DALLAS — A new Texas law aimed at speeding up the removal of squatters took effect Thursday, changing how eviction cases move through the courts and sparking debate between property owners and housing advocates.
The law, Senate Bill 38, does not make squatting a criminal offense. Instead, it restructures the civil eviction process to move cases involving unauthorized occupants more quickly.
While SB 38 changes the civil eviction process, a separate Texas law already in effect criminalizes the use of fake documents to unlawfully occupy or control a property…