JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida lawmakers are targeting squatters once again in new legislation that is expected to soon become law.
Squatters are people who inhabit a piece of land or a building that they don’t have a legal right to occupy. The new Florida Senate bill expands existing laws, that give police the power to remove illegal tenants from homes and businesses.
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Local 10 Jacksonville news partner WJXT News4JAX spoke with a woman who was the victim of squatting and a local attorney about how the changes would affect property owners.
Property owner Patti Peeples was outraged in 2023 after squatters took possession of the home she owned in Hogans Creek where two women lived rent-free, without a lease, and without permission. The women also vandalized the property.
Her story later went national, leading to the passing of a property rights bill in Florida that helped homeowners get rid of squatters quickly by getting law enforcement quickly involved in their removal.
Now newly filed Senate Bills 322 and House Bill House Bill 213, take the existing law one step further, to protect the owners of commercial properties and businesses as well.
Defense Attorney John Phillips said the law streamlines the residential ejection of the unauthorized tenant.
It would require property owners to simply submit a complaint form to their local sheriff’s office, and upon verification, deputies will immediately notify the unwanted person that he or she has to leave.
News4JAX spoke with Peeple by phone Friday who said this about the new legislation: “The purpose of any new law is to see how it performs in real situations, and it’s clear that additional protections were warranted for commercial real estate. I look forward to seeing continued dedication to fair homeownership in the state of Florida.”
Senate Bill 322 was approved by a unanimous vote in the legislature on Wednesday morning. Its companion House Bill was approved by a Legislative committee on Thursday afternoon. The bill also enhances several of the criminal penalties associated with squatting.