starting a squat

[SneakyPaws]

Hey friends!
So my roommates and I have about 15 days until we need to find, clean and inhabit a space.
The current plan is squatting, but none of us have ever started one,
We're out in Seattle, just curious if anyone has any tips, tricks, ideas
Any help would be super appreciated.
!!!

 

[bob freaky]

yeah, find a house that no one has lived in for a while and foreclosed. Maby make up some fake lease papers find out what bank or person owns the house. Pick the lock, low damage,so no breaking and entering charges you can say it was unlocked then change the lock. Then get mail sent there, get a lot of your things in there and turn on the electric water you can turn on with a wrench if locked cut the lock and replace it with the same brand of lock. Paint the house make it look better than it was mow the grass ect.. make friends with the neighbors chances are they would rather have the place looking nice and occupied. A government owned abandoned building works too but needs more work. But you could open a cafe,have concerts or movie theater if you have more space.

 

[trenwren]

I just picked up a 'zine at an A-bkfair last weekend called "Survival Without Rent." I'm living in a house right now, and I don't exactly need to know this stuff (although I may someday and, at the very least, it's an interesting read), so I don't really NEED it right now. So I could send it to you if you pm me with a mailing address (p.o. box or whatever). It's 54 pages long, and it seems pretty thorough.

 

[ProfessorX]

I would keep a low profile. Try to pick a building where you will not be noticed, or where people are used to homeless people walking around the neighborhood. The first thing you will need is a squat door. The best place to have this is at the back of the building. Try to disguise your squat door so it does not look like the building has been broken into. You might need to go through a chain link fence sometimes. If you cut a hole in the fence, put a new piece of fencing over the hole which can be move so it looks like the fence has been repaired. If the building has a working door try to go in through the window and get the door open. If the building is boarded try not to remove to many boards and put back boards when you can. You can also put boards on hinges so you can swing them open.

 

[coolguyeagle76']

What happened to the cat haus?

 

[WapatoGreyer]

Oh hey Caitlyn (I still have no idea how to spell your name)! I logged in to try to look around for some ideas about housing and finding a name for our new community center and I saw this entry, and didn't realize it was you. And then I felt stupid. Yeah we need to find somewhere to lice .. I mean live. Not lice. mehhh parasites

 

[BanMatt]

One does not simply just walk into Mordor...

 

[WapatoGreyer]

Our landlord is nuts -- assaulted Christopher with a rake when he was documenting her boarding up the skeleton house. She'd called the cops and they just laughed at her. Later when we were filing a report to them, they came (we hadn't asked them to but they did anyway) and put her in cuffs, and told us they'd had issues with her for 12 years and have had to mace her before. So that night we sent her an e-mail telling her we were moving out at the end of the month. Woooo. Actually, I'm excited to get our of here. It's been pretty stressful and everyone's looking forward to starting up a community center. It's just really cold here now and we don't know where we're going to live..

 

[catingeorgia]

anyone know how to start a squat in an industrial setting and beat the trespassing charges?

 

[coolguyeagle76']

i love you all! come live with me in florida! the weathers better to winter up!

 

[outskirts]

You might need to go through a chain link fence sometimes. If you cut a hole in the fence, put a new piece of fencing over the hole which can be move so it looks like the fence has been repaired.

Another good trick with chain link fences is to just cut the lower wires that hold the fencing to the poles.
Do it to about two poles, and only do the lower wires on the poles, no need to go more than half way up.
You'll then be able to just lift the chain link between the two poles and easily crawl or roll under the fence.
It's very low profile

 

[Tiphareth]

Hey, I know of a cool little spot in Seattle around Capitol Hill, I live in Capitol Hill (in an apartment this time around ;-) ) and I can probably go check it out. The main problems are no running water or electricity, but if you have candles and a flaslights it's pretty nice, two rooms, underground.

I want to check it out first because I left when it was still "chill" to squat there, the other person who stayed there with me made the mistake of inviting people he just met to party with him and the place got filled with junkies.

I'll PM you when I come back.

 

[Gudj]

1. Find Foreclosed home
2. Enter stealthy and change locks.
3. Move in, meet your neighbors and say you are the new renter.
4. Check often on the status of the foreclosure and see when it goes to auction and such.

...typed from my nice new house.

 

[sons of vipers]

This thread is relevant to my interests...

 

[Heron]

1. Find Foreclosed home
2. Enter stealthy and change locks.
3. Move in, meet your neighbors and say you are the new renter.
4. Check often on the status of the foreclosure and see when it goes to auction and such.

...typed from my nice new house.

high fucking five.

 

[outskirts]

4. Check often on the status of the foreclosure and see when it goes to auction and such.

You have any tips on how to go about #4?

 

[Gudj]

Foreclosed Homes | ForeclosedHomes.com and check with the bank.

 

[Wolfeyes]

Damn that page is slow...

Round here, he have quite a few houses that are outright abandoned. Owned clean and clear, decided to sell by owner, moved elsewhere and just left the house to rot. They should be safe to squat in until the taxman comes around, and that can take years if they can't find the actual owner.

 

[Lizzzzz]

sounds legit. what about turning on water/electricity without having a bill sent? i've heard of people doing that with squats but i don't know how...

 

[Gudj]

sounds legit. what about turning on water/electricity without having a bill sent? i've heard of people doing that with squats but i don't know how...

Water is usually as easy as opening the valve usually near the sidewalk infront of the house, but is illegal.
Electricity is a little more difficult and also illegal. I don't know the details on that as I pay for electricity.