Landowner Faces Lawsuit In Georgia
Atlanta property owner David Morris is facing a frustrating and costly situation with the squatters who have been living on his property without his permission.
Morris, who currently resides in California, says the squatters began inhabiting his property in southeast Atlanta at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. While there were once approximately 30 unwanted occupants living on his land, the number has now dropped to eight.
Morris and his attorney, David Perrie, recently obtained a Writ of Possession, which is necessary when seeking to terminate a tenant’s right to possession. However, Morris says he is currently dealing with backlash from some of the squatters in response to this legal action.
According to Morris, the squatters have left the nine acres of rural land in a state of disarray, prompting the property owner to take action. He plans to install fencing and no trespassing signs to prevent unwanted visitors from entering his property. Furthermore, Morris intends to turn the nine acres into affordable housing for residents, but he insists that this will not happen until all of the squatters have been removed from his property.
Morris explains that he initially allowed four people to live on his property rent-free a decade ago, on the condition that they would care for the land. However, during the pandemic, he had to close down his non-profit, Lakewood Environmental Arts Foundation, which has led to the discovery of additional squatters living on his property. Morris also claims that he was unable to take legal action against the squatters due to the government’s moratorium on evictions during the pandemic.
Currently, there are still eight squatters living on Morris’s property, some of whom he does not even know. One individual has even filed a counter-claim against Morris for $190,000, but it was dismissed due to their failure to show up in court. Morris predicts that it will take another 30 days before he is able to have the squatters removed from his property, as he awaits a call from the marshals to schedule a time for their eviction.
Morris also reveals that approximately a year ago, he received a call from someone informing him that the Atlanta police had been in the vicinity of his property due to protests against the construction of an Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.
These protests, known as the ‘Stop Cop City’ movement, led to the arrest of more than 20 activists who were camped on Morris’s land. However, Morris maintains his neutrality in this situation and claims he has no political ties to the matter.
In addition to dealing with the squatters, Morris has also spent a significant amount of money cleaning up garbage left by vagrants on his property. He says he has spent $10,000 on this cleanup process, adding to the frustration and financial burden of the situation. However, Morris remains determined to reclaim his property and turn it into a positive and beneficial space for the community.
Meanwhile, Morris continues to face pushback from the remaining squatters on his property, who are refusing to leave. The legal process is ongoing, and it may take a few more weeks before Morris is able to fully reclaim his land. In the meantime, he continues to face challenges and expenses, but he remains committed to resolving the situation and making a positive impact in his community.