Latest news with #squatters
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
VIP pool party promoted by alleged squatters doesn't happen at DeKalb home
A DeKalb County family is fighting to reclaim their late parents' home after alleged squatters moved in just one day before they were scheduled to close the sale with new buyers, and planned a VIP pool party at the property. The property, located on Crestknoll Circle, was under increased patrol this weekend after a flyer circulated on social media promoting a Saturday pool party at the residence. The family told Channel 2's Eryn Rogers that DeKalb County Sheriff's Office deputies will be stationed outside the home to prevent further unauthorized activity while the legal process unfolds. The flyer promised an 'indoor pool party,' but the party never materialized, likely due to the sheriff's presence. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] 'It's just the audacity to promote it,' said neighbor Myles Willis. 'Early in the morning, I saw a stream of people coming out, loud music, people all over the place — very abnormal for this neighborhood.' Kevin Oliver and his three siblings say they had just lost their father Wednesday when, on Thursday, individuals unlawfully entered and began occupying the property. The siblings said they haven't been able to fully grieve. 'Hopefully, this will all be over soon, and we can go back to being a nice, quiet neighborhood,' Oliver said. Over the weekend, deputies and code enforcement officials were seen at the property, along with a U-Haul truck. Although no party occurred at the Crestknoll address, one of the alleged squatters posted photos of a new location for the event. Social media videos showed a pool party taking place at a different, upscale residence on Saturday. One of those alleged squatters, Dontarious Issac, turned himself in to DeKalb County police on Friday afternoon in an unrelated case. In 2024, Issac was charged after using a drone to deliver contraband to inmates in Georgia prisons. He was sentenced to serve five years. He received credit for time served for 180 of those days. Some of the conditions for his probation include not being around drugs, alcohol, or weapons. The Olivers say some of the squatters approached them with weapons. 'That person came to the door with a rifle,' Kevin Oliver said. RELATED STORIES: DeKalb family says childhood home taken over by squatters planning VIP pool party Alleged squatter turns himself in after Channel 2 investigation Issac was also supposed to let his probation officer know that his address had changed. Documents list a Marietta apartment complex as his last known address. Dekalb County confirmed with Channel 2 Action News that Issac is currently in the Greene County Jail. Under the Squatter Reform Act, the Olivers filed a squatters affidavit. The act was recently passed, allowing law enforcement to cite suspected squatters criminally for trespassing. A DeKalb County incident report reveals the alleged squatters were cited in this case. Lincoln learned that several of the squatters at this property have criminal records, specifically crimes related to squatting. The alleged squatters have until Monday to answer to this affidavit. There will be a court day next week on the matter. Until then, the sheriff's office said they will continue patrols, and the family said there will be a deputy stationed outside until further notice. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
LA residents say ‘hell house' is now drawing squatters after the owners ‘hoarded themselves out of their home'
The Los Angeles neighborhood of Westwood is "well maintained" with "surroundings [that] are quiet and clean" according to comments on the online real estate marketplace Trulia. But now, one home that neighbors describe as a 'hell house' — attracting squatters, drugs and criminal activity along with a growing pile of garbage — is making life miserable for residents. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) As KTLA reports, the underlying issue is that the older brother and sister who own the home are anti-social hoarders who regularly engage in profanity. "They've been a menace to the neighborhood for the whole time that we've lived here," said Amy Gordon, a local resident. But Gordon says things went from bad to worse in the past year as the pair 'hoarded themselves out of their own home' — moving into their cars out front, essentially opening their front door to problems. Now the neighbors have banded together to address the challenge, and their city council rep is taking action. Serious hoarding presents a number of concerns for both hoarders themselves and their neighbours. Safety is a serious issue. Hoarding can attract rodents, increase risk of fires and — in the case of the Westwood 'hell house' — intruders. Gordon says the home is attracting people who leave drug paraphernalia around the community, including across the street from a school. Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says — and that 'anyone' can do it It also impacts property values — as the home where the hoarding takes place drops in value, so do other homes in the area. However, it's important to approach the situation with compassion, since hoarding is a real disorder that affects people of all ages. Area resident Carrie Livingston, told KTLA that she called Adult Protective Services to try to help the homeowners, to no avail. Neighbors reached out to city police, city leaders and even building and fire inspectors to get the "hell house" owners the help they desperately need. Since then, community residents have filed restraining orders against the brother and sister. They've also gathered more than 150 signatures on a petition they sent to their city council representative Katy Yaroslavsky. And that got a response. Yaroslavsky promptly asked the city attorney to declare the property a public nuisance and reached out to the Los Angeles County supervisor to provide the siblings with mental health support. She's also advocating for policy change in such situations, saying it takes too long for the city to step in on properties like this one. 'The process is slow, complicated, and leaves neighbors in limbo,' she said in a statement. 'I support current efforts to streamline how the City handles nuisance properties and will keep pushing to move that work forward.' If you find yourself next to a hoarder, you could try speaking to your neighbor directly about the problem, but they may not be responsive. Like the residents in Westwood, you may need to seek intervention. It helps to be aligned, as they have been, in your approach. Reach out to local law enforcement if you feel you're in danger and connect with a local resource like Adult Protective Services and health departments to check in on your neighbor and try to help them. This process could take some time. It's important to protect yourself and your loved ones — as well as your property — in the meantime. Consider constructing a fence, sealing garbage and recycling bins and bringing in a pest control company if required. Document the evolving situation with images, video and notes — particularly in the event your property ends up sustaining damage due to your neighbor's hoarding. Contact the local code enforcement office if you feel your neighbor has violated a specific ordinance. For example, if there are piles of trash outside your neighbor's home seeping onto your property, that's something you could bring to your town or local law enforcement agency. Report any violations of homeowners association (HOA) rules to the HOA board, as Nolo legal services advises. From there, they should be the ones to step in and take action. You may, depending on the circumstances, have grounds to file a lawsuit against your neighbor if their hoarding has caused damage to your home or cost you money in a specific way. Even if you're not in danger per se, you have the right to protect your home and community. And you could help people suffering from a very serious disorder. Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now This is how American car dealers use the '4-square method' to make big profits off you — and how you can ensure you pay a fair price for all your vehicle costs Like what you read? Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise straight to your inbox every week. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
The team who clean drug dens, crime scenes and hoarders' houses
The owner of a specialist cleaning company says he has seen an increase in houses left in a "terrible" condition by squatters, drug users and N Bright Cleaning Services is a Doncaster-based business that works with individuals, councils and the NHS to clean crime scenes, biohazards and Wayne Barlow says he is is getting "more and more calls to these types of jobs" since the end of the Covid adds: "Sometimes it is drug-related, sometimes it's mental health. We've done jobs where people have been taken advantage of because they're vulnerable." His company is contracted to tackle "difficult" clearance and decontamination jobs."We've been employed sometimes by the NHS, so the person can get back into their home and live there safely."The increase in mental health issues has also led to this problem. We're finding more people are beginning to hoard and collect things and they don't know what to do – that's when we get the call." Mr Barlow is speaking to the BBC at a property in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, which has become vacant after a drug user was removed by N Bright has been contracted by Bassetlaw Council, who expect to receive a bill of £10,000 for disposal of the waste skip loads of rubbish were being taken away, and the landlord of the rented house will be told to cover the Barlow adds: "It's not just our price, it's the price of getting rid of the waste. This is a lot of money to fork out for a property like this."We're probably going to do about six days, two people for six days; it's quite a lot of work for a little house."There are around 80 tonnes of waste in the two-bedroom terraced property. He is taking on the job with his employee, Ilana Ungureanu - who has gone from cleaning offices to more challenging work."Coming here was so different. But I enjoyed it because there were different things to do," she says."You get to see loads of other things and you get to see the person who used to live here's backstory. It's very satisfying to see the end result."Their presence is welcomed by a neighbour on the street, Mariusz Luszcynski, who describes the former drug den as an "eyesore" that attracted crime."We were scared because the drug dealers would come to buy or sell and he (the tenant) would take off the radiators and copper. There was stolen bikes, flowers, he was shoplifting as well. We were scared of fire. We were very afraid."I slept with one eye closed, one eye open."The cleaning team are perfect, I respect them. The rubbish was up to the ceiling. It's much better, it's quiet now." Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
CBS News
4 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
North Huntingdon Township battling squatters parked on old restaurant property
After a three-year, drawn-out court battle to get the Rivertowne Pub in North Huntingdon condemned and demolished, the township is now dealing with apparent squatters living in a camper on the property. According to neighbors, the camper trailer has been parked on the lot since before the old Rivertowne Pub along Route 30 was condemned and demolished last year. KDKA-TV spoke via phone with Eric Gass, who is the township commissioner for Ward 7, where this blighted strip of land sits. He says this property has been a headache for years and the camper squatters are just the latest issues they have had. "So we have issued a violation notice, we have given them 20 days to resolve everything," Gass said. "Those 20 days started about two or three days ago. And after that, we are going to issue a citation as we plan to abate or have them removed from the property." Gass says the property is currently owned by an LLC that is largely absent from what has been going on, so dealing with this lot has fallen to the township. He says the two big issues are public health and public safety. These squatters are discarding tons of trash, and that trash attracts rodents and disease. And there is reason to believe that some of that trash may be being burned. "You are only allowed to burn certain things on certain times on certain days in the township. There is an ordinance on that," said Gass. "So yeah, there is concern. And if we were going through a dry season, of course you'd be concerned about spillage of that fire, because it is very wooded and that could find itself to the businesses to the left, to the right, as well as the Dusty Rhodes trailer park." The township hopes that this land will be cleared soon and the company that owns it will redevelop it.
BBC News
7 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Squatters still breaking into Slough council block
Squatters have still been able to break into a block of flats housing vulnerable young people after a council promised "urgent action", according to residents. Slough Borough Council pledged to secure entrances to Pendeen Court, in Cippenham, after reports of intruders sleeping in the entrances and laundry months later tenants have shown the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) several entrances were left unlocked, with dangerous rubbish left on the floor.A council spokesperson said they were aware of the issues and had been "working extensively to improve conditions for the residents". Pendeen Court is used as temporary accommodation for people who come to the council at risk of homelessness, many of who are young, single authority promised action in February after tenants revealed pictures of rough sleepers. When LDRS visited the building in May, residents showed how people could walk into the court through an unlocked bin store and how the front security door could be easily forced reported mattresses being left lying by a children's playpark in the courtyard and in tenant said: "All the doors are unlocked. There's the junkies that come in."There's glass in the park that people have to pick up and there are always cigarette butts lying around." Another resident said many living in the court "don't even want to come out of their flat".She added: "They're too worried to come out - there could be anything."A spokesperson for Slough Borough Council said bin stores were fitted with a combination padlock after the council promised action in said the padlock was found to be "no longer fastening securely" during an inspection on 20 May. 'Improve conditions for residents' The spokesperson added it had been fixed and the main door was due to be inspected on 22 May, the same day LDRS visited the court and contacted the council."We are aware of the issues being reported by residents here and we remain committed to making Pendeen Court a comfortable and safe place to live," they said."We have been working extensively to improve conditions for the residents here and will continue to do so and they know our team by name and can raise issues directly." You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
