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#48 Squatter Nightmare: 9-Month Battle to Reclaim A Property · Own More Doors

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_01: What's up, everyone?
• 0:02
  SPEAKER_01: Juan Weezart with another Own More Doors podcast.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_01: Today we have an exciting show.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_01: We're going to be talking about squatters.
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_01: I have Rob Casaris, good friend of mine here in the studio.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_01: And we have a nightmare of a story that we're going to be sharing with you guys.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_01: Rob, thanks for coming in today.
• 0:18
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks, Juan.
• 0:19
  SPEAKER_00: Thanks for having me.
• 0:20
  SPEAKER_01: Rob, so just kind of a quick quick introduction.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_01: You and I know each other.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_01: We're part of a business networking group here in Long Beach, Tippers.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_01: You've been a member for a long time.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_01: I've been a member maybe for seven or eight years.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_01: And it's been a good group.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_01: We have a group about, well, in our heyday, we were 60 to 75 business owners, and now we're probably, you know, close to 50, but but it's a really good group.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_01: So we've had a chance to get to know each other, build a relationship, work together.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_01: And you've been an insurance agent for a large reputable company for over 38 years, right?
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_01: And that's what you do for a living.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_01: Today, you're also a housing provider.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_01: Rob, um for the people watching the show, it's possible that they they may have seen you on our YouTube channel when we a month ago we released a video where it took nine months for the Los Angeles sheriff to come out and and do a lockout on tenants that should have never been in your building.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_01: But they broke in and and they just started living there.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_01: And they call the utility company and they they get the electricity turned on and they get the gas turned on, and they just move in like it's no big deal.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_01: And they don't care about paying rent, they don't care about three-day notices, they don't care about anything.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_01: So we went there.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_01: I took the camera crew, and what we showed was like the actual sheriff lockout of the squatters.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_01: What I saw, I you know, and I wasn't sure what to expect in this situation.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_01: I wasn't sure if the squatters had like ripped the doors off, I wasn't sure if they had ripped the cabinets off.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_01: But what I saw is couches, dishes in the sink, TVs hanging, the heater was on.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, they were living a normal, cozy life.
• 2:16
  SPEAKER_01: It's like uh no big deal.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_01: It's your property, Rob.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_01: It's no big deal.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_01: We're just gonna make ourselves comfortable here, and we really don't care that we're your tenant or not.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_01: Where we left off, Rob, in that video was the sheriff came, the lockout happened, they went in with guns, we were there with the locksmith, and we kind of wrapped up the video like, okay, that's that's it.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_01: You know, this was kind of a nine-month nightmare.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_01: You didn't receive rent for nine months.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_01: Um, there's really no punishment to these people, nothing happens to them.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_01: They they get to go do this somewhere else.
• 2:55
  SPEAKER_01: And I guess this is going to be part two on what happened later that day and what continues to happen now.
• 3:04
  SPEAKER_01: You want to walk us through um what ended up happening later that day?
• 3:08
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: Well, first of all, Juan, thanks for having me.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it's been great getting to know you through Tippers.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it is a great organization here in Long Beach, and and we're able to network and and help each other with situations like this, right?
• 3:24
  SPEAKER_00: So um, you know, it's this was all new to me, too.
• 3:27
  SPEAKER_00: You know, this is a brand new situation for me.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: Um, like most people that invest in property, you're you're doing it to, you know, obviously help your family, help your financial growth, right?
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_00: Uh you know, put another bucket in in your financial uh situation to help you with retirement planning.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_00: Um and so I had owned property before, right?
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_00: But I'd never owned property um in this particular area.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: I knew it was a slightly rougher area, right?
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_00: But it was like, you know, like every pl everywhere else, it's slowly being gentrified.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_00: And and so pre-COVID, everything had been going great, right?
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_00: So um I had some section eight tenants in there um over the years that I owned it.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_00: I think I acquired the property in gosh, I think it was 2005, right?
• 4:23
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and so you know, rents were lower than than you know market rents, but but uh I knew over time we would probably as as tenants moved out improve that situation and it was cash flowing, it was doing well, right?
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: Um we put some money in it, you know, uh it didn't require any much of it.
• 4:43
  SPEAKER_00: I worked with the city um and actually um we put some improvements because of some of the city grants that were available.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_00: Um so things were going fine, right?
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_00: And and then after COVID, when when you know the governor issued the the stay on basically uh rents, right?
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: That people could not didn't have to pay their rents, uh that's when that's when things started to kind of turn for the worst, right?
• 5:10
  SPEAKER_00: And so then we went through the eviction process, eventually uh moved some people out.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um that took a long time, right?
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_00: So there was a period of time I was not uh collecting rents at that point.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: The state did make some of that up uh through again some programs that were available to uh people that were struggling.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_00: Um and but eventually, you know, they fell behind again, and then I had to go through the eviction process.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: And as you know, that takes time, it takes money.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and and that's when the squatter situation happened, right?
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_00: So, so I don't know if it was nine months or 10 months.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: It's been a long time that we've been dealing with this.
• 5:51
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I've reached, I mean, my property manager, you know, went through the normal uh legal process, right?
• 5:59
  SPEAKER_00: So I thought this was gonna be something that, okay, in 60, 90 days we'll get we'll get these people out, right?
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but it just it it with the courts and everything, it's it's just a really delayed process.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_00: And in the meantime, you're you're having to pay all your all your costs.
• 6:16
  SPEAKER_00: I'm still paying my property manager, still paying expenses.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and so um it's it's just and I have to continue to pay my mortgage, right?
• 6:27
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, so you so as a la a property owner, you're just put in this position that it's really kind of helpless, right?
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, there's nobody there to help you.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: They're like you said, they're allowing people to just take over a property, right?
• 6:41
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and and again, you don't know what kind of damage they're doing, right?
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: Um, in fact, we lost one of the other units.
• 6:48
  SPEAKER_00: We went uh one of our other tenants moved out because of the conditions, right?
• 6:54
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I think she felt unsafe uh with these new squatters that had taken over two of the units.
• 7:01
  SPEAKER_00: And as you know, I mean, um, I've used a lot of different avenues.
• 7:05
  SPEAKER_00: I went to a company uh that helps in this situation with squatters.
• 7:11
  SPEAKER_00: Again, we we ran background checks on these people.
• 7:14
  SPEAKER_00: We don't even know who they are, right?
• 7:16
  SPEAKER_00: So you have to start from the beginning and basically let's find out who's who's who's in your unit, right?
• 7:24
  SPEAKER_00: If you can safely, right?
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_00: So with the property manager, we f we we went through that process, identified who they were, um, ran some background checks.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and then and then we we also went through the eviction process.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_00: So then we we finally get the legal eviction, and then that's when that's when uh you and I went when we we finally had the lockout, right?
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_00: So so since then, you know, when when you left and and and uh one of the one of the squatters pushed his way back in.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_00: I think you remember he kind of uh pushed the locksmith aside and said, This is my unit.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_00: And we were we were looking at things in the garage and really how do we dispose of some of this property?
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: Now, as you know, you've got to give them 15 days to recover their property, right?
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_00: And then if they don't recover it, then but that's that's a whole, you know, um that's kind of a whole bag of worms, right?
• 8:22
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, because you don't know, okay, how do you how do you let these people pick up their belongings if they're just gonna come back in and stay in the unit again?
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_00: How do you how do you physically get them out again, right?
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_00: Because the sheriffs aren't coming at your beck and call, right?
• 8:37
  SPEAKER_01: I mean No, and and for anyone who who hears this, kind of what I was surprised is the sheriff is there for one thing.
• 8:44
  SPEAKER_01: They're gonna get they're gonna allow the locksmith to pick the lock.
• 8:49
  SPEAKER_01: The sheriff goes in there with guns, they make sure that no one's in there, and then they leave.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_01: And then they leave.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_01: They're not there all day with you to kind of hold your hand or hey, what if they come back?
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_01: They leave.
• 9:02
  SPEAKER_01: And they don't necessarily want to come back.
• 9:05
  SPEAKER_01: In in even though in in your situation, the the the squatter came back, and at that moment that he was there, I don't know that we knew that he was the squatter.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_01: We like because we didn't really know who he was.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_01: You know, he drove in there and and um and tore the uh eviction notice off the door and said, I live here, and and went back in.
• 9:27
  SPEAKER_01: And then you tried calling, getting a hold of the sheriff, which even that was hard.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_01: It was hard to get through to the sheriff.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_01: It's so weird how they don't want you to call them.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_01: And then it was hard, then you waited hours for them to come back, only to be told that, hey, that squatter that just moved back in that we just um forced out earlier.
• 9:48
  SPEAKER_01: You're gonna have to go through the process all over again, is what they told you.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_00: Pretty much.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_00: That's that's that's kind of where uh you just go, okay, what just happened here, right?
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, so because they they provided a utility bill, right?
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_00: A utility bill from Southern California Edison that said that they they they were a legal tenant.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_00: Um and this is where the problem is lies too.
• 10:17
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we have our utility companies that without any authorization by the property owner or legitimate documentation that they are a tenant, they will turn on utilities um for anyone.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and so so because of that, Juan, I mean uh the sh the sheriffs that came out the second time, because they did come back out later that afternoon, um basically said there's nothing we can do at this point, right?
• 10:50
  SPEAKER_01: Because because he had a utility bill in his name, which is I mean, you know, when when I tell people the story, because I was really shooken up when I when I left on what had happened, and and I said, man, this could happen to anybody.
• 11:06
  SPEAKER_01: And I know that some people, you know, they're so anti-landlord, they're so anti-housing provider that they have this perception that you're some corporation, which you're not.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_01: You know, you own this with your wife.
• 11:19
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, you guys are the epitome of like mom and pa.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_01: You don't own thousands of doors, you know, you have this little fourplex, and you've been doing your best.
• 11:28
  SPEAKER_01: Um it's in great condition, you're providing good housing in an area that needs it, and then you're getting taken advantage of.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_01: Really, like someone's stealing your property is what they've done.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_01: And and the fact that this could be done so quickly and so easily, this could happen to anybody at any point.
• 11:51
  SPEAKER_01: And the sheriff doesn't seem to care.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_01: And they're gonna use the excuse of like, well, listen, like we're they're gonna say, Hey, this is unfortunate, but our hands are are tied, is what they're gonna say.
• 12:02
  SPEAKER_01: And then you talk to city council and they really side with, well, we don't want homelessness, but I'm thinking, is it your job, Rob, to solve the homeless homelessness problem?
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_00: No, absolutely not.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_00: It's not your job, yeah.
• 12:18
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely not.
• 12:19
  SPEAKER_00: And and you're right.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, for most people, I mean, I'm fortunate that I'm in a position that I can cover those excess costs, right?
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_00: But but it's it's a small business.
• 12:32
  SPEAKER_00: And and it's basically uh put us in a position where we're we don't, it's so much uncertain, we don't know what's gonna happen next, right?
• 12:41
  SPEAKER_00: So um I know that I'm hopeful.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I had to reach the one thing is I I started to say, okay, how do I how do I think outside the box and and who can who can help me?
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_00: So I went to my own city council in the city where I live, and I knew people on the city council.
• 13:00
  SPEAKER_00: And so I started talking to them and and they introduced me to the chief of police and and who had contacts with the sheriff department.
• 13:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and so they connected me with someone, a captain that's been really has really been helpful trying to help me with this situation.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_00: So now, since then, the sheriffs have been out numerous times.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_00: They know who these people are now.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_00: Um, they work with another department in another community department in in the sheriff's department that I'm actually waiting to hear.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I was supposed to hear back from uh someone from that department yesterday, so I'm kind of waiting.
• 13:41
  SPEAKER_00: I'll follow up.
• 13:42
  SPEAKER_00: But um, I'm hopeful they'll they'll say that look at the documentation that you had was legit.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_00: We will we will hope hopefully they'll go back in and we'll do a lockout, but this time with because of the trespassing notices, uh, that they're not able to return.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_00: If they return, they'll be arrested, right?
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_01: I you know what's frustrating when people hear this.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_01: I I think we're all thinking, why aren't they arrested now?
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_01: Why aren't they arrested now?
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_01: And and let me just add some context.
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_01: That day that we were there, we were there for two lockouts.
• 14:17
  SPEAKER_01: We got both lockouts.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_01: One guy did force his way back in and shut the door and forced his way back in.
• 14:25
  SPEAKER_01: That's what he did.
• 14:26
  SPEAKER_01: The the the other property was bordered up with plywood over all the windows, and then there was a um a security door, and not just any Home Depot security door.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_01: This was like thousand thousand dollar plus security door that no one could break in.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_01: And at some point after that lockout day, they broke back in.
• 14:50
  SPEAKER_01: So, where this all started was we had two squatters, we got the squatters out, the squatters are both back in again.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_01: And the one thing I haven't mentioned is Rob, you know, naturally so, you know, he's he's taking well now.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_01: We're a year into this of just no rent, complete loss.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_01: And and Rob has no choice but to call and say, Juan, can you just get it sold for me?
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_01: And we were hoping that after we got the first lockout, that that would be it.
• 15:17
  SPEAKER_01: And at this point, we've had to take the property off the market because nobody's gonna buy it with squatters.
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_01: Nobody, no one's gonna even touch the property.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_01: So um it's it's impacted the sale of the property, the value.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_01: I think it's got a stigma at this point, and it's just a problem.
• 15:36
  SPEAKER_01: It's a major problem.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_01: And they're still there, and they're living, you know, and I don't know if they go to work, Rob, or if they work or what they do, but they but they kind of come and go as in I have the right to be here.
• 15:45
  SPEAKER_01: And I don't know who in their right mind thinks that this is okay.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_00: You know what's even crazier is you know, one of them has all this gym equipment, you know.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_00: Um, he works out apparently on a regular basis.
• 15:59
  SPEAKER_00: Uh the two vehicles that we've identified, right?
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I don't know what year they're at, the year they are, but but they're uh they're reasonably late Cadillac models, right?
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 16:13
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I do understand from what they've told me that one does work, right?
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but I again I don't know what hours, where, or any any of that uh information.
• 16:25
  SPEAKER_00: And I really don't want to know at this point, I I just want to get them out of my property, uh, assess the damage, and hopefully there's not too much damage, and and uh um and then move on, right?
• 16:37
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, get it listed and and move on.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_00: And um I I think the tides are turning, you know, to some extent.
• 16:45
  SPEAKER_00: I think is if from my conversations with the sheriff's department, I mean they want to help.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_00: Um it's just that their hands have been tied, right?
• 16:56
  SPEAKER_00: Because of what our government officials have done.
• 16:59
  SPEAKER_00: So anyone listening to this, I you know, it can happen to anybody.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_00: Um, the fact that I've been in the insurance business and I've insured I I insured and have insured many, many commercial properties in my career.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_00: And uh this is impacting all of us here in Los Angeles County or in California for that matter.
• 17:21
  SPEAKER_00: And so um, you know, one of my clients who's a large property owner, he he's he he doesn't recommend to purchase property anymore in Los Angeles um because of these things, right?
• 17:34
  SPEAKER_00: And that's disheartening, right?
• 17:35
  SPEAKER_00: That because real estate has been the backbone, right?
• 17:39
  SPEAKER_00: And and I believe that we just need to to make the right changes, we need to have the political uh fortitude um to do things right, right?
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, you can't put this on the back of just hardworking people that are trying to get ahead, right?
• 17:57
  SPEAKER_00: Like I said, I'm I'm not only in, you know, I when you invest in a property, as you know, you take the risk, you know, and and you have to invest in that property, you have to follow, you know, the the law, right?
• 18:11
  SPEAKER_00: You have to, you know, tenants have a lot of rights and and and as they should, that's fine, but but these are not rights.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_00: These are not rights that anybody in in a um you know sensible, you know, situation would even consider.
• 18:26
  SPEAKER_01: And I want to be clear, you know, Rob, yes, tenants have rights.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_01: Um right now, this year, I'm the president of the apartment association.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_01: And uh when you're a a housing provider, you need the tenants, the tenants need you.
• 18:43
  SPEAKER_01: The state needs us, the city needs us, the city needs us to provide housing, right?
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_01: And we obviously need there needs to be demand.
• 18:52
  SPEAKER_01: The tenants do have rights.
• 18:53
  SPEAKER_01: Squatters should not have rights at all.
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_01: None.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_01: Squatters should not have rights, and that's kind of where we're at is that uh they shouldn't be treated and and the fact that they could make a bogus lease if they did, the squatters are are smart, they're like, Oh, if I have a utility in my name, I'm good.
• 19:12
  SPEAKER_01: It's so easy to just to go online and create a bogus uh lease agreement, that's not hard.
• 19:17
  SPEAKER_01: And and I guess that that that protect gives them extra protection.
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_01: Squatters should not have any rights, and what they're doing is stealing.
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_01: It's interesting, Rob.
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_01: Like I was thinking about this.
• 19:28
  SPEAKER_01: If someone comes to steal your bike today, you could call and and make a police report, and and hopefully the police does something about it.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_01: If someone comes and steals your property, which is essentially what's happened, there's nothing that's gonna get done.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_00: It's crazy.
• 19:43
  SPEAKER_00: It's uh I agree with you 100%.
• 19:45
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, they don't have rights.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_00: Um uh it's caused me a lot of sleepless nights, right?
• 19:51
  SPEAKER_00: Um, it's it's just very aggravating.
• 19:53
  SPEAKER_00: Like I said, I I just want to move on.
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_00: Um I again, I'm I'm hopeful, right?
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_00: Uh that's just that my nature to be positive and and and to hope that you know sanity prevails here, right?
• 20:07
  SPEAKER_00: That that uh you know again, people listening to you, Juan, and I appreciate you doing this because people need to know what's happening, right?
• 20:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_00: Uh and and this this is just not good uh for our our cities, our our states, um, and whether it's California, anywhere.
• 20:27
  SPEAKER_00: I mean we we've got to start protecting uh victims, right?
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_00: I'm a victim.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 20:34
  SPEAKER_00: And and and and we've stopped protecting victims in in our in our in our country, right?
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_00: In many ways, right?
• 20:41
  SPEAKER_00: And so um so yeah, I I hope uh that uh we can get this resolved quickly and and and it does that it doesn't happen to someone else because it is happening.
• 20:53
  SPEAKER_00: Um it's happening more than you think.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and and I know people are gonna say, well, hey, can't can't you hire that squat the squatter guy?
• 21:03
  SPEAKER_01: Like, you know, can't can't you go in there with some guys and some bats?
• 21:07
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I it can't end well.
• 21:09
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I saw these guys who who are the squatters who work out all day, who drive the Cadillacs.
• 21:15
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I it's probably not a good idea to go in there with, I mean, there there's no way to like muscle them out, is what I'm saying.
• 21:22
  SPEAKER_01: And I know I think from from an outsider perspective, you think that you could do that, but certainly the sheriff department doesn't want you doing that.
• 21:30
  SPEAKER_00: No, and and I did work with a a company uh called Squatter Squad, right?
• 21:35
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, uh, you know, they were they were great to work with.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I think they really empathized, they were trying to find solutions.
• 21:45
  SPEAKER_00: Uh we we strategized, we talked about ideas, but yeah, the the the days of uh of putting someone, you know, someone going in and and just squatting with the squatters, that's that's really not feasible, right?
• 21:59
  SPEAKER_00: Um And and then, you know, you've got to you've got to be very smart how you approach these situations with with these squatters because there's safety issues, right?
• 22:12
  SPEAKER_00: Um, even squatter squad, they have someone on their staff that's licensed to carry, right?
• 22:18
  SPEAKER_00: And is like a bounty hunter, right?
• 22:20
  SPEAKER_00: So uh has licenses to and and has experience in dealing with these kind of people.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_00: Um so you know, we were in that process.
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not saying that that process is something I wouldn't reconsider uh working with uh that particular company, but right now um I've I've gotten my some headway, you know, with the sheriff's department.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_00: And so um I'm gonna see where that leads me, right?
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I think that's that's where my cards are right now.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and and I'm just thinking when we get the lockout day, because that's gonna happen again at some point, and hopefully sooner than later, with the help that you're getting, uh you have to be worried that they're gonna come back again, whether it's them or their friends.
• 23:12
  SPEAKER_01: They're hey, just go back there, you could get a free year out of it.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_01: And we've seen them break back in, even when it's I mean, I that day you had contractors there, they're putting plywood, I mean, they are securing the heck out of it, and they still manage to get in.
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_01: And it's like, how are they not gonna manage?
• 23:32
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, I don't, you know, knock on wood, I don't want them to come in a third time, but it's when when's it gonna stop?
• 23:40
  SPEAKER_00: Well, I I kind of have a contingency plan, right?
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_00: To to have um someone that I'm I'm I will allow to live there, that's uh a friend, yeah, that will stay there, right, until we can get the property repaired and and then listed and and sold, right?
• 24:01
  SPEAKER_00: So um, you know, again, I shouldn't have to do that.
• 24:05
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but you're right.
• 24:07
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, uh we'll try to do everything to secure it, um, you know, going forward, right?
• 24:14
  SPEAKER_00: And and hopefully that I think that these squatters will get the the word that if, you know, because that property is now on the radar with the sheriffs, that hey, if you come back, we're gonna come and arrest you.
• 24:27
  SPEAKER_00: That's that again, I don't know that.
• 24:29
  SPEAKER_00: I don't know, but but I'm hoping that that's the strategy that that uh or the help that they're gonna provide.
• 24:36
  SPEAKER_01: You're right that it's happening more than we than we're told.
• 24:41
  SPEAKER_01: Um at this point, I've not heard of it happening in Long Beach.
• 24:47
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I recently sold, listed and sold a four-unit building in North Long Beach.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_01: They were all vacant.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_01: And this was after dealing with your incident.
• 24:57
  SPEAKER_01: And I and I told the owners, I said, you have to secure the building.
• 25:02
  SPEAKER_01: I'm like, it helps me that it's vacant because from a marketing perspective, the the the buyer wants that, right?
• 25:09
  SPEAKER_01: Because they're able to set a new rent, and all this is pressure because of um when they pass the rent control law.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_01: So, like, there's some of that is a domino effect for that, but all four units were vacant, and um luckily we were able to sell it and no one got in.
• 25:25
  SPEAKER_01: But in Long Beach, and I just think it's different in uh parts of LA, South LA.
• 25:31
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe it happens more there.
• 25:33
  SPEAKER_01: I just I and I'm not saying that it can't happen here.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_01: I saw what happened, how easy.
• 25:37
  SPEAKER_01: Someone could just go in and and you can't call the police, you can't call the sheriff.
• 25:40
  SPEAKER_01: Good luck.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_01: Now they're there, now you have to evict someone who's not paying, who's not your tenant.
• 25:45
  SPEAKER_01: This is kind of the worst part, you know.
• 25:46
  SPEAKER_01: I I tell people, um, you know, it's it's kind of the slogan that I like, Rob, is real estate, it's not get rich quick, it's get rich guaranteed.
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_01: And in the long run, you will get rich.
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_01: It does.
• 26:01
  SPEAKER_01: But this is one of those parts where it's not all easy.
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_01: And this is probably the worst part that someone could come in, steal, take advantage of you, and nothing they won't even be prosecuted.
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's that's frustrating.
• 26:16
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, you know, I can't focus on that piece of it though.
• 26:21
  SPEAKER_00: You know, for me, I mean, uh, I just want to get this handled.
• 26:26
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's frustrating.
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_00: It it like everything in life, it's a it's an experience, right?
• 26:31
  SPEAKER_00: Um, you know, when I listen to my wife Kelly about Robert, why don't you do this or why don't you do that?
• 26:38
  SPEAKER_00: I you know, and and I would like to do some of those things, right?
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_00: You know, like you said, would you like to just go in there with some, you know, a crew and just you know go the old school way, right?
• 26:51
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 26:51
  SPEAKER_00: Um absolutely, would I like to just shut off all the power or take out the circuit, you know, the pan electrical panels, right?
• 27:00
  SPEAKER_00: Um, but you know, realistically, that's not gonna help me solve the problem.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_00: I just I've just got to work with the system and hopefully the system starts to work for me, right?
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and and I think like I uh you know I advise this to everybody, you you know, we need to be, we need to have uh we need to be involved politically, we need to know our our legislators and and our and our city city council, and and we've got to work together.
• 27:32
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we we've got to work together to solve these problems because they're serious problems, right?
• 27:38
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and and and we all know the homeless problem is is a nightmare for California, right?
• 27:44
  SPEAKER_00: So um, but again, uh you know, we want we want a real estate market to be viable, right?
• 27:51
  SPEAKER_00: Again, I'm in the insurance business, right?
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_00: I want to insure properties, and that's a whole nother subject that we're gonna cover, right?
• 27:58
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, uh, is what's happening in the insurance uh industry in in in California and and nationally.
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_00: But um, yeah, this is this is something that you know again, I don't wish on anybody, right?
• 28:12
  SPEAKER_00: And and uh I I hope that one day I just look back on it and say, wow, I'm glad that's behind me.
• 28:18
  SPEAKER_01: Sure.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_01: Rob, um, and we'll end with this.
• 28:21
  SPEAKER_01: If there's um someone listening that that could help, is there would you like for them to offer you help at this point?
• 28:28
  SPEAKER_01: Someone who says, Hey, I know someone, or hey, I uh you know, let me make a call for you, or someone that could help in the situation where we're we're trying to get squatters out.
• 28:37
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, 100%, right?
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_00: 100%.
• 28:39
  SPEAKER_00: I I would be open to anyone that again has um you know an idea or or or just you know a connection with someone within the city or again within the sheriff's department.
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_00: Um again, we've we've gotten some help, but we can always use more help, right?
• 29:01
  SPEAKER_01: Well well, you've gotten help, but the problem's not solved.
• 29:04
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 29:04
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, they're still there as of right now.
• 29:06
  SPEAKER_01: They woke up, they're having their coffee.
• 29:08
  SPEAKER_01: And and less anyone think, you know, sometimes people think, well, they would be homeless otherwise.
• 29:14
  SPEAKER_01: Folks, I saw one of these people, muscular, tough looking guy.
• 29:22
  SPEAKER_01: He could easily go get a job.
• 29:24
  SPEAKER_01: This is not a guy that's going to be homeless if he got kicked out of here.
• 29:26
  SPEAKER_01: One of the guys has a job, just doesn't want to pay rent.
• 29:30
  SPEAKER_01: And so it's not like these people don't look like uh, in my impression, they don't look like they're on drugs, they don't look like they're disabled or handicapped or or they need uh free shelter.
• 29:46
  SPEAKER_01: They just look like someone who's taken advantage of the system.
• 29:49
  SPEAKER_00: No, uh 100%.
• 29:51
  SPEAKER_00: And and uh no, these are criminals.
• 29:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I mean, that's what you call them.
• 29:55
  SPEAKER_00: They're criminals, and uh um in fact, we because we did background checks, these guys have rap sheets, you know.
• 30:03
  SPEAKER_00: Uh they've been, you know, identified by law enforcement uh their whole entire lives, they've been in and out of jail their entire lives.
• 30:12
  SPEAKER_00: And again, this is where we're letting the criminal element um just wreak havoc on our society, right?
• 30:19
  SPEAKER_01: And and for anyone listening, I mean, if you have a house and there's a vacant house next to you, they could move in.
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_01: Because you might be thinking it's not happening in my backyard, but it could, because they're all gonna talk and say, you could do this anywhere.
• 30:35
  SPEAKER_01: They're not gonna force you out.
• 30:38
  SPEAKER_00: And and that's where people, you know, neighbors and I mean, they should be calling the police department, they should be calling the sheriff's department, they should be calling their city councilman, right?
• 30:48
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, the more people hear about this, the more it's it's you know, uh, again, it's the squeaky wheel, right?
• 30:56
  SPEAKER_00: And and and people have to start getting involved for the benefit of everyone.
• 31:01
  SPEAKER_00: Like you said, it can happen to you in your backyard.
• 31:04
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 31:04
  SPEAKER_01: Rob, thanks for coming on here and sharing your story.
• 31:06
  SPEAKER_01: It's it's not a nice story.
• 31:08
  SPEAKER_01: We, you know, listen, I I tell people, hey, invest in real estate and and you're not gonna regret it.
• 31:13
  SPEAKER_01: And it's made more uh millionaires than any other um industry out there, and all those things are true, but this is this is probably the worst part of of owning units, is is is having this problem.
• 31:25
  SPEAKER_01: So I hope to have you back on, Robin, and and I hope that in the future we could tell the story of like, hey, we got it sold, and then we ended up buying something else.
• 31:33
  SPEAKER_01: Obviously, we're not there yet, and it's currently off the market still.
• 31:37
  SPEAKER_01: Um, but thanks for for sharing your story.
• 31:40
  SPEAKER_01: It's it's not a good one, but hopefully we we could bring some change and involvement starts, like you said, with with with housing providers, with property managers, and everyone kind of coming together.
• 31:52
  SPEAKER_01: And and to your point, making a little bit of ruckus behind this, because this is not okay.
• 31:59
  SPEAKER_00: No, it's it's not okay, Juan.
• 32:01
  SPEAKER_00: And and again, thank you for you know give me a platform, right?
• 32:05
  SPEAKER_00: And and sharing this with your listeners, right?
• 32:09
  SPEAKER_00: And and I look forward to that day that that uh we have it listed and escrow closes.
• 32:14
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, awesome.
• 32:16
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Rob.
• 32:17
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.