find the right building for a temp or a long term squat?

[JungleBoots]

So, there are plenty of abandoned buildings in plain view around me, factories, burned out homes, not so burned out homes, boarded up store fronts on all but desolate neighborhoods. some with locks but no one around to tend them (forclosures), some with owners but still abandoned buildings that said owners havent been fixing up or using in any manner, some buildings completely abandoned and left to rot, some buildings (especially factories around here) that might be missing a few walls but is otherwise structurally stable and un guarded.

Im just wondering... if i wanted to break into a building to use as a squat, what should i look for in and on the building to ensure i wont get arrested, stabbed by crack heads, or burried in rubble?

what kinds of things should i work to do once i find the right building to keep myself from getting arrested, stabbed or burried in rubble?

specifically:

What should i be ready to look for and do in an abandoned building to make it safe for anywhere from a day's stay to a month, if say im just holding out in a city i havent got any couches to surf or any squats already established to join in on?

and what should i be ready to look for and do in an abandoned building to make it safe for a season or several years if i plan on settleing down or setting up some sort of long term living in said building? (Aside from legal stuff... which ironically i understand better than the right place to set up shop.)

 

[Myechtatel]

i'm not a pro on this but maybe i can help. you want a building that's stable. would you rather go to jail or die? it's pretty simple. so look for a building that is not damaged(burnded, water-damaged, missing walls, etc.). to avoid cops and crackheads, go to the hardware store and get a lock. this will help for your safety and any legal disputes. if you're gonna be there a while, consider some cheap alarms(bells rigged to doors, windows, etc.) or even traps(reference Home Alone, haha). but seriously, most of it is gonna come down to your own priorities. If you're gonna stay there long term, try to find one that's not "hot". the more furniture you can get in there, the better and the more you can fix up the place, the better your case will be.

 

[MrD]

I would say that the hardest part is finding the right part of town.
It seems that the houses in "nicer" neighborhoods have bitchier neighbors and more likely to have cops come, but are generally safer from intruders.
Then houses in more run-down parts of town may be a bigger target for crack heads and the like..

Use common sense!

Talk to the neighbors, find out as much as you can about the house.
Most importantly, if you want to have a really legit, established squat, TALK TO THE FUCKING NEIGHBORS! Become their friend and let them know that you want to fix up the house, actually live in it, and make it your home, not just smoke crack and party...

 

[Myechtatel]

^true, i kinda got the vibe that there were no neighbors though. he said all the buildings around him are abandoned. i thought maybe he was in some ghost town in NOLA or something. but if there are neighbors, be as charming as possible! XD

 

[JungleBoots]

Detroit... just as bad if not even worse than Nola lul

there are some parts of town where there might be one occupied house within two or three blocks.

yeah, thats cool, with the advice given so far ive got a smorgous board of homes to choose from that ive already scouted out and what not.

What about for only like a week or a few nights to sleep in... just to have a roof over the head before heading out again, rather than for a long term committed squatt.

i dont really want to take up space in a shelter unless i have to. around here there are whole families kids and teens alike that take up room in the shelters so id rather leave those cots to them.

then again just chillin under a bridge might do too... but i figure its not as safe as wandering upon an unguarded unoccupied house.

 

[Myechtatel]

^yeah i've crashed in abandoned houses for a few nights before. just use common sense. if something looks dangerous, it probably is. and lock the door. get a tent if you don't already have one. i'd much rather sleep in a tent out in the woods than a shelter. then again, i'd rather sleep in a tent in the woods than in a house in a bed. XD but shelters suck IMO.

 

[EastCoast315]

If you have a hammock tent, and the squat your in has solid walls, setting that baby up with some corkscrew hooks isn't a bad idea. It's a quick bed in any house/woods area, and if the roof leaks, put the fly up too! That's only if you can hack sleeping in a hammock, I can't, it hurts my back.
As far as picking the right building goes, it's pretty city-specific it seems like. Of course, if you can pick locks (or if you're not afraid of some brute force [and there's no security system]) if you're in a seasonally touristy area, for a quick "pit stop" tourist cabins or beach shacks seem like they COULD be viable. Only in good circumstances though, that becomes a common sense issue.

 

[venusinpisces]

It has more to do with the neighborhood than anything else. Are there abandoned buildings in middle class neighborhoods in Detroit? If so, this may be the best option. The problem with installing locks in bad neighborhoods is that it's an automatic tip off that something valuable is inside, even if it isn't. The other option would be to find safety in numbers, by having a dozen or so people inhabit one building. The trouble with this is that you run the risk of armed home invasions as have been occurring in some of the organized squats in NOLA. Generally speaking, your average homeless crackhead is not all that dangerous, at least in my experience (there are exceptions). But gang members are a lot more so and if they see troops of white kids illegally occupying a building that could turn into a problem. So yeah, go to a nicer neighborhood if you don't want to deal with any of those scenarios. That's just my opinion.

 

[JungleBoots]

ah good tip venusinpisces.

in detroit there are alot of foreclosed homes all over... shit even mansion sized homes have been forclosed on around here... but most of them have realtors looking in on them and what not.

The issue i have with the forclosed houses in middle class areas is that i dont know what house is abandonded and what isnt... cept maybe if the yard looks like a fucking tick factory.

anyway... thanks everyone so far... yall been real helpful.