AN ACT Relating to improving legal processes to deter squatters;
Summary
SB 5250 is a Washington bill aimed at strengthening the state’s anti-squatting laws and speeding up removal of unauthorized occupants from residential property. The bill states legislative findings that squatting harms property owners, discourages rental investment, undermines confidence in eviction procedures, creates opportunities for criminal activity, and contributes to homelessness and housing crises. To address this, it expands the legal framework to cover former tenants who are no longer lawfully occupying premises under a valid rental agreement and authorizes law enforcement to remove squatters without delay when the statutory requirements are met.
The bill creates a new process allowing a property owner or authorized agent to request removal of an unauthorized person by submitting a sworn declaration to law enforcement. That declaration must include specific factual statements, including that the occupants are not tenants, homeowners, or lawful occupants, that they were asked to leave, and that the property was not abandoned or open to the public when entered. The bill also requires law enforcement to give occupants a reasonable opportunity to present credible evidence that they are lawful tenants, occupants, guests, or invitees before removal occurs.
Impact
SB 5250 would amend Washington’s criminal trespass and anti-squatting provisions in RCW 9A.52 to expand police authority to remove unauthorized occupants from residential real property based on a property-owner declaration, and it would create a new statutory declaration form and related procedures. It also clarifies that the process does not override tenant protections or allow removal of lawful occupants, and it preserves existing civil remedies for false statements and unlawful eviction-related conduct. In practical terms, the bill affects property owners, former tenants, law enforcement agencies, and occupants by creating a faster administrative path for removal while imposing penalties for false declarations and maintaining limits on self-help eviction.
Sentiment
The bill’s stated purpose and framing are strongly supportive of property owners and law enforcement, with the text presenting squatting as a serious public problem that warrants a stronger response. Because there were no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, there is no documented legislative debate in the supplied materials. Based on the bill language alone, the overall sentiment appears pro-enforcement and pro-property-rights, with an emphasis on restoring confidence in the eviction process and reducing unauthorized occupancy.
Contention
The main point of contention inherent in the bill is the balance between faster removal of squatters and protections for lawful tenants or other legitimate occupants. The bill tries to address that concern by requiring law enforcement to consider credible evidence from occupants and by expressly stating that it cannot be used to remove tenants, guests, invitees, or other persons entitled to occupy under a rental agreement. Another likely area of concern is the risk of false declarations by property owners or agents, which the bill addresses by warning of liability for false statements and by making false swearing or false statements to a public servant potentially punishable as gross misdemeanors. No specific opposing or supporting viewpoints were included in the provided discussion materials.