One neighbor named Jacob said he’s aware of more than a dozen homeless people occupying one home along the 3000 block of west Commerce street.
SAN ANTONIO — Neighbors living west of downtown San Antonio say they’re fed up with homeless people taking over abandoned homes.
“I just don’t feel safe anymore, not even here,” said Lydia, who didn’t want her face shown on camera.
Lydia and her husband have lived in the Prospect Hills community for almost a year. She’s observed vandalism and suspected vagrants moving into abandoned homes, leaving trash around the community.
The 3000 block of west Commerce is a prominent area where have neighbors have seen at least two homes where more than a dozen homeless people have sought refuge.
“They’ll come and they’ll leave but as soon as they see the cop is driving away, they’ll come back inside,” Lydia said. “Make it so the owners are a little bit more responsible. Maybe add some plywood on the windows.”
Another neighbor named Jacob has lived in the area for decades. He claims it’s only become worse in terms of the presence of homeless people, including those living in abandoned properties. He said calling the authorities has led nowhere.
“At night, you can see them walking up and down the neighborhoods,” Jacob said. “They come in and move in. Electricity, no electricity, water, no water, they just move in and make themselves at home.”
Attorney Joe Hoelscher stressed the lack of Texas laws specific to the idea of squatting makes it difficult to quickly remove individuals from commercial or residential properties.
“So we have to use other laws such as trespass laws or eviction laws to get rid of people,” Hoelscher said.
No one from the City was available to break down their role in responding to squatting concerns. Hoelscher urges anyone who suspects people of squatting to call authorities, collect police reports and call 311 to report code violations.
“If those people are squatters their utilities will not be hooked up properly. Any hookups they’ve created will be illegal so you want to be calling the utility companies. Eventually some government agency will become upset enough that they’ll do something but it could take a long time.”