North Miami Police Rids Apartment Of Squatters
NORTH MIAMI (CBS4) -"Hello, police!" shouted a North Miami police officer Wednesday afternoon through an apartment complex door as he and other cops served eviction notices on "tenants" who police say have no lawful right to be in the building.
City spokesperson Pam Solomon said all 45 units in the beige complex at Northwest 125th street and 16th Avenue are occupied by "squatters." The building has been foreclosed. The city says people have simply moved into the vacant apartments, claiming them as their own.
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"They identify the vacant apartments, they break the locks and place their own locks on the doors and just gain entry and set up shop," said North Miami police Major Neal Cuevas.
People at the building police swept down on Wednesday shied away from CBS4 News, some hiding their faces from the camera. Some said they were "visiting" friends at the building.
North Miami has launched an effort to empty out and clean up foreclosed complexes that have been taken over by squatters. So far the city has identified four buildings and hundreds of units that have been illegally occupied.
Yako Heredia of KW Property Management says the illegal takeover of units in foreclosed properties has become a major issue "all across Miami-Dade and Broward counties."
"They just break the locks and take possession of the apartments," Heredia said. "Obviously they know the law and know we can't do anything unless we get the police involved.
North Miami police have gotten involved calling it a public safety issue – that among the squatters are gang members and drug dealers.
"It's to help clean up the city, help keep North Miami safe and secure our buildings," said spokesperson Solomon.
If squatters are capitalizing on foreclosed buildings, so are scammers.
North Miami police arrested Benthola "Benzoe" Sincere Monday. They have charged the 27 year-old with grand theft in an alleged scam that saw him posing as a property manager, taking deposits and rent from people and moving them into units at a foreclosed building.
North Miami police and code enforcement officials have given the allegedly unlawful residents two weeks to pack up, get out, and find a legal place to live. The city, United Way and other agencies will offer assistance to those who request it.
With the foreclosure mess expected to get worse before it gets better, officials expect to see more surreal scenes of squatters laying unlawful claim to properties.
