BETHESDA, Md. (WBFF) — A $2.3 million home in one of Maryland’s wealthiest neighborhoods has become the latest test of the state’s ability to respond to squatting, exposing how legal gaps, slow court processes, and limited enforcement can leave communities waiting for action – even when ownership is clear and criminal complaints are filed.
The Bethesda case, now winding through Montgomery County courts, mirrors a pattern Spotlight on Maryland has documented statewide: Vacant homes, disputed occupancy, and neighbors caught between civil law and public safety concerns. Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy’s office said it cannot comment on this matter because “cases are pending” at this time.
Spotlight on Maryland has been tracking for months what neighbors, law enforcement, and property owners describe as a growing squatting crisis across the state. These cases typically unfold without a clear timeline for resolution and little explanation from authorities about what, if anything, will change…