# official declaration of takeover



## nastynaty

So I've stayed at a few squats now where I saw a very official paper on the entrances that stated that the tenants were tired of being harassed, and had legal right to be there. I just now popping my first long term squat am interested in a template of such document as to make my squat seem more official. I've read around and can not find anything similar. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## Stiv Rhodes

Who owns it? How long was it vacant? Does it appear legally habitable?


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## nastynaty

Stiv Rhodes said:


> Who owns it? How long was it vacant? Does it appear legally habitable?


I have taken care of that it is definitely a very good long term squat. i just want something flashy for the neighbors that call the cops. Im sorry but im not going to answer your questions for security reasons but, this isnt the first squat I've popped, its the first one i can forsee years in and i want legal coverage. I havent seen anything on stp about these legal measures before but I've seen a lot of long term squats with them. That is what im inquiring about.


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## nastynaty

I have power in my name, the squat is completely secured. I know the previous owner and have talked to them, i know the local company and their workers that do the property preservation for the bank that currently neglects the property and they have a turn around rate of 5 years in the area. My question is has anyone else seen the declaration of residency on squat entrances?


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## nastynaty

Im sorry im really bad at grammer punctuation and overall composition, i realise that my request might not be clear, but im trying.


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## Matt Derrick

In all the squats I've been to and been involved with, I have never heard of this official notice posting you're talking about. 

If the cops show, tell them you are the legal tenant, show them your utility bills and then it becomes a civil matter at that point. 

Google homes not jails, the squatters handbook, and look at the squatting zine portion of our library for more information.


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## roguetrader

I know exactly what you mean - practically every squat in England used to have an identical photocopied sign stating that 'we are now occupying the building, it is a civil offence us being here and a criminal offence for anyone to evict without going to court' - if there is an American equivalent I imagine any US based squatters advisory services would be the best place to start


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## blank

Does the UK not have laws against criminal trespass? But I think what OP is looking for is binding sounding legalese to scare off neighbors. Just make a bunch of stuff up.


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## nastynaty

Okay so im a bit more sober now. I've seen these declarations in nola and just last month in chicago. The one in chicago was so official i thought it was from the bank. But rougetrader has the idea, it's mostly stating "i am here and its illegal to bother me unless you legally evict me".


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## Matt Derrick

nastynaty said:


> Okay so im a bit more sober now. I've seen these declarations in nola and just last month in chicago. The one in chicago was so official i thought it was from the bank. But rougetrader has the idea, it's mostly stating "i am here and its illegal to bother me unless you legally evict me".



I'd really like to see one of these, if you come across a copy let us know, maybe we can add it to the file library.


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## nastynaty

Matt Derrick said:


> I'd really like to see one of these, if you come across a copy let us know, maybe we can add it to the file library.


Yeah that was kind of what i was hoping would already be available. I'll be back in chicago in a month or so, and ill stop by and get a copy then.


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## Deleted member 125

nastynaty said:


> Yeah that was kind of what i was hoping would already be available. I'll be back in chicago in a month or so, and ill stop by and get a copy then.



Far as I know no official document says anything along the lines of "leave me alone and come back with a warrant" or something along those lines, but if anything I would reckon it might make cops or landlords think twice before knocking down yer door or maybe buy you some time to avoid a ticket or a b&e charge. If you do find something that even looks official please upload it if you can I would love to see it.


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## Maxnomad

Seconded homes not jails, i think its basically one dude who went to law school specifically to represent squatters (in cali)
For what its worth ive heard nm has some of the easiest requirements for common law posession; also, if you do get fucked w by the bank and you dont feel like going to war youre in a position to do cash for keys, settle out of court for like half what they would be paying a lawyer. This was a pretty big hustle in like 08 i think


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## roguetrader

in reply to @blank - here in England the law regarding squatting residential property changed in Sept 2012 - basically it went from being a civil to a criminal offence.... this has had a major effect on the scene, it is a shadow of it's former self in London..... 

regarding the original post can @Older Than Dirt our resident Judge Judy / legal eagle offer any advice ?


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## Stiv Rhodes

So it's bank owned, that's the main reason I was asking. I've heard of people posting a notice declaring themselves managing/in charge of/in possession of a property that really had no owner, like the last owner died with no next of kin. If you're trying to present yourselves as renting tenants, posting a notice on the door looks weird.


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## VikingAdventurer

Look up the Adverse Possession laws in your county; that might help.


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## dprogram

Former real estate agent here. I represented the banks and dealt specifically with foreclosures. PM if you'd like me to help.


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## Muffin Mouth

nastynaty said:


> So I've stayed at a few squats now where I saw a very official paper on the entrances that stated that the tenants were tired of being harassed, and had legal right to be there. I just now popping my first long term squat am interested in a template of such document as to make my squat seem more official. I've read around and can not find anything similar. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


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## Muffin Mouth

This is from abroad, but you can print it and tweak it a bit to sound more American (get rid of the part referring to a fine in pounds) . It might help discourage an owner or authority figure from infringing on the space you occupy even if the legality it asserts does not apply. It might make them think twice before breaking in, and in that time hopefully you can get some mail addressed to yourself sent to the space to further slow down an eviction scenario. The classic loop hole is to get mail for everyone in your crew sent to the space because if/when an official eviction notice comes it will only be for the person they are aware is staying there - then when they come to evict someone else presents evidence they also live there and the process starts again. This game causes owners a great deal of stress and might lead to favorable negotiations. "Let us stay hear for free and we will maintain the property" starts to sound like a good arrangement when they realize possession is nine tenths of the law.


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## nastynaty

Muffin Mouth said:


> This is from abroad, but you can print it and tweak it a bit to sound more American (get rid of the part referring to a fine in pounds) . It might help discourage an owner or authority figure from infringing on the space you occupy even if the legality it asserts does not apply. It might make them think twice before breaking in, and in that time hopefully you can get some mail addressed to yourself sent to the space to further slow down an eviction scenario. The classic loop hole is to get mail for everyone in your crew sent to the space because if/when an official eviction notice comes it will only be for the person they are aware is staying there - then when they come to evict someone else presents evidence they also live there and the process starts again. This game causes owners a great deal of stress and might lead to favorable negotiations. "Let us stay hear for free and we will maintain the property" starts to sound like a good arrangement when they realize possession is nine tenths of the law.
> View attachment 52899



Now thats a lot like what I've seen. Thank you very much for that resource! Can you explain the video this is taken from though i might want to watch it?


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## Muffin Mouth

nastynaty said:


> Now thats a lot like what I've seen. Thank you very much for that resource! Can you explain the video this is taken from though i might want to watch it?


I came across it while listening to Danbert Nobacon's solo album on youtube and remembered that you were looking for something like it. There is lots of other little gems of squatter eye candy sprinkled throughout. I hope everything is going well with your takeover.


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## void gaze

"possession is nine tenths of the law" not really though... i would remind that u.s. law is very very strongly biased towards property rights above civil or human rights, and cops are very biased against the poor and tend to go by that rather than always follow the actual law, especially when no one else is around to see. if you are looking to settle in, i hope it works - you should really make a careful study of the laws and statutes that pertain to adverse possession and standards around occupancy/tenancy where you are living. eviction can be a very complicated thing (although a lot of u.s. jurisdictions have streamlined it since the late 00s foreclosure wave and subsequent increase in squatting) but arresting someone for trespassing is definitely not. i don't think anything anyone on this site could tell you should be considered a substitute for knowing the actual laws and regulations that apply to your situation so that you can get around them or use them to your advantage. it seems like you have a good grasp of the basic idea but these laws and rules can differ by state, county or town/city


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## Sleyeborg

Yoooooo santa fe nm???? I would like to be a satellite to your hub. Been squatting at some places. But honestly no one has joined up. Anyway, if any of your squat fam needs a place to stay on the way to Carlsbad or el Paso hmu cause I got some squatting places around here.


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## Sleyeborg

Sleyeborg said:


> Yoooooo santa fe nm???? I would like to be a satellite to your hub. Been squatting at some places. But honestly no one has joined up. Anyway, if any of your squat fam needs a place to stay on the way to Carlsbad or el Paso hmu cause I got some squatting places around here.



About the legal shit, you really just need to document it. Like for me I made an instagram @daspunkhaus (now I'm changing it to @occupy.abandoned (lost passkey) but anyway i just take pictures that say fuck bank of america and show how I make improvements. Then after 10 years in nm you can use these to declare adverse possession. I don't think there is much of a template. You could write a poem about how man was born free and property is theft. It would suffice. (May not stop people from trying to stop you though). What I feel is best at stopping people from squashing the vibe of the squat is normalising the squat with a semi functional sense of community in some way, and that is why people are needed. Anyway, just maybe talking out my ass here. But I'd love to stop by next time I'm in Santa fe.


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## Deleted member 26656

Yo this dude is rad as fuck yo. A true revolutionary.


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## weirdshit

This link might help a bit it's for Texas but I'm sure the steps are similar for most states.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.wikihow.com/File-Adverse-Possession-in-Texas?amp=1
And I attached a avidavit of adverse possession document out of Texas which might give you a good starting point for what you need. 



Don't forget to get your document notarized too. Hope this helped in someway.


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## nastynaty

Thanks everyone for the adverse possession advice and resources. Im not seeking adverse possession really just tenancy. Im sure i will eventually want to have a place to call my own but it probably isn't going to be here. I'm am just working on some projects here in the local diy scene for a little while and squatting to have a place for me and those who need it. Thats why im only trying to scare off potential door knockers.


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## nastynaty

@Sleyeborg just send me a message whenever youre in the area! Also if you need any legal resources for NM I've compiled a list of local laws and regulations in regards to their chapter and section in NM statute on adverse possesion, property, and criminal trespass.


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## Sleyeborg

Omg same here. 100 percent. Being a tenant, adversely possessing. Might as well be the same. Just throw monkey wrenches in the gears and be good to your place until you move on. Hopefully others will benefit. I'll have to make a trip up next month.


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