# Austin Squat - seeking advice and interest



## danidatx (Mar 8, 2020)

Myself and a small group of folks are interested in putting together an intentional squat for rad/anarcho folks who want to do the damn thing! 
I am in search of legal advice specific to Texas, anyone with resources they can offer or have leads on, and folx who may want to help/participate in building this idea and space.
Hit me up!


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## nivoldoog (Mar 8, 2020)

im only a hop away and could use a break from house life. Need to stretch my legs a bit as it were. If you start making moves I may swing down and throw some work in with and for you guys.


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## beersalt (Mar 10, 2020)

Can vouch for @danidatx !
What she's doing/trying to do is fucking rad, and so is she. Would definitely wanna get involved with this project further if I was in the area..


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## Barf (Mar 11, 2020)

Is Austin, Tx the same city that flick "Bomb City" takes place in?

I tried to post a link to imdb about the film,but couldn't.

You know the folks from the "right" side of the tracks...

Wrong side of the tracks...

Way off topic.

Carry on.


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## Matt Derrick (Mar 11, 2020)

Since I don't know when they will have time to let folks know, the owner came with the sheriff and kicked them out. They're okay tho, and looking for another place to live.


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## nivoldoog (Mar 12, 2020)

Matt Derrick said:


> Since I don't know when they will have time to let folks know, the owner came with the sheriff and kicked them out. They're okay tho, and looking for another place to live.


That is likely to happen a few times till the right one is grown.


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## danidatx (Mar 14, 2020)

nivoldoog said:


> That is likely to happen a few times till the right one is grown.



We found another house for now - and are happy to host folks as they come through. 

This post is in search of knowledge and help in finding a larger building to squat as a community. I’m always on the lookout for spaces and have a few in mind - just need to coordinate with folks here and continue to do my research!

I will post updates as we progress in the larger project!


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## train in vain (Mar 15, 2020)

I wish anyone luck trying to squat in austin now. Seems like a joke to me. A friend of mine squatted a house for 2 or 3 months i think in early 2012. I stayed there once and we were woken up by the owner screaming at us and calling the cops.
I just dont see how it would be possible now. Austin aint the place.


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## Deleted member 24782 (Mar 16, 2020)

train in vain said:


> I wish anyone luck trying to squat in austin now. Seems like a joke to me. A friend of mine squatted a house for 2 or 3 months i think in early 2012. I stayed there once and we were woken up by the owner screaming at us and calling the cops.
> I just dont see how it would be possible now. Austin aint the place.



This seems like the US as a whole, I still haven't met anyone or group who has successfully taken adverse possession over ANY property_ legally_, _permanantly_ or _long-term_. Squatting, in our communities case, is used mostly as a metaphor, sleeping in vacant, blighted, or otherwise "abandoned" properties-temporarily.


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## fault88 (Mar 16, 2020)

danidatx said:


> We found another house for now - and are happy to host folks as they come through.
> 
> This post is in search of knowledge and help in finding a larger building to squat as a community. I’m always on the lookout for spaces and have a few in mind - just need to coordinate with folks here and continue to do my research!
> 
> I will post updates as we progress in the larger project!




Yo I'm in North Austin right now trying to catch a ride to Taylor. I stumbled upon a massive bando auto body place that's has easy access. Find yellow cab Austin you'll find it.


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## train in vain (Mar 16, 2020)

Brodiesel710 said:


> This seems like the US as a whole, I still haven't met anyone or group who has successfully taken adverse possession over ANY property_ legally_, _permanantly_ or _long-term_. Squatting, in our communities case, is used mostly as a metaphor, sleeping in vacant, blighted, or otherwise "abandoned" properties-temporarily.


Yeah very true. I just know austin very well. It aint what it used to be. 🤷‍♂️ used to be able to get away with some shit. Most of the old abandonned stuff is long gone. There are definitwly still some bandos here and there but mostly bad locations. Been there 4 or 5 times in the last 6 months working. Every time i go back its a little worse somehow haha. Theres a target on e 5th??? I used to live a few blocks from there in 2000-02 and people called that area "the ghetto" 😂😂😂


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## Pork Chop (Apr 3, 2020)

train in vain said:


> Yeah very true. I just know austin very well. It aint what it used to be. 🤷‍♂️ used to be able to get away with some shit. Most of the old abandonned stuff is long gone. There are definitwly still some bandos here and there but mostly bad locations. Been there 4 or 5 times in the last 6 months working. Every time i go back its a little worse somehow haha. Theres a target on e 5th??? I used to live a few blocks from there in 2000-02 and people called that area "the ghetto" 😂😂😂


It's been super shitty since they legalized camping out on front street.
It's San Fransisco,TX out here man. 
I mean to each their own, but shitting on sidewalks, tossing rigs on the ground, and living in bedbug trash piles right in public really harshes shit for everyone else.
Locals are so burned out on the dumbshit it can be hard to catch a kick down, let alone a smile or some eye contact.


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## Jambalaya (Jan 2, 2021)

I've lived in Austin since '05, came here after Katrina. Austin has definitely changed throughout the years. In '05 you rarely saw homeless folks. You could go down to the drag and see cats who might have been traveling through, which I think was more common in the past. The strange thing is that I always had the feeling that the cats we'd see down on the drag were locals that had somehow just turned what a hobo/tramp looked like after quite a bit of traveling into a fashion statement. The other locals would call them drag rats. There were quite a few bike punks that I befriended in town around that time. A couple of them had hopped trains for a while and would always call bullshit on these drag rats when they would see them spanging. We even saw a few of them going back to what we would later learn were their parents fancy homes near the drag.

Anyway like someone here had already mentioned around 2010 is when what we refer to as "old Austin" kind of faded away in my mind forever. We often referred to Austin as the "Velvet Rut" also. It didn't take much to get by and live comfortably here, and while it is becoming more and more expensive/yuppified. It is still relatively easy to get by out here.

I think the biggest challenge with squatting here is that literally everything is for sale. Even if you do find something abandoned, chances are they just haven't put the for sale sign out yet.

I'll keep an eye out for potential spots, if I see anything that looks like it might be feasible I'll get back to the boards here with the info.


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