Squatting in Los Angeles | Squat the Planet

Squatting in Los Angeles

Brother X

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Oddly enough, I'm visiting friends in Pacific Palisades and my friend who lives here was pointing out all the vacant, newly built luxury houses sitting vacant. Apparently, they're having trouble selling/renting them. He mentioned that people were squatting several. Anyway, I'm assuming you know the ropes re: fake leases and pirate utilities. The neighborhood I'm referencing is the hills where Sunset Blvd. T's into Hwy 1.
 

LAchick

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Oddly enough, I'm visiting friends in Pacific Palisades and my friend who lives here was pointing out all the vacant, newly built luxury houses sitting vacant. Apparently, they're having trouble selling/renting them. He mentioned that people were squatting several. Anyway, I'm assuming you know the ropes re: fake leases and pirate utilities. The neighborhood I'm referencing is the hills where Sunset Blvd. T's into Hwy 1.




Yep. Thats the neighborhood. Plenty of em. However I was very interested in taking things a different route. Legally. I want to start paying the delinquent property taxes. Is there anyway we can chat? Id like to talk to someone in detail also your friend who may know the area and can help me with a few things
 

Brother X

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Yep. Thats the neighborhood. Plenty of em. However I was very interested in taking things a different route. Legally. I want to start paying the delinquent property taxes. Is there anyway we can chat? Id like to talk to someone in detail also your friend who may know the area and can help me with a few things

Not sure I can help you. I don't know the laws re: delinquent taxes, etc. If you DM me the questions, I'll pass them along to my friend.
 

Brother X

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If u dont mind me asking - how did your friend set up their squat and how long have they been in the property so far?

You misunderstood. My friend does not squat. He lives in this neighborhood and during a hike was just pointing out to me the many vacant buildings and the ones which were being squatted.
 
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Matt Derrick

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Matt Derrick

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He specifically said "people were squatting several"

okay, i missed that. perhaps they'll chime in on your question then.
 
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FrumpyWatkins

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I hope so. Not too much info on here about squatting surprisingly

Honestly it isn't something that is openly discussed very often because of the nature of it, talking about something that is generally frowned upon and often illegal is how places get shut down. Especially in California after some of the higher profile semi well known "squats" being shut down after that fire in Oakland.

High property value cities like Los Angeles are often difficult to find suitable locations to squat in undisturbed for long periods of time, due to the demand for dwellings. Also many of the developers and owners of properties do not want people living in them illegally and will go to great lengths to stop you.

With the building boom going on there now are there excess unoccupied properties? Yes.

Would trying to pay back taxes on a newly constructed but unoccupied property be a good idea to try and take possession of said property be a smart decision? No, the market could shift at anytime and you'll have spent money trying to take over the structure and be out of luck because they'll have found a buyer before you legally take possession.

Would trying to pay back taxes on a older, but unoccupied property be a good idea to try and take possession of said property be a smart decision? If you have money and time, sure this sounds like a great way to score a super cheap home. Unfortunately this is very hard to pull off in major cities with high property values. No one is going to let something worth a pretty penny slip away to someone who went to an adverse possession realty scheme seminar at an airport hotel. People have better luck forging deeds and locking the whole thing up in civil court for years or decades.

Why gamble? Try a clandestine hostile takeover. Perhaps you'll get lucky and find somewhere no one will eventually show up at.

LA is tough. There are a lot of people living in what would be deemed "illegal housing" most aren't living there by choice, most are immigrants renting off slum lords who take advantage of them. If you're looking for something more than just an abandoned building to sleep and party in, your best bet is to find a property not on the market, and not recently foreclosed, that you can literally take over (gain entry, remove evidence of entry, change locks, secure, establish presence (mail, keys, etc.), do ZERO damage, don't leave 211 cans all over, and pray no one shows up to try and evict you.

Very few places have "squatters rights" or allow them to be held up in a court (because of corporate greed) and even if you do make marked improvements to a property over a period of time (the underlying concept behind most "squatters rights"), the "rightful owner" will still try and destroy you in civil court, if the cops don't drag you out first.
 
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LAchick

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Great stuff. Very informative. I dont think anyone is silly enough to believe they can start paying taxes on a new construction and it sit for the five year mark undisturbed. And we all know its a gamble whether its new or old. Thing is - according to Real estate law in California if you have paid the taxes then before the property is sold they must be paid back to you plus 1.25 percent (or something like that) so no you don't loose. You just may not gain the home.

I found a potential. An off the grid foreclosure that is not on the market. Been sitting for awhile and banks cant sell at the moment. Cant say adverse possession can be started but maybe some time on the property can happen.
 
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FrumpyWatkins

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Great stuff. Very informative. I dont think anyone is silly enough to believe they can start paying taxes on a new construction and it sit for the five year mark undisturbed. And we all know its a gamble whether its new or old. Thing is - according to Real estate law in California if you have paid the taxes then before the property is sold they must be paid back to you plus 1.25 percent (or something like that) so no you don't loose. You just may not gain the home.

I found a potential. An off the grid foreclosure that is not on the market. Been sitting for awhile and banks cant sell at the moment. Cant say adverse possession can be started but maybe some time on the property can happen.

People are silly enough to think they can do this all the time. Some of these silly folks have even gotten away with it.

Yes you MAY eventually be rewarded your tax payments by a court, you'll also have to hire an attorney and pay any associated costs, ultimately resulting in a loss, if you're even given them back. We're talking years. The problem with a lot of these laws relating to property possession and the practice of such laws, is you get totally steamrolled by people with money and their attorneys all of whom are closely associated with the necessary courts and make up the institution as a whole, outsiders and shit stirrers are unwelcome. From the outside it's like "oh see the law says x" when in reality, in court it is a different outcome, much like the criminal justice system.

My point is, most people looking to reside in a vacant home don't have the financial resources to go to war in most cases and tap out.

That's great you have a promising lead, take all the necessary precautions, and remain calm in the face of opposition.
 
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LAchick

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Im nervous about it. Ive done condos before but never a foreclosed home. Im taking my time with this. May even take months. Been watching it closely. I took down the no trespassing sign and put small pieces of paper in the door to see if anyone comes and goes. I try not to visit the property too often as not to cause suspicion. Ive already been seen by a neighborhood but I just played it like I was taking pictures of the scenery (it overlooks a canyon).

Im still not 100% comfortable with the part where I enter the property. Im thinking of listing it on Craigslist and being "Craigslist scammed" if anyone questions how I got keys. Thoughts?
 

Brother X

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How does he know which ones are being squatted?

He's talked to some of the people inhabiting the buildings. Anyway, I've told you all I know so I'll wish you good luck in your endeavors.
 
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FrumpyWatkins

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Im still not 100% comfortable with the part where I enter the property. Im thinking of listing it on Craigslist and being "Craigslist scammed" if anyone questions how I got keys. Thoughts?

No this is unwise and you are over thinking it. Do not create any digital footprint relating to your specific project details (like a fake posting), and lying about being craigslist scammed will just result in them not finding any relevant craigslist posting if you don't make one, that is if they were to investigate. Chances are they wouldn't give a shit how or why you got there, just that you are there.

The following is for the most part illegal activity/advice, be smart. This is advice for a potentially successful long term hostile takeover. If this were just some bando, I would say just walk inside.

Your best bet is to gain entry through a window or a door, this may involve damaging something that needs to be replaced. This period is critical between gaining entry, masking/repairing your entry, and changing ALL the exterior locks. This could be the difference between breaking and entering/burglary/prowling and trespass/criminal trespass or vice versa, or whatever relevant criminal codes apply in your jurisdiction.

Another thing to consider, like any good burglar would, is there an active alarm system. Even though the property is vacant and foreclosed, the bank or creditors still sometimes don't mind paying the extra bucks to continue the use of one of these. Easy way to find out? Go at night, sometime relatively early after dark, not early AM, and stealthily see if you can open a window (like a rear or side one). If you are able to open the window (or door), open it to its maximum range to trip any sensor, wait 30 seconds, close it, and walk away. Find a reason to be down the street, walking a dog is good, see if the police come by. Chances are there isn't an alarm, but you never know. If there is, find a new project.

If you can't force a window, you may have to get dirty and physically get inside (prying a door, breaking a window, drywall tunnel, etc.). If you are faint of heart and a law abiding citizen I would not recommend this. This is indefensibly a burglary if you are caught before you can clean up your mess.

There are all types of other home defense alarms, the chances of encountering an active one in a long vacant house are slim, but it is possible. There are also sometime fires alarms interconnected with these, don't fuck with smoke detectors if there is a integrated fire alarm system (often times a massive wall mounted red box in the basement/utility area, usually in larger buildings)

When I decided it was safe to enter (probably another evening) I would go in at night (through your tester spot if applicable) and sleep on the floor out of view (closet?) until the following morning (on a weekday), having everything I needed to change the locks and mask my entry point if need be with me. Don't do anything overnight, no lights. I would set to work like any worker would sometime after 9AM (it is LA, so maybe 11) and clean up any mess I made getting in, do any repairs, and change and test all the locks, and lock ALL the windows. Then I would casually leave and return at a later date.

Once you possess keys I would start showing up at random times and just going inside, and waiting, observing the outside. Even if people see you going in, they are too concerned with their lives, maybe you're a realtor, or a worker. It's not that serious. Don't act like you're doing anything you shouldn't be and people tend not to think you are. Do this at normal business hours.

After that I would assess the situation on a case by case basis of how much I really wanted to settle into this location. Do not run if you happen to encounter someone attempting to gain entry when you are inside, you'll only arouse more suspicion. I would be especially sketched about driving or leaving any vehicle connected back to me here or near here as well AT ANY TIME. Another thing to think about is don't dress like you are on tour with Left Over Crack when conducting any clandestine operations.

If you are to encounter anyone once you've gotten control of the building, it's up to you to see what you could pull off telling them. I personally like reversing the script and asking what they think they are doing there. There are all sorts of things you could say depending who shows up. The police legally can't force their way into the building, that doesn't mean they won't, they're just not supposed to. So don't answer the door if they arrive at some point. Encountering anyone before successfully gaining control looks pretty bad and chances are you're up shits creek and probably should move on.

If you chose to move in and actually dwell here and someone comes to tell you to get out. Tell them it is your house and you live here, you have keys, and hopefully at this point, other things tying you to the house. You do not legally have to disclose who your landlord is or how you got possession of the house. The police, if involved, will try and tell you that you have to, and blah blah blah, and maybe even force you. Keep reminding them that this is a civil matter, whoever wants you out has no paperwork with your name on it saying you are a tenant, and therefore you must be removed by a judge. It is very easy to cave to police pressure. But if everything goes good, you'll eventually be summoned to civil court, to prove it's your house. Postpone this and drag it out. Hopefully none of that will apply to you and you can live there without having to deal with that.

Bring others in to live with you too, power in numbers, free housing for everyone. End homelessness, wrench the system.
 
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LAchick

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Ok. Went to the spot last night. Took ur words to heart. Hollywood hills is very scary at night. No way imside at all. The tiny piece of paper I left in the door to see if anyone comes in and out is gone. I think ppl come check the house. Should I abort? Im thinking about moving on to a property in auction or pre foreclosure
 

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