A bill cracking down on squatter rights has been passed by the Texas Senate Thursday.
Authored by Senator Paul Bettencourt, Senate Bill 38 (SB 38) is seeking to restore property rights and reform the current eviction process, which many believe has left homeowners and landlords vulnerable to exploitation by squatters.
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“His instruction was to ‘Secure Texas against Squatters,’ and SB 38 does!” Bettencourt said while highlighting the flaws in the existing system, which he argues often punishes rightful property owners while allowing trespassers to take advantage of legal loopholes.
Bettencourt recounted an incident where a homeowner was unable to reclaim her property during the holidays because a justice of the peace ruled in favor of the squatter.
The Senate’s decision comes after alarming testimonies during a State Affairs hearing, where various stakeholders shared their experiences with the squatting crisis.
Stephanie Graves, a property management expert from Houston, reported over 102 documented squatter cases, each taking an average of 128 days and costing around $7,400 to resolve.
Crystal Moya, representing a Dallas housing project, shared that it took her team six months to lawfully remove squatters who had left misleading online reviews as if they were legitimate tenants.
Chris Newton from the Texas Apartment Association revealed that a group known as “Trends la Guirada” had illegally occupied between 250 and 300 apartment units in San Antonio, marketing these units as an immigrant services center and collecting rent for themselves instead of the actual property owners.
“These stories are outrageous, but they’re real — and they’re happening statewide,” Bettencourt said. “It should be simple: squatters do not have the right to occupy property they do not own. We’re fixing the system and speeding up the process. Texans deserve the right to reclaim their property without delays, loopholes, or abuse.”
SB 38 will streamline the eviction process by establishing a “fairer” and faster method for removing squatters.
Key changes include requiring courts to act within 10 to 21 days of a property owner’s filing and clarifying the delivery method for the Notice of Vacate.
The bill also seeks to reduce frivolous appeals that can stall evictions, reinforcing judicial discretion.
“Private property rights are a cornerstone of our values and legal system. It is against the law to live or stay on somebody’s property without their permission. We need stronger laws to immediately remove and prosecute squatters,” Governor Greg Abbott said.
With the Senate’s approval, SB 38 will now move to the House.