Six alleged squatters were detained in South Fulton, Georgia, on Saturday, May 4. South Fulton police detained the alleged squatters after receiving a report about a stolen car in the same neighborhood, reported Atlanta News First. Residents in the neighborhood told the outlet that the people who stole the car were staying in a house and were "squatters."
Hampton Oaks Homeowners Association Vice President Kendra Snorton spoke to Fox 5 Atlanta about the situation.
She told the outlet that the alleged squatters started staying in the vacant home in their neighborhood at the end of 2023.
Although HOA President Mel Keyton told the outlet that the situation is "dangerous," Kendra also said, "The ringleader, we see him walking his dog all the time. He’s very courteous and polite when he interacts with the community."
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However, Kendra also told the outlet that it's hard to feel safe "not knowing who’s living amongst us."
Mel explained to Atlanta News First that the neighbor whose car was stolen is often out of town.
This recent report of squatters in Georgia comes at a time when the risk of squatters taking over a home appears to be increasing based on reports from various news outlets. So are squatters really taking over cities?
The Washington Post reported that squatting is not common — but "a handful of squatting incidents across" the nation have led to "a media frenzy."
According to The Washington Post, squatting is rare. One source, professor Sateesh Nori, told the outlet that "it’s quite horrible what’s happened to these homeowners" involved in the squatting incidents that have been reported.
However, Sateesh also noted that it's not "some kind of epidemic of squatters taking over neighborhoods in New York City or anywhere.”
Eric Dunn, director of litigation at the National Housing Law Project, used the city of Detroit as an example when speaking to The Washington Post. The city has a lot of abandoned homes in it, but according to Eric, "I can probably count on one hand the number of legitimate squatting cases I’ve seen."
