Gov. Ron DeSantis is condemning Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs for vetoing legislation that would have given cops the right to evict squatters.
“The Governor of Arizona just vetoed a bill that we signed here in Florida so that these squatters could be ejected. What kind of a message does that send? You’re saying you can squat in somebody’s house and basically they got to go through a six month process,” DeSantis said in Redington Beach.
“This bill fails to leverage existing legal mechanisms, respect the due process rights of lawful tenants, and minimize unintended consequences, such as for victims of domestic violence,” Hobbs wrote, as reported by a Phoenix television station.
In May, DeSantis signed HB 621, as he clearly did not share the Arizona Governor’s concerns about “unintended consequences” and “due process” when it came to this class of accused criminals.
“We are putting an end to the squatters scam in Florida,” DeSantis said. “While other states are siding with the squatters, we are protecting property owners and punishing criminals looking to game the system.”
Florida’s law gives homeowners the right to ask police to expel people who have illegally entered their property and been directed to leave but failed to comply. This does not apply to tenants with whom they may be embroiled in legal disputes.
The bill created what the Governor’s Office calls “harsh penalties” for squatters, with false statements to obtain or otherwise usurp property rights illegally meriting first-degree misdemeanor charges.
Squatters who cause more than $1,000 in damages are subject to second-degree penalties, while those trying to sell or rent out properties they don’t own are subject to first-degree felony sanctions.
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