Even serving eviction papers proved ineffective. Only after utilizing an obscure law did the police finally intervene, discovering guns and drugs at the property.
The prevalence of squatters in Atlanta has created a crisis that demands urgent attention. Homeowners and landlords are left grappling with the consequences of a slow and ineffective eviction process, while the safety and well-being of neighborhoods hang in the balance.
