Florida property owners granted new authority to remove squatters

ORLANDO, Fla. - One Winter Park resident hopes that new legislation signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis will prevent another squatting in his neighborhood.

DeSantis signed House Bill 621 on Wednesday in Orlando. It gives property owners more rights to quickly remove squatters and brings harsher penalties for squatters.

Justin Mielcarek said squatters had his entire block living in fear for five months in 2023. Unknown people moved into the rental home across the street.

"We feared for our lives, for the safety, especially after some of the neighbors were threatened by the squatters," Mielcarek said.

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Kids' toys were lined yards up and down Fifeshire Drive in Winter Park. Mielcarek said the squatters made families feel uncomfortable letting children play with neighborhood friends outside.

Mielcarek said neighbors would call the police, but they were told officers had no authority to remove the squatters. One time, he saw officers knock on the door, and someone ran off.

"As soon as they got up to the front door and knocked, somebody jumped out that window right there and took off down the sidewalk this way," Mielcarek said. "The woman that was left ended up producing a fake lease, and that’s how they ended up staying in the house."

Mielcarek said he tried to reach the homeowner abroad but could only contact the property management company. Orange County court records show the property owner started the eviction process against three people in August. More than a month later, Orange County deputies carried out the eviction.

With Gov. DeSantis signing the squatter crackdown into law, the lengthy eviction process could be slashed to hours or even minutes.

"You are not going to be able to commandeer someone’s property and expect to get away with it," DeSantis said. "We are, in the state of Florida, ending the squatters scam once and for all."

The new law allows owners to ask law enforcement to immediately remove a squatter. It also makes it a felony to squat and intentionally leave more than $1,000 in damage. Advertising sales or rent without ownership is also a felony.

The law has three conditions that must be met to quickly remove a squatter.

• The individual has unlawfully entered and remains on the property;
• The individual has been directed to leave the property by the owner but has not done so, and
• The individual is not a current or former tenant in a legal dispute.

The law takes effect July 1.