By definition in my "Black's Law Dictionary," squatter's rights" means "The right to acquire title to real property by adverse possession, or by preemption of public lands." Per the definition of "squatter": 1. A person who settles on property without any legal claim or title. 2. A person who settles on public land under a government regulation allowing the person to acquire title upon fulfilling specified conditions."
On Sunday, February 2, 20225, Governor Abbott gave his annual "State of the State" address stating "he planned to crack down on squatters because it was a pressing 'public safety' issue."
"Private property rights are a cornerstone of our values and legal system," Abbott said. It is against the law to live or stay on somebody's property without their permission. We need stronger laws to immediately remove and prosecute squatters."
Texas State Senators have been working on tightening anti-squatter laws. State Rep. Angie Chen Button, said "This issue is a priority because it not only threatens community safety, it impacts housing affordability and availability."
Texas State Senator Bettencourt wrote "he was looking forward to joining forces with Chen to file a "strong anti-squatting bill" in both chambers of the Texas Legislature."
Under both federal and state laws, as in other states the conditions under which a squatter can lay claim to someone's property falls under a mechanism called "adverse possession." To do that, the squatter must be physically present at the property and treat it like an owner would. Also, the squatter must have resided on the property for a continuous, uninterrupted period of between three to 10 years, depending on circumstances.
Studies from the National Rental Home Council identified approximately 475 homes in Dallas-Fort Worth were occupied by squatters. Governor Abbott called for at least $10 billion in new property tax relief, "which he designated as an emergency item that must be passed." Also, Abbott "scolded local taxing authorities for using loopholes to hike homeowners' property taxes." The Governor wants "loopholes that increase your property taxes banned." Abbot recognizes Texas, along with other states are suffering from "deep inventory shortage." Subsequently, "real estate scarcity has resulted in home prices and rents going up, even with Texas leading the U.S. in homebuilding." Abbot is ready and willing to make positive changes for the State of Texas.
Comments(13)