Latest news with #squatting
News.com.au
17 hours ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
‘Not the main problem': Unexpected response to the ‘Robin Hood of renters'
Few figures are more synonymous with Australia's ongoing housing crisis – or more polarising – than Jordan van der Lamb. A fierce critic of the real estate industry, the so-called 'Robin Hood of renters' and socialist politician has attracted a hundreds-of-thousands-strong audience across YouTube, Instagram and TikTok under the moniker PurplePingers. Unlike the heroic outlaw after whom he's been nicknamed, Mr van der Lamb does not advocate for anyone to steal from the rich. He does, however, encourage those in need of shelter to squat in their 'vacant' properties. He has created an entire database of such homes across the country. 'Are you sick of rich people hoarding empty houses during a housing crisis? Because I am. Here's what you can do about it,' he told his followers in a video this week, before taking them on a tour of a seemingly-abandoned property in Melbourne's Chadstone. 'Fun fact: squatting in Australia is not necessarily illegal – which is the best type of illegal. Especially if the front door doesn't actually lock. So yeah, here's a free house if you want it … Homes are for people to live in, not for rich people to make money off.' Mr van der Lamb's methods have, unsurprisingly, proven controversial – drawing sharp criticism from social media users and those in the real estate industry to Anthony Albanese. Yet his relentless coverage of the current state of our property market cannot be ignored. 'Australia is experiencing more than a housing crisis; we are in the grips of a housing disaster,' acting executive director of independent think tank Per Capita, Sarah McKenzie, told 'In 2024, demand for new dwellings outpaced supply by 68,000 compounding a severe supply shortfall that has been building for years. Severe rental stress is at a decade high, public housing waitlists are near breaking point, and homelessness services are overwhelmed.' 'They're not the main problem' 'In that context, it's no surprise that people are frustrated,' Ms McKenzie said. A Prosper Australia report released last July and frequently cited by Mr van den Lamb showed that Melbourne has close to 100,000 vacant homes – more than enough to, hypothetically, shelter the 30,000 Victorians experiencing homelessness (per the latest census). 'Jordan van der Lamb's tactics aren't the solution, but they're not the main problem either,' Ms McKenzie said. 'They reflect a growing anger at a housing system that leaves homes empty while people sleep on the streets. At CEH we don't endorse squatting or public shaming of property owners, but nor should the national debate be sidetracked by it.' Earlier this year, the consequences of Mr van den Lamb's activism were laid bare – and ignited the fury of the Prime Minister – when a Melbourne woman arrived at her vacant investment property to find security cameras installed, the locks changed, squatters inside and the home's address online. The woman, who inherited the home from her late father, also discovered that most of his possessions were missing. She went on to tell the ABC she did not believe it was a coincidence that the break-in happened after the address was shared on social media. Mr van den Lamb confirmed he had posted the home's address but noted it was unclear if the squatters had moved in prior to him doing so, telling The Project the home 'was empty for 17 years'. Though he felt 'very sorry that (her) belongings were taken … I also think about the fact that every four days a young person experiencing homelessness dies in this country, even though there are hundreds of thousands of homes available to them', Mr van den Lamb said. 'They might be good for clickbait, but they won't help' Like Ms McKenzie, Macquarie Law School Professor and Executive Member of Smart Green Cities, Cathy Sherry, said 'the younger generation has every right to be very angry about the mess that older Australians have created in our housing market'. 'It is the result of muddled thinking that has encouraged everyone to view residential property as an asset class to build wealth, as opposed to a basic human necessity,' Professor Sherry, a leading international expert in land law, told 'If that basic necessity is not met – or if people have to spend too much time and money securing it – they cannot contribute fully to society. That is harming us all.' Yet Mr van den Lamb's ideas are neither 'realistic or practical', she said. 'They might be good for clickbait, but they won't help young people,' Professor Sherry, a leading international expert in land law, said. 'The answer is not for people to squat, as that means they have none of the protections that apply to residential tenants. 'He runs the risk of encouraging people to do things that might make them civilly or even criminally liable.' Jacob Caine is the interim CEO of the peak professional association for the Victorian real estate industry, Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV). '(We) remain acutely aware of the significant impacts that the state's ongoing housing and rental market crisis is having on Victorians, and the urgent need to address it,' Mr Caine told 'But we strongly reject any attempts, including by Mr van den Lamb, to encourage squatting as a means of achieving this. This is a highly dangerous practice, that risks the safety of all involved. 'It is completely at odds with Victoria's high-functioning real estate sector and the fundamental rights of home ownership that have long been a hallmark of Australian society.' Mr van den Lamb's rhetoric 'also plays to a false and inflammatory narrative around all rental providers being rich', Mr Caine noted, 'a perception which ignores the fact that almost nine-in-ten rental providers are private investors, with the majority owning just one rental property'. 'We need to be a bit more grown up' The 'answer' is not in headline-grabbing antics, Prof Sherry argued, but in fixing the tax policies that have 'encouraged older people to buy residential property as an investment'. 'Just as we would not allow some people to stockpile food when other people are hungry, we should not allow some people to stockpile homes when other people are homeless or experiencing housing stress,' she said. Owners who don't intend to use the property themselves, renovate or sell it in the near future – and are instead 'land banking for an extended period or allowing their property to fall into serious disrepair … should be penalised by the tax system'. That Australia doesn't already do so, Prof Sherry said, is 'exceptionally dumb tax policy that is shooting the nation in the foot'. 'Tax policy is not as interesting as squatting, but if we want real solutions, we need to be a bit more grown up about the issue.' At the end of the day, 'governments, not individuals, are responsible for the state of housing in this country', Ms McKenzie said. 'We have a housing system that fails to deliver enough homes, especially for those on low incomes,' she said. Though the Federal Government's $43 billion Homes for Australia plan is a 'good start', structural factors like skilled worker shortages, low construction productivity, outdated planning rules and 'tax settings that make it easier to profit from housing than to build it' hold it back. 'Housing isn't just where we live – it's the foundation of health, safety, and opportunity,' Ms McKenzie said. 'We won't solve this crisis through distraction or division. We'll solve it by building more homes, and ensuring those homes are delivered at a price people can actually afford.'
CBS News
a day ago
- CBS News
Demolition of Beverly Grove apartments taken over by squatters begins
Construction crews have started demolishing the trio of abandoned apartment complexes at the center of safety concerns for a Beverly Grove neighborhood. The residents say that their usually quiet street has been hit with a rash of fights, fires and people using drugs because of the nearly 20 people squatting in the vacant buildings. The most recent fire sparked in the middle of the night on Tuesday. A cell phone video showed the flames burning behind the abandoned apartment complexes located at First Street and S. Flores Street. Multiple neighbors rushed out of their homes with fire extinguishers to try to put out the flames. "I was just trying to sleep and I saw some orange in my window," said resident Leo Petronzio. "It was fire, and we were all rushing outside." It's been more than a week since CBS News Los Angeles first spoke with residents living nearby, who say this is just another in a long trend of concerning issues created by the nearly 20 squatters who took over. In the time since, the property owner has posted "No Trespassing" signs, and some city officials have taken notice, but neighbors said people remained inside. After Tuesday's fire, LA Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky's office called the ongoing squatting situation "outrageous and unacceptable." "The Council Office has continued to apply pressure to ensure the owner addresses the safety and nuisance issues without delay, including requesting the repair of fencing around the properties and hiring private security," Yaroslavsky's office wrote in a statement.
News.com.au
11-06-2025
- News.com.au
Family of squatters move into home after it sold, change locks
A US homeowner had the surprise of his life when he discovered a family allegedly squatting in his home. Mike Haskell had spent tens of thousands renovating his four-bedroom house in Windsor Mill, Maryland. He was 24-hours away from finalising the sale of his property when he received a phone call. By the next morning, he'd learned that an unknown family of four had been living on the property for at least a week — without his permission, Realtor reports. 'There should be nobody there' Speaking with Spotlight on Maryland, Mr Haskell explained that his buyer actually alerted him to the squatters. They had spotted a moving truck parked outside the property and called Mr Haskell to see what was up. 'They thought it was maybe being unstaged for advertising, and I said, 'No, that was done way earlier. There should be nobody there,'' Mr Haskell said. According to Mr Haskell, he was forced to call the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) after he and his colleagues noticed that the locks on the property had been changed, and the sale sign had been removed from the front yard. The police treated the initial call as a 'civil matter,' according to documents obtained by Spotlight on Maryland. No official charges or arrests were made, and the squatters were not removed. When the local outlet came to check in on the situation themselves with Mr Haskell, they approached the family, who confessed to Spotlight that they were 'unlawfully occupying Mr Haskell's property and recognised that their presence allegedly interfered with an active sale to prospective buyers'. Speaking with the outlet, a man and a woman explained how they found the home through a social media advertisement offering a one-time fee of $US7500 ($A11,500) to move into the Windsor Mill property. They met the poster at Mr Haskell's home, handed over a cash payment, and signed a lease document before moving in, which they shared with the reporter. The couple refused to share the original advertisement they allegedly saw online. In the end, Mr Haskell was able to persuade the family, who had two young children, to leave the property and hand over the keys for $US3,000 ($A4,600). Removing squatters isn't easy According to Realtor, once a squatter has made their way into a home, it's very difficult to have them removed. Experts agree that the best way to ensure squatters can't get access to your home is to make sure the property is monitored regularly, even when it's not occupied. 'The key to protecting yourself from squatters is preventing them from entering in the first place,' real estate professional and lawyer Bruce Ailion, of Re/Max Town & Country in Atlanta, told Realtor. In Mr Haskell's case, the family not only entered the home, but the locks were changed as well, giving them a level of access synonymous with ownership. Mr Ailion advises forgoing cheap locks and deadbolts, which he suggests can be opened 'in about 10 seconds.' Instead, he recommends buying directly from a locksmith, who has 'higher-grade locks that are hard to compromise.' 'As soon as you list a home for sale or lease, invest in cameras and security systems,' adds David Metzger, a lawyer at Williams Teusink, a real estate firm in Atlanta. In Australia, homeowners should immediately issue a formal notice of trespass upon discovering squatters. According to James & Jaramillo Lawyers, 'the occupants have no legal right to be on the property and must vacate immediately'. 'If squatters refuse to leave, seek legal advice promptly. Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to apply for an interim possession order,' the website states. 'This court order allows for quick removal of trespassers and restoration of the property to the rightful owner. 'Keep detailed records of all interactions with unauthorised occupants and any damage to the property. 'These documents can be crucial if legal proceedings become necessary.' Parts of this story first appeared in Realtor and the New York Post and were republished with permission.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Atlanta tenants say they're being wrongly labeled as squatters amid unsafe living conditions
Tenants at the Bolden Townhomes in southwest Atlanta say they are being told to leave their apartments within days, despite having paid rent. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] They fear becoming homeless and claim the property owner is attempting to classify them as squatters under Georgia's new squatting law. Residents say they've been living without power and facing unsafe living conditions, including mold and severe water damage, with little to no response from the property owner, Bolden Capital Group, which is headquartered in downtown Atlanta. 'I haven't had any power since I moved in,' said one tenant, Montavious Vaughn, while showing Channel 2's Eryn Rogers dark, powerless units and empty meter boxes. Others pointed to dangerous living conditions, including collapsing ceilings, standing water, and widespread mold. One tenant also showed Rogers his bandage, where he said he was shot in the leg by a stray bullet two days ago. Multiple tenants reported not receiving formal leases upon moving in, despite paying rent. One woman shared that her lease lacked her name, and several other tenants told Rogers their leases had the same wrong name on them. Other tenants said they were promised a lease the day after moving in, but never received it. 'We moved in here, she said she was going to give me my lease the next day,' Vaughn said. 'I waited like three weeks, and she had not been in the office.' He said she never showed up again. Several other tenants also said they paid their money to the leasing manager, who disappeared. TRENDING STORIES: GA mayor, wife charged with crimes against children Driver, 9-year-old hospitalized after suspected DUI driver smashes into car during chase Area of GA river remains closed as divers search for missing boater On Friday, some tenants returned home to find their belongings outside. 'We never got an actual eviction notice,' Hailey Spruill-Osley said. 'We just got this: a letter anybody could type.' The letter said it was a 'warning'. Spruill-Osley said it was put on her door Friday and that she was given no notice before her belongings were put outside. Tenants have shown rent receipts and payment records to support their claims, insisting they are legal occupants. Many say they're living in the complex on vouchers. 'You can't call nobody a squatter when we've got proof of payments,' Vaughn said. However, Georgia's recently passed Squatter Reform Law requires tenants to show a valid lease. The property owner has to file a squatters' affidavit. It's unclear if the owner, Edward Bolden of Bolden Capital Group, filed it. The act was recently passed, allowing law enforcement to cite suspected squatters criminally for trespassing. 'If they have no documentation, they'll be out in three days,' said State Rep. Devan Seabaugh, who sponsored the bill. Under the new law, if the suspected squatter presents a lease, the case goes before a magistrate judge within seven days. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Tenants without a lease may be forced to vacate by Tuesday. Those who do have leases could still be required to appear in court to prove their right to remain in their homes. Rogers reached out to Bolden. When asked about the power issues, Bolden denied the allegations, said he would send documents, and then hung up. Follow-up messages were read but not answered. Georgia Power confirmed it's working with Bolden Townhomes and released the following statement: 'Georgia Power continues to work with Bowden Townhomes to address various connection and account issues for their residents. Given possible legal, safety and account privacy issues, we are not at liberty to discuss. For further details, please contact Bowden Townhomes directly.' Tenants say they feel the law is being weaponized against them. With nowhere else to go, many are now scrambling to find housing before Tuesday's deadline. 'I am homeless,' Spruill-Osley said. 'I have nowhere to go.' Under the new law, A fake lease also adds an extra felony charge. Channel 2 Action News also learned that Bolden Capital Group is involved in several lawsuits.
Daily Mail
11-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Squatting activist shares staggering 'Aboriginal Australia' justification for his antics - as he publishes DIY guide of how to take over someone else's house
A controversial squatter's rights activist has sparked fresh uproar after he published a DIY guide for his followers on how to detect whether a house is fit for squatting. Jordan van den Lamb, 29, collects addresses for abandoned or empty homes and provides them to Australians in need of emergency housing. In a recent TikTok video posted under his moniker Purplepingers, he shared what to look out for in identifying an empty home - from checking the fuse box and gas meter to researching online real estate listings. While the video received mostly positive reactions, a number of viewers were furious at the idea of having to justify their right to homeownership. In an interview with Daily Mail Australia, Mr van den Lamb claimed property owners had a responsibility to make productive use of their land. Where it was clearly demonstrated they had failed to do so by leaving it empty or abandoned - usually for at least two years - he claimed it was justified for a squatter to move in. He said the idea is embedded in Australia's cultural history. 'It's how we colonised the country. It was like: "this land was owned by no one", which is obviously flawed right. And therefore, the land rights were granted to colonial squatters,' he said. 'The song Waltzing Matilda is literally about that... read the lyrics, it's about a squatter evicting a swagman from their property.' Each state and territory in Australia has its own version of adverse possession laws allowing squatters to claim ownership over land they've openly and continuously possessed for a defined period of time. In most jurisdictions, possession must be held for 12 to 15 years. For his part, Mr van den Lamb believes this is excessively long. 'Twelve to 15 years is a ridiculous amount of time for a house to be empty, especially noting these houses are empty for much longer periods prior to them being squatted [in],' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'If someone's living in a house you've literally not bothered to check on for like two years.... You have a responsibility to use it productively'. Mr van den Lamb draws justification for encouraging Aussies to take ownership of empty homes in part from the vacant residential land tax in Victoria, which requires homeowners to pay a tax on properties left unoccupied for one year. He claimed many residents were committing fraud by failing to pay the tax, while others took advantage of the enforcement limitations. 'The data used to enforce [residential land taxes] is predominantly water usage. We've seen people go around every couple of months and just turn the taps on for a day and then leave the house empty,' he said. Mr van den Lamb has consistently warned his followers against breaking into the properties he assigns them, claiming it was unnecessary. 'I've been doing this for a while and, most of the time, they just have either an open back door or an open window,' he said. 'I've never encouraged anyone to break in to a property and I still would never encourage that. That's not what this is about. 'This is about the thousands of empty properties that we have around this country and the far fewer people who don't have roofs over their head every night.' Mr van den Lamb said it was his understanding that trespassing required forced entry to a property, for example, breaking a window or kicking down a door. But legal experts told Daily Mail Australia otherwise. Andre Ong, principal at Sharrock Pitman lawyers, said Mr van den Lamb had 'misconstrued' the criminal and tortious elements of trespassing. 'In a civil society, you are supposed to respect other people's property rights. What is relevant is that you were there without consent or other lawful entitlement to be there,' he said. Special counsel in commercial litigation at Attwood Marshall Lawyers Jade Carlson agreed, adding the legal question is whether Mr van den Lamb himself could be held liable for any trespasses he may help to facilitate. Ms Carlson said only the registered owner could raise a trespassing claim, meaning if a home were truly abandoned the likelihood of legal action would be 'remote'. She added, however, the program raises 'inherent risks' that could raise 'significant' legal consequences. Mr Ong said a court may look beyond the activist's insistence against forcing entry to a property to any reasonably foreseeable misconduct arising from the trespass. Asked by Daily Mail Australia whether he feared any legal repercussions, Mr van den Lamb said: 'Not particularly, no. People are dying. Me having a fight with a cop isn't gonna change much. 'At the end of the day, I'm a young white man who's tertiary educated in this country, so I'm going to be fine compared to someone who's not from my demographic and is sleeping rough on the street.'
