Woman forced to live with squatter in her Detroit home

[jellykans]

Woman forced to live with squatter in her Detroit home
By Ron Recinto | The Lookout – 9 hrs ago

Heidi Peterson could not believe what was in her Detroit home when she returned after being away for a year.

A woman named Missionary-Tracey Elaine Blair was living there.

Blair refuses to leave the home, and Peterson doesn't have the means go elsewhere.

In a bizarre twist involving legal issues, both women are living in the same house: owner and alleged squatter.

"She thinks that this is a program in Detroit to take people's homes and fix them up, and then she gets to keep them," Peterson told MyFoxDetroit.

Peterson said Blair changed the locks, replaced the appliances and reworked the plumbing in the older home. Peterson purchased the home in the historic Boston-Edison neighborhood of Detroit for $23,000, she said. She left last year when it was in need of repairs.

Blair, a former tenant at Peterson's house, said she was evicted in February 2011. "We had to vacate because the boiler was damaged," Blair said. "I took all my books and my writings, but my (furniture was) still left in (there)."

Blair says she is not squatting and has a lease.

While a squatter has no legal right to the property, the homeowner cannot remove a squatter by force, MyFoxDetroit reports. In this case, as in many others, Peterson must prove she is the rightful owner of the property in civil court and then seek eviction.

In the meantime, Blair and Peterson are living under the same roof.

The video clip from MyFoxDetroit showed Blair had placed personal photographs along the fireplace mantel and changed the curtains in the house.

Peterson expressed concern about safety for her and her 1-year-old daughter.

"I don't know what her capabilities are," Peterson said. "We're afraid of her mindset of entitlement."

Blair, who is a write-in candidate for president, said, "I'm an advocate for affordable housing. That's a part of my campaign," she said."I signed an oath pledging that I would fight for affordable homes."

Squatting has been an issue in Detroit. One family recently bought a dream home on the city's west side only to find it stripped of copper, appliances and plumbing—allegedly by squatters.

Similar stories can be found around the country, including in Littleton, Colo., where squatters staked their claim on a vacant house.

In Detroit, Peterson will continue to press her case in court, but in the meantime the unusual living arrangement continues.

source

[Gotham Impostor]

Civilian Justice- Just shoot them squatters.

[scorpiodragon7]

While there might be a program for "abandoned" homes, I think there would be a list for the homes and some kind of paper work involved. I'm also worried about the work the squatter did/claimed to do; I've seen too many Holmes on Homes to know what can happen when normal people try DIY in electrical and plumbing. I think that when the home owner does finally get to evict the squatter, she should make the squatter pay for inspections and professionals to make sure the alleged work won't cause problems later on.

As far as the squatter's presidential campaign goes, affordable housing is only part of a platform and her "Squatter" situation doesn't sit well for me. I can't imagine if I left for the day and come home to someone moving my stuff out and claiming "it was abandoned" (yes I realized the home owner was away for a year, but still) it is breaking since the doors were (I assume) locked and entering because the squatter had to enter the home to live there. I think she would have an easier time doing the same thing at the White House and "squatting" in the Oval Office.

Fun fact: if a squatter moves into an home/piece of land owned by another person and publically claims it is their home for 5 years without the owner doing anything the squatter does own that home/land.

[jellykans]

scorpiodragon7

While there might be a program for "abandoned" homes, I think there would be a list for the homes and some kind of paper work involved. I'm also worried about the work the squatter did/claimed to do; I've seen too many Holmes on Homes to know what can happen when normal people try DIY in electrical and plumbing. I think that when the home owner does finally get to evict the squatter, she should make the squatter pay for inspections and professionals to make sure the alleged work won't cause problems later on.

As far as the squatter's presidential campaign goes, affordable housing is only part of a platform and her "Squatter" situation doesn't sit well for me. I can't imagine if I left for the day and come home to someone moving my stuff out and claiming "it was abandoned" (yes I realized the home owner was away for a year, but still) it is breaking since the doors were (I assume) locked and entering because the squatter had to enter the home to live there. I think she would have an easier time doing the same thing at the White House and "squatting" in the Oval Office.

Fun fact: if a squatter moves into an home/piece of land owned by another person and publically claims it is their home for 5 years without the owner doing anything the squatter does own that home/land.

Do you have a source for that 'fun fact'? I am guessing it is a state law. One town in Kansas that was over 1/2 boarded up, invited people to come work in their revived factory, choose a home, and take it over. Things were that bad. I assume the town is thriving now.

i am guessing the squatter in this case had some mental health issues. Also, the homeowner must have little in resources, if she is living there with an infact.

[Ratttking]

I could give the owner a few tips on getting rid of unwanted roommates - all perfectly legal. twisted

[CosmicJazzKitten]

I think it's a sad reflection of America's supposed wealth and prosperity when situations like this exist. neutral

[Nyadriel]

How is this even allowed to happen? I wonder if said squatter even got the house through a reputable company? I heard a story not that long ago where some squatter got taken by a scammer.

[jadedrenee]

At least in Florida, there is a way to remove a squatter from your home - I wish I could remember the name of the procedure. I think that lady needs better legal counsel.

[Lady Leopardess]

If she has the deed to the house (she still would have had to pay taxes on it as well so there should be that evidence as well) , why can't she just show it to the police to get the woman out?

[David2074]

Lady Leopardess

If she has the deed to the house (she still would have had to pay taxes on it as well so there should be that evidence as well) , why can't she just show it to the police to get the woman out?

There are all assumptions but -
I'm guessing that part of the problem might be that the woman was a previous tenant.
I'm going to further guess that since there is conflicting information about why she moved out (evicted vs had to move out due to boiler not working) the owner may not have done proper eviction paperwork.
Also, the previous tenant may have still had keys to the house she failed to turn in. At least in WA state having been given keys to a dwelling complicates the 'you are not supposed to be here' claim and makes it more difficult to remove an unwanted 'roommate'.
The owner is obviously on a tight budget and vacated the house for year rather than fixing it up so likely she also did not change the locks after unwanted tenant moved out.
If previous tenant really did have all of her furniture still in the house this is another indication owner was not handling things properly - or at least not how they would normally be handled. For example, in WA state a landlord is required to keep belongings left behind for 90 days. After 90 days they can sell the property to get rid of it but they still have to keep the money. The tenant has up to 12 months to come back and get the money, minus any reasonable fees associated with the storage and sale.

Crazy lady running for president and advocating squatting as affordable housing needs to go to a home that includes nice people in white coats. Still, it sounds to me like the owner complicated her problems by not handing things in the best way to help her legal standing.

[Blood Valkyrie]

I don't understand the squatter's logic.

[jellykans]

Blood Valkyrie

I don't understand the squatter's logic.

You are not alone.

[Love Muffin88]

:******** squatters. Where do people like that get off thinking that a home-that is obviously already someone elses- is there's for the taking? Oh wait, she's probably some sort of deranged. I mean she has to be, if she thinks for even a second that this is OK.

[jadedrenee]

jellykans

scorpiodragon7

While there might be a program for "abandoned" homes, I think there would be a list for the homes and some kind of paper work involved. I'm also worried about the work the squatter did/claimed to do; I've seen too many Holmes on Homes to know what can happen when normal people try DIY in electrical and plumbing. I think that when the home owner does finally get to evict the squatter, she should make the squatter pay for inspections and professionals to make sure the alleged work won't cause problems later on.

As far as the squatter's presidential campaign goes, affordable housing is only part of a platform and her "Squatter" situation doesn't sit well for me. I can't imagine if I left for the day and come home to someone moving my stuff out and claiming "it was abandoned" (yes I realized the home owner was away for a year, but still) it is breaking since the doors were (I assume) locked and entering because the squatter had to enter the home to live there. I think she would have an easier time doing the same thing at the White House and "squatting" in the Oval Office.

Fun fact: if a squatter moves into an home/piece of land owned by another person and publically claims it is their home for 5 years without the owner doing anything the squatter does own that home/land.

Do you have a source for that 'fun fact'? I am guessing it is a state law. One town in Kansas that was over 1/2 boarded up, invited people to come work in their revived factory, choose a home, and take it over. Things were that bad. I assume the town is thriving now.

i am guessing the squatter in this case had some mental health issues. Also, the homeowner must have little in resources, if she is living there with an infact.

It may very well be state law; that's a real thing, not an urban myth. We covered evictions in one of my law classes, and in Florida it's 7 years before the house you're squatting in becomes yours. You need to have mail and things coming to that address, proof that it's accepted as your residence. Also, if you've been paying rent for any of that 7 years, you can't claim the house.

[jellykans]

jadedrenee

jellykans

scorpiodragon7

While there might be a program for "abandoned" homes, I think there would be a list for the homes and some kind of paper work involved. I'm also worried about the work the squatter did/claimed to do; I've seen too many Holmes on Homes to know what can happen when normal people try DIY in electrical and plumbing. I think that when the home owner does finally get to evict the squatter, she should make the squatter pay for inspections and professionals to make sure the alleged work won't cause problems later on.

As far as the squatter's presidential campaign goes, affordable housing is only part of a platform and her "Squatter" situation doesn't sit well for me. I can't imagine if I left for the day and come home to someone moving my stuff out and claiming "it was abandoned" (yes I realized the home owner was away for a year, but still) it is breaking since the doors were (I assume) locked and entering because the squatter had to enter the home to live there. I think she would have an easier time doing the same thing at the White House and "squatting" in the Oval Office.

Fun fact: if a squatter moves into an home/piece of land owned by another person and publically claims it is their home for 5 years without the owner doing anything the squatter does own that home/land.

Do you have a source for that 'fun fact'? I am guessing it is a state law. One town in Kansas that was over 1/2 boarded up, invited people to come work in their revived factory, choose a home, and take it over. Things were that bad. I assume the town is thriving now.

i am guessing the squatter in this case had some mental health issues. Also, the homeowner must have little in resources, if she is living there with an infact.

It may very well be state law; that's a real thing, not an urban myth. We covered evictions in one of my law classes, and in Florida it's 7 years before the house you're squatting in becomes yours. You need to have mail and things coming to that address, proof that it's accepted as your residence. Also, if you've been paying rent for any of that 7 years, you can't claim the house.

That bit about rent makes sense.

It occurred to me later, but the article didn't make clear if the locks were the same. Any landlord should re-key a rental when a tenant moves out.