Rob Casares bought a four-unit complex in South Los Angeles about 15 years ago. It was an investment and a way to provide housing in his community. Over the past three years, squatters broke into three of his units at different times. By the time the last one was removed — a process that took nearly a year — Casares told Spectrum News that the combined damage and lost rent had cost him six figures.
When he finally got back into one of the units after a December eviction, he found a shattered rear glass door, a dismantled lock, graffiti on the walls, and piles of trash. The eviction itself required multiple court dates, three failed attempts to serve papers in person, and a default judgment before he could legally change the locks.
What Casares learned the hard way is something most California landlords don’t find out until it’s already too late: standard landlord insurance wasn’t built for this situation. The costs that pile up during a squatter occupation — lost rent, legal fees, court costs, property damage — fall almost entirely outside what a standard policy covers.
Why California Is So Hard on Landlords
In California, once someone is living in your property — even without a lease, even without paying a dollar — removing them requires going through the court system. You cannot legally change the locks, shut off the utilities, or remove their belongings without a court order. Doing any of those things exposes the owner to fines and civil liability under state law…