{"id":11142,"date":"2024-03-24T13:35:47","date_gmt":"2024-03-24T13:35:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/imsfund.com\/?p=11142"},"modified":"2024-03-24T13:35:47","modified_gmt":"2024-03-24T13:35:47","slug":"how-a-squatter-in-oregon-stole-a-property-and-the-rising-tide-of-disputes-ending-badly-for-landlords","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/imsfund.com\/index.php\/2024\/03\/24\/how-a-squatter-in-oregon-stole-a-property-and-the-rising-tide-of-disputes-ending-badly-for-landlords\/","title":{"rendered":"How a Squatter in Oregon \u201cStole\u201d a Property, and the Rising Tide of Disputes Ending Badly for Landlords"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"post-content\" :class=\"{ 'hidden': $store.proContent.showFullPrompt() }\">\n<section class=\"px-4 relative border border-slate-200 mobile-toc lg:hidden\" x-data=\"{open:false}\">\n<button x-on:click=\"open = !open\" class=\"flex items-center gap-4 my-2 border-none w-full\"><br \/>\n<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"h-6 w-6\" fill=\"none\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\"><path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" d=\"M4 8h16M4 16h16\"\/><\/svg><\/p>\n<p class=\"font-semibold text-slate-800 text-base m-0 js-toc-ignore\">In this article<\/p>\n<p><\/button><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cI always thought stealing was wrong,\u201d real estate investor and developer\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/georgemccleary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">George McCleary<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0remarks at the end of a\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/McClearyRE\/status\/1757533672796979678\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">viral video<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0posted on social media last month, \u201cBut turns out, if you steal a house, it\u2019s not even against the law here.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The video details how McCleary easily broke into a rental listing in Portland, Oregon, fabricated a lease, put the utility bills in his name, utilized a taxpayer-funded legal assistance program to avoid eviction, and was ultimately given $10,000 to leave the property after nine months without facing any legal consequences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Commenters speculate that McCleary, a boutique real estate firm owner who has worked in real estate for the past two decades, didn\u2019t actually break into a rental home and trash it, but the scenario he presented was nevertheless a realistic possibility, given robust tenant protections in Portland. The video exposes the dangers of widespread efforts to expand tenant rights in cities as a response to the housing affordability crisis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">How Squatters Take Over Rental Properties<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In McCleary\u2019s video, which was widely shared and collected more than 6 million views, he explains how he navigated to a vacant rental property listed online and followed YouTube video instructions to break into the lockbox. He then forged lease documents and called local utility companies to put the bills in his name.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cWhen the owner showed up, I politely explained that this is my house now, and they need to leave,\u201d McCleary says in the video. The police, after viewing the fake documents and utility bills, let the owner know that this was a civil matter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">When the owner hired a lawyer, McCleary mentions he called a legal advocacy group, which \u201cgives me a lawyer that\u2019s 100% free and funded by taxpayers.\u201d After a months-long legal battle to evict the squatter, the owner gives up and writes a check for $10,000.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cI didn\u2019t even have to clean the place up, and that\u2019s a good thing, because I do a lot of drugs, and the house looks every bit of it,\u201d McCleary states satirically. \u201cSo I just got nine months of free rent in a house that otherwise would have cost me three grand a month, plus a nice cash for keys check, and I wasn\u2019t even charged with anything.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It may seem like a far-fetched tale, but similar scenarios have played out across the country in recent years. The National Rental Home Council estimates that more than\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2024\/02\/06\/news\/squatters-take-over-1200-homes-in-atlanta-terrorize-neighbors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">1,200 homes<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0in Atlanta are now occupied by squatters. In one case, the occupants used the property to operate an illegal strip club.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Here are some more ripped-from-the-headlines cases:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In Beverly Hills, a group of squatters\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.curbed.com\/article\/squatters-rights-california-beverly-hills-los-angeles.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">took over a mansion<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0and threw wild parties, charging for tables and rooms and using a fake lease to avoid being removed from the premises.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In Texas, a squatter with a history of evictions\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/opinion\/2023\/07\/03\/squatters-rights-leave-homeowners-forgotten\/70364321007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">locked a homeowner out of her house<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0and forged a lease for the property.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In Maryland, squatters took over a woman\u2019s home while she was on vacation and sold $50,000 worth of furniture.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In Chicago, where evictions can take six months or more, a homeowner\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/chicago\/news\/chicago-squatter-two-flat-eviction-attempt\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">struggled to remove<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0a squatter with a criminal history who had changed the locks on a two-flat last year, even after an incident of gun violence at the property.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In New York, a homeowner tried for three years to evict a squatter, leaving her with a hefty utility bill by the time the squatter was arrested.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">These crimes rarely lead to prosecution and cause significant losses for property owners. Owners are forced to continue to pay taxes and other homeownership costs, even if they don\u2019t have access to their own properties.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In some cases, the trouble starts with a\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/what-to-include-in-a-lease-agreement\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">legal lease agreement<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. A tenant may move in, pay the initial required deposit, and then violate the lease terms down the road by failing to pay rent, damaging the property, or committing other infractions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">But even in the absence of grand larceny and fraud, policies that expand tenant rights can have unintended and dire consequences for small landlords\u2014and the wider housing economy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"justify-center \" x-data=\"{ IabAdad_block_: popAd(['r720x90'], '1') }\" :class=\"IabAdad_block_.linkURL ? 'flex pt-8' : 'hidden'\">\n<a x-show=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/IabAdad_block_.linkURL\" x-on:click=\"adClicked('https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/how-a-squatter-in-oregon-was-paid-to-leave-home-he-was-not-renting', IabAdad_block_.sponsor, IabAdad_block_.title, IabAdad_block_.id, 'blockAdClicked', 'blockAd', 'postContent')\" target=\"_blank\" x-init=\"&#10;      analytics.track('blockAdLoaded', {&#10;        referrer: 'https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/how-a-squatter-in-oregon-was-paid-to-leave-home-he-was-not-renting',&#10;        sponsor: IabAdad_block_.sponsor,&#10;        ad_title: IabAdad_block_.title,&#10;        ad_page_location: 'postContent'&#10;      })&#10;    \" x-intersect:enter.once=\"adViewed('https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/how-a-squatter-in-oregon-was-paid-to-leave-home-he-was-not-renting', IabAdad_block_.sponsor, IabAdad_block_.title, IabAdad_block_.id, 'blockAdViewed', 'blockAd', 'postContent')\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/p>\n<div class=\" hidden sm:block\">\n<img class=\"m-0\" :src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/IabAdad_block_.r720x90\" :alt=\"IabAdad_block_.r720x90Alt\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"block sm:hidden\">\n<img class=\"m-0\" :src=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/IabAdad_block_.r320x50\" :alt=\"IabAdad_block_.r320x50Alt\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Role of Policies That Expand Tenant Rights<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Even before the pandemic hit, rents were\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cbpp.org\/blog\/rents-have-risen-more-than-incomes-in-nearly-every-state-since-2001\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">rising more rapidly<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0than wages, and renters\u2019 budgets were strained. Everything came to a head when the economic slowdown put millions at risk of eviction, causing lawmakers to put in place\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2021\/11\/23\/after-a-hard-time-for-renters-cities-and-states-pass-new-protections-.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">$45 billion<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0in rental assistance and a moratorium on most evictions. This turned the tables, and eviction rates declined.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">When the federal eviction moratorium expired in August 2021, many municipalities and states chose to keep the ban in place longer. Rents were still rising, and over 40% of renter households were considered\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.census.gov\/newsroom\/press-releases\/2022\/renters-burdened-by-housing-costs.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">cost-burdened<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0(meaning they spent more than 30% of their income on housing costs). Policymakers also pushed for stronger tenant protections, ranging from rent control measures to free legal aid programs for renters, both ideas that garner strong\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"http:\/\/civilrighttocounsel.org\/highlighted_work\/organizing_around_right_to_counsel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">bipartisan support<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0from the public.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">There\u2019s also been a\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vox.com\/policy\/23750632\/housing-landlords-renter-fair-chance-criminal-record-background-check\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">wave of legislation<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0banning criminal background checks on prospective tenants, as is the case in Oakland, or requiring landlords to ignore a tenant\u2019s criminal history outside a specified look-back period, like in New Jersey. In\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.minneapolismn.gov\/resident-services\/property-housing\/renting\/renters\/rights\/#d.en.132379\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Minneapolis<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, landlords can\u2019t consider misdemeanors from more than three years ago when evaluating tenants, nor can they set a minimum credit score for applicants. Low-income renters are also entitled to free legal help if they face eviction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/the-silent-war-on-tenant-screening\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Policy initiatives like these<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0make it tough for landlords to prevent issues with tenants and respond to them in a timely manner. And they also benefit scam artists who come to possess a rental property illegally.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Many cities have made crimes like trespassing a low priority for the local justice department. \u201cIn jurisdictions where people know they can get away with crime, they\u2019re much more likely to commit crime,\u201d says McCleary in an interview with\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=EX-XjV6zFsI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">NewsNation<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Though fabricating a lease is a criminal offense, the document creates the possibility of legitimacy, and the dispute between the property owner and the scam artist becomes a civil matter. Even after the fraud is uncovered, the squatters rarely face criminal charges.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In most states, adverse possession laws require a squatter to live in a property for years before they have any legal right to ownership. But in New York City, squatters can claim their right to inhabit a property after just 30 days of residing there without interruption or objections from the owner. After that, the owner can face charges for changing the locks or removing the squatters\u2019 possessions. That\u2019s how an\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2024\/03\/19\/us-news\/moment-nyc-homeowner-is-arrested-after-tense-standoff-with-squatters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">heir to a $1 million home<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0in New York ended up in handcuffs when she approached the strangers living on her property.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">But even in jurisdictions where property owners have a leg to stand on against fraudulent tenants, lengthy eviction proceedings can destroy a landlord\u2019s finances.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Can Robust Tenant Rights Laws Solve Homelessness?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">It\u2019s important to note that just as fraudsters take advantage of lax laws in jurisdictions that are soft on crime, some landlords abuse their power in areas with weak tenant protections\u2014there are both bad tenants, with and without legal leases, and bad landlords. And in many municipalities, landlords can evict tenants without just cause.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">But policies should aim to strike a balance between renter and landlord protections to avoid the negative consequences of favoring one party or the other. Research should also focus on the best ways to prevent homelessness rather than attempting to prove that landlords play a role in the housing affordability crisis.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"http:\/\/civilrighttocounsel.org\/highlighted_work\/organizing_around_right_to_counsel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Case studies<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0conducted in cities where tenants are provided with free legal representation show that these programs lead to lower eviction rates. Cost\/benefit studies also show that legal aid programs that prevent eviction help cities save money on other social safety net programs provided to the unhoused.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">However, many of these studies fail to consider the financial impact on landlords and the ripple effect on the housing market. Other solutions may have similar benefits without the fallout.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">For example, a\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/bostonbar.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/rtc-report-for-web-or-email.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Massachusetts study<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0found that the commonwealth saved $2.40 in homelessness costs for every dollar spent on eviction representation for tenants. A new\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/news.nd.edu\/news\/targeted-prevention-helps-stop-homelessness-before-it-starts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">study<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0from the University of Notre Dame shows that emergency rental assistance provides similar benefits, saving cities $2.47 for every dollar spent providing assistance to renters. The latter solution, however, keeps tenants in their homes without costing landlords an average of\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/newsroom.transunion.com\/transunion-analysis-collection-records-are-highly-predictive-of-resident-behavior\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">$3,500<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0per unit in eviction losses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Two recent studies, one from a\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/news.clemson.edu\/tight-landlord-regs-may-result-in-homelessness-rise-clemson-study-says\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Clemson University<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0professor and one from a Ph.D. candidate at\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/aagla.org\/2022\/02\/stanford-university-study-reveals-cost-implications-of-tenant-protections\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Stanford University<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, examined the long-term impact of tenant protection ordinances intended to prevent evictions and found similar results: The cost to landlords led to increased rents and a decrease in the supply of housing, adversely impacting low-income renters and causing a rise in homelessness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201cOn the surface, strict landlord regulation sounds good for tenants, but our paper points out, the solution isn\u2019t that simple,\u201d says Clemson University professor Lily Shen. \u201cThe research suggests that conventional thinking on the issue of more regulation may have the opposite effect on tenants.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Most\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/evictionlab.org\/why-eviction-matters\/#affordable-housing-crisis\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">eviction filings<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0occur due to tenant nonpayment of rent. Yet some researchers point to evictions as a \u201c<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.2116169119\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">primary cause<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u201d of homelessness. While it is true that displacement worsens outcomes for low-income people, contributing to a cycle that traps people in poverty, it\u2019s misguided to primarily focus on preventing evictions through tenant representation when the root cause of displacement is that tenants lack sufficient funds to pay their rent.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Impact on Landlords<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Pandemic eviction moratoriums provide an extreme example of how eviction challenges impact landlords and their tenants. These moratoriums disproportionately impacted small landlords, according to the\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jchs.harvard.edu\/blog\/how-has-pandemic-affected-landlords\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u2014landlords who owned fewer than 20 properties were more likely to experience catastrophic declines in revenue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Furthermore, landlords of all sizes were more likely to sell their properties during this time, and about a third deferred property maintenance, a sharp increase from the 5% that reported doing so in 2019. These consequences were cause for concern about a long-term decline in the availability, affordability, and quality of rental housing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Most rental properties aren\u2019t owned by corporations. About\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/short-reads\/2021\/08\/02\/as-national-eviction-ban-expires-a-look-at-who-rents-and-who-owns-in-the-u-s\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">70%<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0are owned by individuals with one or two properties, according to 2018 Census data. Research shows that small landlords file far fewer evictions than large landlords, often resolving issues with tenants directly, and are far less likely to evict tenants due to nonpayment of rent.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Despite this\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/housingmatters.urban.org\/research-summary\/do-large-landlords-eviction-practices-differ-small-landlords\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">evidence<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">, the sentiment that \u201call landlords are evil\u201d and the policies aimed at preventing eviction often fail to distinguish between small landlords and corporations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Urban Institute acknowledges that small investors play an important role in the availability of affordable housing, noting that policies should \u201cincentivize capital investment by local residents and stakeholders\u201d and that anti-eviction policies \u201cshould target the market\u2019s largest landlords, who likely also have the highest eviction rates.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In addition, it\u2019s small landlords who are also more likely to be hurt by scam artists who take advantage of tenant protection laws because they have fewer resources and are less capable of absorbing losses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In Seattle, a tenant claimed low-income status to avoid paying rent and keep the utilities on. Meanwhile, the tenant turned a profit renting the unit on Airbnb. The landlord, who was forced to continue paying the utility bills without rental income and couldn\u2019t get help from city officials, essentially\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/mynorthwest.com\/3914559\/gross-nightmare-tenant-made-seattle-landlord-go-homeless\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">became homeless<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">. \u201cI consider myself lucky that I was able to build out a nice little camper van, given the situation,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">The Bottom Line<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">In many areas of the country, landlords have more rights and resources than tenants, which may threaten housing security even for honest tenants. But in recent years, dozens of states and municipalities have tipped the scales too far in the other direction, leaving landlords vulnerable to tenant nonpayment and fraud.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Some of these jurisdictions have simultaneously gone soft on crime, allowing even illegal\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/squatters-landlords-legal-removal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">squatters<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">\u00a0to benefit from laws intended to protect tenants from displacement. And taxpayer-funded legal aid programs fail to address the root cause of displacement and have unintended negative consequences on not only the livelihood of small landlords but also the rental market and homelessness.\u00a0<\/span><a class=\"editor-rtfLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/new-hud-idea-could-put-money-in-renter-pockets\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\">Rental assistance<\/span><\/a><span data-preserver-spaces=\"true\"> programs and other solutions are more likely to keep renters housed without long-term adverse effects.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"visibility-group-block_64dd56548a48e\" class=\"visibility-group  hidden\">\n<div id=\"hero-block_62df1a82bfc88\" class=\"first:mt-0 hero-block py-4    has-background has-theme-gold-light-background-color has-text-color has-theme-gold-color\">\n<div class=\" flex flex-wrap lg:flex-nowrap max-w-screen-xl mx-auto px-4 relative lg:items-center \">\n<div class=\"relative z-30 w-full \">\n<main class=\"py-4\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-theme-gold-color has-text-color has-large-font-size\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:800\">Get the Best Funding<\/p>\n<p class=\"my-3 md:my-5 lg:my-8 has-slate-900-color has-text-color\" style=\"font-size:16px\">Quickly find and compare investor-friendly lenders who specialize in your unique investing strategy. It\u2019s fast, free, and easier than ever!<\/p>\n<p><\/main>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\" first:mt-0 relative h-full lg:flex lg:items-center\">\n<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"object-cover w-full relative z-20 my-0  shadow-xl rounded-md hidden lg:block\" src=\"https:\/\/bpimg.biggerpockets.com\/https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/Lender-Match.png\" alt=\"find a lender with lender match\" title=\"How a Squatter in Oregon \u201cStole\u201d a Property, and the Rising Tide of Disputes Ending Badly for Landlords 2\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container\">\n<div id=\"visibility-group-block_64dd31c79f00f\" class=\"visibility-group  \">\n<div id=\"hero-block_64dd2875dba9d\" class=\"first:mt-0 hero-block py-4    has-background has-slate-100-background-color has-text-color has-theme-slate-color\">\n<div class=\" flex flex-wrap lg:flex-nowrap max-w-screen-xl mx-auto px-4 relative lg:items-center \">\n<div class=\"relative z-30 w-full \">\n<main class=\"py-4\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"my-3 md:my-5 lg:my-8 has-theme-slate-color has-text-color\" style=\"font-size:16px;font-style:normal;font-weight:400\">Ready to succeed in real estate investing? Create a free BiggerPockets account to learn about investment strategies; ask questions and get answers from our community of +2 million members; connect with investor-friendly agents; and so much more. <\/p>\n<p><\/main>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"italic\"><b>Note By BiggerPockets:<\/b> These are opinions written by the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of BiggerPockets.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biggerpockets.com\/blog\/how-a-squatter-in-oregon-was-paid-to-leave-home-he-was-not-renting\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this article \u201cI always thought stealing was wrong,\u201d real estate investor and developer\u00a0George McCleary\u00a0remarks at the end of a\u00a0viral video\u00a0posted on social media last month, \u201cBut turns out, if you steal a house, it\u2019s not even against the law here.\u201d\u00a0 The video details how McCleary easily broke into a rental listing in Portland, Oregon, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":11143,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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