Squatting is a problem across DFW – here’s why it’s hard to track

This week, Fort Worth city council members reviewed an informal report on squatting laws in Texas. The review was prompted, in part, by concerns from local residents.

Crystal Moya from the Texas Apartment Association recounted that in 2022, the Fort Worth Housing Finance Corporation faced issues with homeless squatters in a 54-unit, single-family home community. “They were entering these homes and stripping them of valuable items like copper and appliances,” Moya stated during a state senate committee hearing in May.

In April 2023, staff at a tax-credit apartment community discovered several units illegally occupied during routine checks. “We later learned that the boyfriend of a now-former employee, who had recently been released from prison, had been moving people into vacant units without our knowledge or consent,” Moya said. This complex was owned by the Dallas Housing Finance Corporation, and the employee was subsequently fired.

However, Moya highlighted that police did not consider this a crime, necessitating a formal eviction process for the 11 squatters. This process took six months and cost $150,000.

In January, NBC 5 reported on a case where Colleyville Police found an adult and several children squatting in a single-family home.

State Senator Paul Bettencourt, who led last month’s squatting hearing, mentioned one of the most disturbing cases involving Terri Boyette from Mesquite. Boyette testified that on June 19, 2023, a neighbor informed her that someone else was living in her home. She had hired a handyman for repairs and informed him she’d be away in Florida for two weeks to help her mother. Instead, he broke into her home and refused to leave.

Boyette recounted that police advised her it was a civil matter, and she had to start formal eviction proceedings. “During that time, he sold my appliances, furniture, and other large items, causing water and mold damage in the house by ripping out the fridge, washer, and dryer,” Boyette said. She also found needles throughout the house when she finally regained entry nearly a year later. “He allowed others to use the house as a drug den,” she told senators, adding that she lost $150,000 and many sentimental items, including her grandmother’s wedding ring.

“The problem in Texas law is we don’t even have a definition of squatting,” Bettencourt said. “There’s a disconnect between what the public knows is wrong and what the code says.” This lack of definition complicates police responses and tracking of squatting incidents.

Fort Worth Police informed NBC 5 that they don’t categorize “squatting” calls, treating them as disturbance calls, which are often civil issues. Bettencourt noted the inconsistent responses from police departments, with some officers advising homeowners to go to civil court and others asking squatters to leave without detaining them, allowing the squatters to return the same night.

Bettencourt plans to introduce a bill in the next legislative session to define squatting and create criminal penalties. He also aims to establish a fast-track process for Justice of the Peace Courts to handle squatting cases. “We will aim to prohibit squatters with strong criminal penalties, ensure police can identify the rightful owner, and get quick decisions from JP courts,” he said. “Home and business owners should be able to reclaim their property as quickly as squatters take it.”

The Fort Worth City Council’s report suggested steps homeowners can take to protect vacant properties, acknowledging that “current Texas law does not adequately address all instances of squatting.” Recommended measures include:

– Securing the property, locking doors and windows, and posting “No Trespassing” signs.
– Regularly checking the property for signs of attempted or actual entry or occupancy.
– Making the property appear inhabited by using interior and exterior lights with timers or motion sensors.
– Asking neighbors to watch the property and report any suspicious activity.