I'd be interested in seeing an investigative piece on just how many rental properties in Bakersfield are owned by people who live more than a hundred miles away. I see this *everywhere* around here. Properties stand vacant because they fall into disrepair and need maintenance, but the absentee owner never sees this. A local "property management" company tells him everything's fine and that they're taking care of things while his investment falls apart. He doesn't care that the property management company is lying to him, so he sees no reason why he can't ask a thousand or so dollars a month rent for his properties. He doesn't get told they've been allowed to become unfit for human habitation. Rental properties become like abandoned houses right in the middle of neighborhoods, except they're not abandoned. Someone owns them, so nobody can do anything about the mess they make without making an even bigger mess. I'm living in a rental property like this right now. The building itself is a falling-down firetrap that hasn't been code compliant since 1986. The owner lives in San Diego. He can't make his tax payments on the property because nobody is going to pay eight hundred dollars a month to live here, but he can't get permits to have any repairs done because he would have to pay off a $30,000 tax lien first. He doesn't live in Bakersfield, and he doesn't really give a rat's what living here is like, so the building sits and rots and gets taken over by squatting felons and homeless people. Meanwhile, the property management company just lets it keep going to crap because they know there's never going to come a time when they'll have to answer for it. After all, they're not the property owners. This story *isn't* rare around here. The rental housing market in Bakersfield is owned in way too large a measure by people who have absolutely no concern for the quality of day to day living in this city.

Pilgram, this might be a good program to look at. But the problem is once a person takes possession, it the same situation. They have to be legally evicted. Even a day between inspections could change a situation from vacant to occupied. The answers to this dilema is not an easy one but something in the laws do need a change.

Shoot them, dead tell no tales. That would solve the problem of squatters, there common criminals anyway. One less mouth on welfare.

County and City of Bakersfield should consider passing an Abandoned Residential Property Program like the City of Chula Vista. The very successful program is self funded by REO lenders through a registry fee required by local ordinance. The Abandoned Residential Property Registration Program is intended to address those properties that are vacant and financially distressed. The program requires mortgage lenders to inspect defaulted properties to confirm that they are occupied. If a property is found to be vacant, the program requires that the lender exercise the abandonment clause within their mortgage contract, register the property with the City and immediately begin to secure and maintain the property to the neighborhood standard. Lenders by ordinance must also hire a local company to inspect the property on a weekly basis. The property must be posted with the name and 24-hour contact number of the company responsible for the weekly inspection, maintenance and security of the property. This will remove the City’s Code Enforcement Section from spending limited resources to act as the property manager. The beauty of the program is it allows neighbors to have direct contact with a responsible party. It builds on the relationship that the combination of observant neighbors and an accessible local responsible party will deter and arrest any potential deterioration of the property and thus preserve the city or county neighborhood. I hope this helps! CalObserver

It is obvious that the "law of possession" concerning real property needs to be changed. This is the second report of squatter problems this week. The squatters have figured out that by using a fake lease they can prolong the process of eviction. Squatters have to be legally evicted to be removed from the property. This can be a lengthy process. Kern County does process them more quickly than other counties, but it is still about a month process. This can present a problem if the property is for sale. I realize that the law is meant to protect tenants from unlawful eviction, but it has gotten out of hand with the squatters and the dishonest people that represent themselves as a landlord.

LAOSHAKL no I am retired . I don't post to everything.

Rvlady do you have a job or something lol you always have something to say in all posting well nice to meet you!! and yes its nice she stood up for her self and went after the thief!!

saw her on new's. She's a fighter, glad she didn't get hurt bad. I do not understand why squadders can't be arrested , they are traspassing & thought that was a crime.

it's sad when you can't have a safe heaven which is your home.people here in some place's of bakersfield has no respect for other's.