MONTGOMERY — The Alabama House of Representatives passed legislation on Thursday that would give property owners and law enforcement tools to deal with individuals who illegally occupy the homes of others, often called squatters.
House Bill 182 (HB182) increases penalties for individuals who enter a residence that is not theirs. It also increases the penalty for anyone who presents a falsified document that they claim to be a lease, deed or other instrument authorizing ownership or occupancy.
State Rep. Craig Lipscomb (R-Gadsden), the bill’s sponsor, brought it before the House floor, stating that, while squatting was not a pervasive issue in Alabama as it is in other states, he wanted to be “proactive not reactive.”
“Currently, in our nation, we’re experiencing an epidemic of individuals who are finding themselves on people's properties, and we’re having difficulty establishing who has the right to be where they should be and where they should not be. This has become even more evident as we had even illegal aliens within the nation who would be TikTok influencers, explaining to millions of followers how they can illegally squat upon the premises of rightful property owners.”
“What this bill will do is it will address this situation before it becomes an epidemic in the state of Alabama.”
The bill will also add a definition of the state’s classification of third-degree burglary if an individual remains unlawfully in a dwelling and intentionally causes $1,000 or more in damage.
The legislation received bipartisan support in the House, with several Democrats thanking Lipscomb for introducing it. However, some Democrats clarified that the bill was not targeting the homeless.
The legislation passed unanimously, with 82 House members adding their names to the bill as co-sponsors.
“Individuals work hard to save money to purchase property,” Lipscomb said after the bill’s passage. “It is vital that we have laws on the books that protect that property from those who are searching for a way to steal a home from someone,” Lipscomb said. “If it is not your property and you do not have a legal document allowing you to be there, you will be committing a serious crime in this state. You will be arrested and removed from the property promptly after the rightful homeowner’s affidavit is filed. Property rights are serious and we are not playing around with this.”
“By passing clear legislation on this matter, we are closing the door to squatting scammers before they cross the state line,” he continued.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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