Great article here on this. To summarize…
The Pennsylvania State Senate has approved legislation aimed at providing clear guidelines for property owners to remove squatters who falsely claim “squatter’s rights.” Sponsored by Sen. Dan Laughlin, the bill seeks to protect legitimate tenants and help property owners reclaim their properties without excessive legal hurdles. The bill targets those who exploit the system by illegally occupying homes and provides a legal framework for identifying and removing squatters quickly and efficiently.
The concept of “squatter’s rights,” or adverse possession, traditionally allows squatters to claim ownership after 21 years of continuous and visible possession. However, recent issues have arisen with people occupying homes while the owners are away, leading to costly and prolonged removal processes.
The bill defines squatters as trespassers once the property owner has asked them to leave and they refuse, committing defiant trespass. In the House, similar bills are under consideration. House Bill 2237, introduced by Rep. Donna Scheuren, would enhance law enforcement’s ability to remove trespassers based on a signed affidavit and impose stricter penalties for property damage. It also mandates notifying Immigration and Customs Enforcement if the squatter is an undocumented immigrant. Another bill by Rep. Martina White includes provisions for holding individuals accountable for making false statements about property occupation.
This is great news as squatters can be very hard to remove from a property, especially when no lease is involved.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
