Squatters Plague Atlanta Neighborhood, Prompting Candidate's Call for Stiffer Penalties

Squatters have created havoc in Mel Keyton's Atlanta-area community, leading the Georgia House candidate to demand harsher penalties. Despite a new law criminalizing squatting, the problem persists.

Six months after squatters seized a nearly half-million-dollar home in Hampton Oaks, they made a brazen return, undeterred by the new Georgia Squatter Reform Act. Georgia House candidate Mel Keyton, who is also the president of the Hampton Oaks Homeowners Association, witnessed the incident firsthand, sparking outrage and a plea for stricter repercussions.

Keyton's neighborhood has been plagued by squatters, with over 18 properties falling victim to their unlawful occupation. The new law, which became effective last month, was hailed as a step in the right direction but is yet to make a significant impact. Squatters continue to treat the offense as a minor inconvenience, returning to properties even after being apprehended.

"They don't really think the law is going to affect them until they see real repercussions," Keyton told Fox News Digital. "I don't think anybody really is afraid of it right now."

The law aims to expedite the removal process and imposes stricter penalties, including up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine for squatting. However, Keyton believes the penalties need to be more severe to deter offenders effectively.

"Once you do a misdemeanor so many times, it's considered high and aggravated and then it could actually be a felony," he explained.

Keyton's experience reflects a broader issue in the Atlanta area, where predatory lending practices by corporations have contributed to the proliferation of squatting. These companies often lack a rigorous underwriting process, allowing individuals with poor credit to obtain mortgages. When the borrowers default, the properties become easy targets for squatters.

"95% of our problems come from these corporations who do lease purchase programs," Keyton said. "They really don't want to be in the business of being landlords, and it caused more harm than help to communities like mine."

Keyton believes that addressing this systemic issue requires holding corporations accountable for their predatory lending practices. He urged them to implement stricter underwriting processes and called on lawmakers to create regulations to protect vulnerable communities.

Meanwhile, homeowners like Keyton continue to endure the consequences of squatting, which has brought drugs, prostitution, and even armed robbery to their streets. They demand immediate action from law enforcement and harsher penalties to deter these unlawful occupants and restore peace and security to their neighborhood.