Florida is accelerating the laws governing the removal of squatters by sheriffs, bypassing lengthy and costly legal procedures in other states: The squatter must have unlawfully entered the property, must have already been asked to leave by the homeowner, cannot be a current or former tenant of the home, and cannot be an immediate relative of the homeowner looking to get them off their property. Anyone who causes $1,000 or more in damages while occupying a property can now face a second-degree misdemeanor. (Miami Herald)

7/2/2024