Democratic Georgia State House candidate Mel Keyton faces a persistent battle against squatters who have illegally seized his $450K home, defying arrests and returning to wreak havoc on the neighborhood.
Mel Keyton, a Democratic candidate for the Georgia State House, has endured a relentless ordeal since squatters seized his $450K Atlanta-area home sometime before Christmas. Their brazen actions have escalated, leading to drugs, prostitution, and armed robbery in the neighborhood.
Keyton, who is also president of the Hampton Oaks Homeowners Association, has witnessed the squatters' latest intrusion as they broke into the house shortly after 1 a.m. on a recent morning. Police intervened and apprehended six individuals after locating a stolen car parked outside the residence. However, two received felony charges, while the remaining four faced trespassing charges.
Despite their release, the squatters persist in occupying the property, protected by the slow legal system that allows them to remain in the house. Keyton laments that "we have to get the police back involved, the city of South Fulton back involved, and we'll go through the same process again because they are trespassing."
The situation exemplifies the rampant squatting problem in Georgia, which has reached epidemic proportions. Bloomberg reported over 1,200 metro Atlanta homes have fallen victim to illegal occupation.
To address this alarming issue, Republican Governor Brian Kemp recently signed the Georgia Squatter Reform Act into law. It empowers property owners to seek damages from squatters and expedites the eviction process. Additionally, squatting has been criminalized as a misdemeanor, punishable by a year in jail and a $1,000 fine. Forging a fake lease can result in a felony charge.
Despite these measures, Keyton remains frustrated by the squatters' ability to circumvent the law, leaving him and his neighbors vulnerable. He emphasizes that "the property is supposed to be vacant" and that the trespassers are fully aware of this.
Keyton's predicament underscores the urgent need for stricter enforcement of anti-squatting laws and the provision of additional resources to law enforcement. Residents in affected communities demand protection from the scourge of squatting, which threatens their safety, property values, and quality of life.
