Squatters sell Texas woman’s belongings at yard sale — turn home into ‘drug den’
Squatters turned a Texas woman’s home into a “drug den” and sold her possessions at a yard sale — but police told her they couldn’t do anything about it.
Terri Boyette was in Florida caring for her sick mother when a friend called to tell her someone had squatted her Dallas-area home.
She had previously hired workers to renovate her house, but after she left a painter had broken in and wrecked the place, leaving crack pipes in her oven and needles in a drawer, Boyette told The Post.
It took six months for Boyette to get her home back and now she says her belongings have been either damaged beyond repair or sold, with her bed now situated in the backyard, a bike and scooter in her shower and trash and dirty dishes all over the home.
“All my stuff has been sold through the yard sale and online,” Boyett said, adding: “Apparently he was letting people rent from him.”
Boyette had told the workers to leave before she left for Florida, but the squatter broke in and wouldn’t leave.
Once her friend alerted her to the situation, Boyette called the police to report the break-in, but claims she was told because the squatter had been there for more than ten days she would have to evict him.
Boyette tried to evict the squatter herself with the help of an attorney she hired.
The process, however, took months.
“We had to send the thirty day notice, so he gets the thirty day notice that he’s going to be removed. And he got another thirty day notice that had to expire,” Boyette said.
“After I sent those, I got a court date in December and then when I went before the judge, [the squatter] didn’t show up of course, so she granted the eviction,” Boyette said.
“She extended the appeal to January because she didn’t want anyone to be homeless over the holidays, and I’m like — I’m homeless over the holidays,” she added.
The squatter was served with his final eviction notice on Feb. 6 and was formally evicted on March 20.
“He has tried to come back,” Boyette said.
A spokesperson for the Mesquite Police Department told The Post squatting a home is not as easy as Boyette says she was led to believe.
“In Texas a squatter can claim adverse possession, but this is a very involved process.
“It requires them having a recorded deed for the property and paying property tax on the property for at least 5 years or occupying and improving the land for at least 10 years (I’ve never seen this myself),” the spokesperson said.
They added: “The eviction process is recommended for squatters to ensure that any adverse claims filed are invalid.”
Squatting has become a huge issue across the country, with unwanted guests taking people’s homes in New York, Atlanta, California and across the country.
On Wednesday, The Post revealed a migrant who has been encouraging others to squat in Americans’ homes is on the run from authorities.
In Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation Wednesday to enhance penalties for squatting and allow cops to swiftly remove people from private properties.
“We are putting an end to the squatters scam in Florida,” DeSantis proclaimed in a statement. “While other states are siding with the squatters, we are protecting property owners and punishing criminals looking to game the system.”
