Trespassing is a growing problem in California. Trespassing (or commonly referred to as “squatting”) occurs when a person or persons illegally occupy a residential dwelling by moving in without the knowledge or consent of the owner, forging lease documents, or transferring utilities to their name.
Property owners face expensive and lengthy legal processes, sometimes taking up to a year, with significant legal fees in order to reclaim their property from trespassers.
Trespassing endangers community safety (criminal activity, fires) and reduces the availability of quality affordable housing for lawful renters.
What Other States Are Doing
A number of states have enacted trespasser eviction laws in 2024, including New York, Pennsylvania, and Georgia, while a dozen other states have pending legislation. These laws range from providing local law enforcement with the tools to intercede when trespassers are present at a property to streamlining the eviction process. These solutions protect neighborhoods, families, and housing availability.
For media stories of trespassing in California and other states, click here.
Colorado Statistics
- The State pregnancy-associated mortality ratio was 54.7 deaths per 100,000 live births between 2016 – 2020.
- For Black women and Native American women, the maternal mortality ratio is 1.9 times and 2.9 times higher, respectively, than the State’s ratio.
- Approximately 90% of these deaths were preventable.