starting a squat

[TimMaschok]

A friend and I revived Homes Not Jails San Francisco a couple of years back and started a website - http://www.homesnotjailssf.org. Under FAQ's there is a lot of information on how to start squats, and in Links there are a number of links to squatting related websites. Please let me know if you have any questions and I will be happy to answer them the best I can.

 

[dprogram]

I'm a former real estate agent who specialized in foreclosures. I like what Gudj said. Find any generic lease agreement online and you can even make an addendum that says in lieu of payment you are renovating the property. Get utilities on and make a few improvements. Nearly every bank will offer you what's called "Cash for Key's" to move out in 30 days rather than go through the very expensive eviction process. So even if you do get asked to leave you can get paid anywhere from $500-$2000 to simply move out. I know because I had to do this all the time and often thought the people there were lying about not squatting but still offered CFK's b/c either way it sucks to move. Seriously this would be the easiest and most legal way to squat without getting busted. You can even ask the real estate agent to give you more if it's a small amount like $500. I know b/c I did this when my landlord got foreclosed on while I was paying freaking rent. I got everyone in my building $1000. Good luck!

 

[dprogram]

If anyone has any questions on how to do this easily just ask. I'm not an agent anymore so I can't get in trouble for any advice rendered. =)

 

[plagueship]

well if anyone can make it to new england and wants to garden and swim check my thread in the 'projects' forum...

 

[Storm Smokes Rocks]

See i was living with a friend and her mom here in pittsburgh and her mom has decided she doesnt want me there anymore. As careless as i am about sleeping in alleys and shit ive planted this really cool record store job and i really dont want to just hop on a bus with my tail between my legs by giving this gig up. So thats why im asking advise on exactly how does one start there own squat? certain things like what to watch out for, locations that are not going to be suspecious, and just how would i go about doing all this. Or if anyone knows any squats between the city of dormont, or mt.lebanon PA, that would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Beegod Santana]

How do you start squatting? You start sleeping and living someplace you're not supposed to. If you need more advice there's this cool website called "squat the planet" where you can look through the "squatting and alternative housing" section for advice and experiences.

I love this notion people have that in every city in america there's Anarchists holding down multiple long term squats just looking for anyone with a black t-shirt and punk rawk hair to move in. Squats tend to be dirty, utility-free places that half the time are more trouble than just crashing out under a bridge. You wanna live this hipster vision of modern squatting, go to europe where there are actually laws protecting squatters.

 

[acrata4ever]

live at your work. i had a gf fill up the warehouse i was livin in with crackheads, so i would go sleep at work on the floor of the showroom. eventually i settled out with my landlord and the sherrifs dept came and got the crackheads out. theres been alot of times i had to sleep at work. this is why having a good work record and references is good. and no criminal history because then you can work your way up to shop foreman and can be trusted with the keys.

 

[Earth]

out here, actually just across the river - there's quite a few crumbuling industrial buildings which are available for 'cold storage' type uses. Cheap, and I mean CHEAP!! Crazy cheap... couple of friends got a big studio / practice space legally rented for like $240.00 a month - split at least 4 ways - and it works...

Another common thing right across from where I'm at is folks camp out on the river. It's seculded enough, and as long at they ain't littering there ain't no problems - especially since I am the caretaker of the waterways, a volunteer river clean-up and wildlife monitoring / rescue gig I do year round - so I'm actually sympathetic to those who choose to live in nature, again as long as they respect nature. Before the Maybrook (freight service) Line came to an end, this area was considered a major hobo's stop - because it was conveinant (places to squat, the river for washing, etc...) but once the developers came in, out went the rabble. Kinda like what happened tin the Lowe East Side on NYC once Rudi became mayor...
But my #1 piece of advice to you is this: make sure you ain't doing anything that's gonna bring down the heat on ya. Don't pollute or vandalize anywhere near your squat - no matter how cool it seems - it pisses of those who don't get it...
Find a good place, and act as if you belong there. Treat it as your home, maybe even fix things up / clean up the area if possible...
Good Luck !!

 

[treatment]

Find a house that looks like the owners are probably friendly. Then sit outside (across the street is bestest for security culture reasons) until they leave for work/grocery shopping/whatever just make sure nobody's home. Then go kick in the back door, change all the locks, hang a black flag from the flagpole, and if they try and get in just throw beer bottles and scream "SQUATTERS RIGHTS" at them.

 

[acrata4ever]

find an abandon place pretend you work there wear a green shirt, or a jumpsuit, clean up pick up trash. carry lots of realtor cards steal a snipe sign from the same realtor. put it out in the day. the police come knockin strap on your toolbelt and hand them the card act busy talk about how your sick to death of re-boarding the windows because of the crackheads breakin in. a uniform a real one not a black blockers commands respect. i wear keys on a yellow lanyard around my neck. no matter where i go people think i work there. i even have fun with it when people ask where they can find this or that in stores i say: HOW THE FUCK SHOULD I KNOW? then they get really fuckin mad WHATS YOUR NAME! IM REPORTING YOU TO YOUR SUPERVISOR! and i say: i really dont give a flyin fuck lady today is my last day as a stockboy. fun fun fun have fun.

 

[Gudj]

Search before posting.
http://squattheplanet.com/threads/starting-a-squat.6973/

There is a lot more information on the topic scattered around here. Look it up.

 

[robbaked]

It's going to be hard finding something around Dormont or Mt Lebo, but i've squatted in some places in the south side and around station square. Those aren't there anymore but if you search good enough it shouldn't be hard to find one in that area. My experience was the law was lax with it too.

 

[Pheonix]

you start a squat by hiring a real estate lawyer to file all required paperwork to start an adverse possession claim. then you look for a place to call home. when you find your million dollar mansion you break in and change the locks and move in. if and when they legally evict you you just look for a new mansion and move to your new home.

 

[TheUndeadPhoenix]

how does one start there own squat? certain things like what to watch out for, locations that are not going to be suspecious, and just how would i go about doing all this.

Step one: Find Abandoned building
Step two: Watch said building for a week, see if there's any foot traffic in and out (sleeping by the door you wanna break into works good)
Step three: Find a door that's covered in some way (covered scaffold, ton of weeds, long enough corridor into it)
Step four: This is the MOST important step. Find a way to break in silently and cleanly. No boots to the doors, not rocks to the windows. Either pick the lock or break it.
Step five: Check to see if the roof is open. Sometimes I've found places with locked roofs. You should probably come back with blot cutters if its locked
Step six: Check for anything that would give signs of humans. Billboards, power to the building, etc.
Step seven: Find a way to lock the place off, at least your part, from the outside. When homebums find that shit, they're gonna try to steal your shut
Step eight: Throw down your pack where you wanna sleep
Step nine: Always. ALWAYS. Be on the look out for cops. At least for the first month. And make sure nobody sees you coming and going, unless its already a well established squat

I found a squat in West Hollywood, followed those principals and found a door that was unlocked, it was just blocked by a scissor gate. Broke the lock clasp. Turned out there was a billboard with power on it. A couple of us charged our phones on it. Was only there for a week til I bailed

I know Mount Leb is way south of me, but I know a couple places here in Wilkes Barre I wanna get into, including one that's already cracked

ALSO, to the guy above me, PA law says you must occupy the place for 21 years til you can claim adverse possession.

Oh, and clean the place up, cuz it probably has pigeon shit everywhere. I've seen squats where the cops actually applaud some of the guys for doing that and even give them money when they seen the spanging. PA isn't like that though. Spanging is supposed to be illegal, but I still got like $10 from cops in Philly. Not all at once though

Hope my ramblings help Inbox me if you wanna know about these places here in north east PA

 

[Storm Smokes Rocks]

thanks that really does help me atleast get a better idea of what to look out for and everything

 

[marc]

if your plannin on staying there long term start getting mail sent to you as soon as possible and when you clean shit or fix stuff up take before and after pictures. if you have the money get the water or gas turned on for a month just so you have legit documents with your name and the address on it. and if the cops show up show them all that shit and theres a good chance you wont goto jail for trespassing. if they ask for your lease either tell them you cant find it or there was a oral agreement that as long as you fix the place up you can stay there rent free

 

[TheUndeadPhoenix]

Also, Paradise Squat in electric turned on. They hacked that shit

 

[Storm Smokes Rocks]

ya i mean honestly i dont know if it'd be permenent or not depending on whatever happens but id like to establish a place to crash atleast till the end of winter and could have some money saved up..maybe

 

[TheUndeadPhoenix]

If I were you, I would go to Cali. Pennsylvania sucks for spanging.

 

[steviemack]

..you can look up adverse possession for whichever state your in, i know each state has different laws on it, most are 10 years and you can wind up getting the title to the land or home.