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SALT LAKE CITY — A bill targeting squatters that was spurred at least in part by worries about Latino immigrants taking over vacant dwellings has received a favorable recommendation from the Utah Senate's Business and Labor Committee.
SB55, authored by Sen. Heidi Balderree, R-Saratoga Springs, would augment the ability of law enforcement officials to intervene when squatters take over homes and remove them.
Meantime, the text of another bill that's part of a package of measures targeting immigrants here illegally has emerged. HB284, sponsored by Rep. Stephanie Gricius, R-Eagle Mountain, would add a 2% fee to international remittances by people who don't show some sort of U.S. identification before making transfers. Remittances from immigrants and others in the United States to family members in Mexico and El Salvador, among other places, are a key source of revenue in the Latin American countries.
When SB55 came up for discussion Wednesday at the Business and Labor Committee meeting, Balderree did not mention that it's part of a package of bills put forward by GOP lawmakers to deal with immigrants here illegally, particularly criminal immigrants. "Unfortunately, we are seeing an increasing number of cases of people unlawfully occupying vacant homes, leaving property owners feeling frustrated and communities vulnerable," she said in presenting the measure.
But the initiative is mentioned in a Republican flier outlining the slate of measures that are part of the GOP lawmakers' immigration efforts, which also include calls for tougher criminal penalties for immigrants here illegally who commit crimes. Likewise, Rep. Karianne Lisonbee, R-Syracuse, the House sponsor, told KSL.com, without elaboration, there have been issues involving immigrant squatters, and Antonio Valbuena, an immigrant from Venezuela, testified on behalf of the measure.
"As a result of uncontrolled immigration, there are a lot of Latin people doing this thing," Valbuena, who now lives in Herriman, told the lawmakers. He's part of a group, Bridges 21, that aims to foster ties between Latinos and community leaders.
Contacted later, Valbuena said he's spoken to Balderree about the issue, and she's told him of a handful of instances involving immigrants squatting in Utah. He said he lost his land in Venezuela to squatters. Moreover, the socialist governments in Venezuela of President Nicolás Maduro and President Hugo Chávez before that have encouraged squatting as a means of allowing the public to expropriate property. "You know that Venezuela is a socialist country, and these kind of things are normal," Valbuena said.
With more and more Venezuelan immigrants in Utah and elsewhere, he worries the practice will increase here, which got him involved in the effort. "I support this bill ... because there are a lot of immigrants that believe in socialism and are coming to this state. They believe they have the right to do anything; (they) can go to any property and take it," he said.
Two other witnesses testified about property takeovers in Utah that they witnessed, though they didn't offer details of the alleged squatters. Dalane England, of Bountiful, said it happened with one of her properties after a legitimate tenant moved out and a squatter moved in. "She just moved in and set up residence," England said. "This is a real problem."
Currently, the only recourse to boot squatters is judicial action, which can cost time and money, Balderree said. The proposed changes in SB55, she went on, would allow law enforcement "to intervene earlier and more efficiently remove squatters." It would also increase penalties for squatters who damage property or rent out property they don't own. Following the committee recommendation, the bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
Gricius, the sponsor of SB284, didn't respond to a query seeking comment about her measure. The text of the bill was released Monday. While requiring those making international transfers to show U.S. identification or face a 2% fee for their transactions, it would also allow them to seek a tax credit on fees paid. Funds generated by any fees paid would go to the Utah general fund.
