During his annual State of the State address, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he intends to clamp down on squatters.
On Sunday, Gov. Abbott called for stricter laws against squatters in Texas, citing the safety risk they impose on the public.
“Private property rights are a cornerstone of our values and legal system. It is against the law to live or stay on somebody’s property without their permission,” said the governor.
“We need stronger laws to immediately remove and prosecute squatters.”
Last year, the Texas Legislature began re-evaluating squatter rights in the state in the wake of growing social media posts showing homeowners having their properties overtaken.
In one instance, an elderly, disabled veteran from Tomball, near Houston, Roma “Joe” Whitten, had his home overtaken and was beaten and held prisoner after he tried helping out a vagrant.
In another story, a landlord in Meyerland, Houston, arrived at what was supposed to be her unoccupied property. Inside, a family of five was occupying the home, even presenting Giang with a copy of the purported lease contract. However, the lease did not list her or her husband as the property’s landlord.
Upon a subsequent visit to her house, Giang found the squatters had changed the locks. It was not until Houston detectives determined the lease was fraudulent that law enforcement directed the squatters to vacate the property.
State Rep. Angie Chen Button, who has been working alongside Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) to amend anti-squatter laws, thanked Abbott for focusing on the problem.
I’m looking forward to working with @TeamBettencourt to help address squatting. It was great to hear @GregAbbott_TX name this issue a priority because it not only threatens community safety, it impacts housing affordability and availability. #txlege https://t.co/GVx5PQPyCm
— Angie Chen Button (@AngieChenButton) February 3, 2025
Last year, Florida became the first state to ban squatter’s rights after Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law permitting property owners to remove trespassers without having to engage in a lengthy legal battle.
Under Texas laws, while short-term squatting is illegal, squatters possess certain federal and state protections that offer them a route to claim someone’s property.
A 2024 study from the National Rental Home Council highlighted Dallas as having one the highest number of squatting incidents in the country.