A Tale About Squatters

A Note from Dan Yukelson, AAGLA Executive Director

This powerful story is a wake-up call for all housing providers. A landlord lost a trusted tenant—only to have their unit invaded by professional squatters who abused the system and delayed justice for months. No one should have to face this kind of exploitation. That’s why we’re fighting for stronger protections like Senate Bill 448.

We urge you to read this account, share it, and join us in demanding real change.

A Tale About Squatters

By an AAGLA Member

I wanted to share with you my personal experience with squatters and trespassers on my property and how supporting SB 448 would make a big difference.

In early 2025, my long-time tenant passed away. He was 64 years old. I didn’t know the severity of his declining health, but he always seemed to be doing “ok” when I met with him in the past. The Los Angeles medical examiner listed my tenant’s cause of death as “Arteriosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease” (A heart attack?) and “Other Significant Conditions.” At the hospital, the doctor told his neighboring tenants, who went there with the now deceased tenant, that there was methamphetamine in his system. This surprised us since, to our knowledge, my tenant was not a drug user and did not have any drug use history according to his next of kin.

After the hospital pronounced my tenant deceased, I returned to his apartment to find that four people were occupying his former home. The individuals claimed they were friends of my deceased tenant, but it occurred to me at the time that they clearly weren’t concerned enough about going to the hospital with him.

At the request of the deceased tenant’s next of kin:

• I told the four occupants that they did not have a right to be there.
• the tenant’s next of kin wanted the apartment cleared and secured.
• The four occupants then left with their suitcases.
• I immediately changed the locks.

Over the next several days following the night my tenant passed away, the occupants sent text messages to my deceased tenant’s next of kin demanding to reclaim their property that they claimed to have left behind in the apartment.

We made a fatal flaw:

• We allowed these “friends” to retrieve their supposed belongings
• We did not have civil standby from the police or sheriff
• (Later, as it turns out, we learned that law enforcement would have refused our civil standby request anyway due to being on tactical alert from the fallout of the Eaton and Palisades wildfires and would only come out for a life-threatening emergency.)

Once inside the rental unit, these supposed “friends”:

• Started to gather belongings from the apartment.

• Then refused to leave.

• One of them got on his cell phone and called in several homeless people, friends of his, who came in off the street and took over the apartment

Our attempts to call the police were in vain, as they were still on tactical alert from the recent wildfires.

I found out later that these friends of my deceased tenant:

• Claimed they had a sublease agreement with him

• Claimed they had been living in the apartment for several months

My tenant had lied to me about his living situation. I had questioned him in the past and he said that he was the only one living in the apartment.

Fortunately:

• I had used the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles lease form

• That lease explicitly prohibited unauthorized occupants or subleases

• So these illegal occupant, trespassers and squatters had no legal claim to the apartment

Unfortunately, the illegal occupants thought otherwise, and I didn’t realize it then, but I was in for a long, drawn-out, and costly legal battle.

I contracted “The Squatter Squad” approximately a day after the occupation of my rental unit began.

• Note: The Squatter Squad is not like Flash Sheldon, who obtains a lease and physically removes squatters by “out squatting” them.

• Instead, they:

  • Work through legal channels

  • Gather criminal background evidence

  • Attempt police civil standbys to lawfully confront and remove squatters

A few days after the squatter takeover:

• I went with the Squatter Squad team to the police department to request a civil standby

• I brought all necessary paperwork, including:

  • “No Trespassing” notices posted on the property

  • Annual filings with the police

• The police response:

  • Refused to assist, saying the situation was a civil matter

  • Folded their arms despite the clear documentation provided

Despite this:

• The Squatter Squad still went to the property to speak with the occupants

  • Knocked on the door

  • Demanded to see each squatter’s ID

  • Did not enter the apartment

• The squatters later claimed they were harassed

• Ironically, the squatters then:

  • Called the police to file a report

  • The police showed up immediately—for them

The squatters who took over the apartment of my deceased tenant were clearly experienced professionals. They seemed to have some legal help as they cited having 30-day tenancy rights despite their not having a lease.

• We served:

  • A 3-day notice to pay or quit

  • A 30-day notice to quit

  • Then filed an unlawful detainer lawsuit

• The squatters retained Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County

  • They twisted legal guidance intended for lawful renters to justify illegal occupancy

• They filed a lengthy legal response:

  • Claimed improper service of notices

  • Cited habitability issues

  • Demanded a jury trial

• We attempted a cash-for-keys (tenant buyout) agreement:

  • Squatters demanded:

    • $15,000

    • $25,000

    • Even $35,000

• Over the next two months:

  • Squatters invited random people daily, at all hours

  • Stole packages

  • Other tenants complained about activity and the smell of drug use

The trial was set in March 2025.

• Only one of the two defendants showed up to court

  • The one who demanded a jury trial was absent, forfeiting the demand

• The judge held a bench trial

  • We presented:

    • The lease agreement

    • The subleasing prohibition clause

• The judge acknowledged:

  • The occupant took a major risk by subletting illegally

• The judge ruled in our favor

Victory for the landlord!  (Or so we thought…)

What is frustrating to me is that after the court decision was handed down, the squatters returned to the apartment immediately after the trial.

• Surveillance cameras showed:

  • Random people continued to come and go

  • Squatters were still moving items into the apartment instead of moving out

• I still don’t know:

  • When I will get the formal court order

  • How soon the sheriff will act to remove them

• I’ve lost two months’ rent

• I’ve spent $8,000+ on:

  • Attorney fees

  • Help from “The Squatter Squad”

• Senate Bill 448, sponsored by the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles:

  • Would prohibit fraudulent removal attempts

  • Would punish squatters who interfere using false documents

  • Violations would be punishable as a felony

  • Hearings on the bill are forthcoming

To further protect property owners, I propose:

• Legislation requiring utility companies to get property owner approval before issuing service

  • Would deter squatters who can't get water, power, or gas

• Professional squatters can strike at any time

  • People have returned from vacation to find squatters with:

    • Mail or fake documents

    • Used to trick police into believing they had rights

• Police often refuse to act due to fear of lawsuits and leave the matter to the courts

Until SB 448 is passed, I strongly urge all property owners to:

• Do background checks on applicants

• Install surveillance cameras

• Take all possible steps to avoid becoming a victim of squatters

The Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles working with the California Rental Housing Association (CalRHA) recently initiated a proposed state bill to help curb illegal trespassing and squatters.

• The proposed “Trespassing Response & Remedies Act” known as Senate Bill 448 (“SB 448”) is our sponsored bill that creates a streamlined process to quickly and safely remove illegal trespassers (a/k/a, squatters) so that owners can reclaim their properties.
• Currently, property owners face costly, lengthy legal battles to remove unlawful occupants (squatters) even when those individuals have no right to be there.

SB 448 empowers local law enforcement to take immediate action when property owners provide a sworn affidavit confirming unlawful entry at a property. The proposed bill also creates penalties for trespassers who falsify claims, protects lawful tenants and occupants, and shields disaster victims from losing their homes to squatters.

• Please, we need you to help us pass our anti-squatter legislation, SB 448. TODAY!
• Please call your representatives in the Senate and Assembly covering the districts where you own property.
• Be sure to urge them to VOTE YES on SB 448!

We urge you to share this story and join us in our fight for SB 448 and in demanding real change.