In a disturbing trend gripping Atlanta neighborhoods, squatters have seized control of over 1,200 homes, turning them into hubs of illegal activity and terrorizing nearby residents. The situation has escalated to the point where some homeowners feel helpless, resorting to desperate measures to protect their properties and communities.
According to reports from the National Rental Home Council (NRHC) trade group, brazen squatters have gone as far as establishing an illegal strip club on one of the properties they commandeered, adding to the growing list of concerns for locals. Matt Urbanski, who manages a local home-cleaning company, expressed his fear, stating, “I’d be terrified in Atlanta to lease out one of my properties.”
The gravity of the situation became painfully clear when one of Urbanski’s employees was shot while attempting to remove intruders from a property. Simon Frost, CEO of Tiber Capital Group, echoed these sentiments, citing incidents of unlawful occupants brandishing weapons and threatening neighbors, exacerbating safety concerns.