Homeless? Evicted? Have we found the handbook for you!
"Rent is theft. This zine is free," proclaims the cover of the Kansas City Squatters' Handbook,
a guide put together by a local anarchist group. And if you don't mind
the Marxist lingo that colors the 27-page zine's introduction, it's a
surprisingly practical read.
Squatting has been making the news lately, what with the foreclosure crisis emptying homes all across the country. Yes, it's illegal. But if the squatters are the courteous kind, their residency in a foreclosed-upon home can provide a measure of safety in a hard-hit neighborhood. The far-away banks that now own these homes don't have the manpower to check up on them very often. Warm bodies in a building can keep it secure from intruders who would ransack the place for copper and fixtures.
The legal information inside The KC Squatters' Handbook is pretty fascinating (especially if it's correct). It quotes the Kansas City Police Department's Procedural Instruction Manual on
landlord/tenant disputes, which states that because such disputes are civil, not criminal, police officers don't usually become involved in eviction actions.
"To
establish residency/tenancy to a police officer," the zine reads, "and
to escape the possibility of trespassing charges, the KCPD procedural
handbook states that at minimum, an individual show personal
possessions within the building (clothing, furniture, appliances, etc.). A written lease is not required."
In the section called "Finding a Building," the zine advises potential squatters to search the online databases of the city, county, and Land Trust, to find out the status of empty properties.
"General wisdom on squatting is that it can be much [more] difficult to be evicted from a city-owned building than from a privately-owned one," the handbook reads. "... On the other hand, a private owner who pays the taxes but has otherwise totally abandoned a property might make a very desirable 'landlord.'"
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Foreclosed Houses being sold well below market value It's great now for buying a home
I'm would to if you know how long this "sqatting"takes in Chicago to call it mines
Wow, it didn't take long for M&M to loose his cool ;-) He's even repeating his own cliche, probably because he IS a walking silhouette of what he desires. Is he unable to have a conversation? Does he rely completely on being witty? Has child hood abuse completely fucked him up? And he's lying about the 'liberating money,' by the way ya'll. I looked it up. Just pathetic.
Sounds like a real hoot! Do i get a Dead Kennedys T shirt and a free can of spray paint for showing up, or just head lice? As for those empty homes, they belong to someone else, the bank. Sort of like the money I liberated from banks. Of course the MAN defines that as theft, a crime. One of the biggest differences between me, and douche bags like you, is that I never comitted a crime and tried to call it something else. You are correct on the name, although I'm thinking of changing it to something cooler, like sparkles or wolfbane. Sorry I'll have to pass on the open house, you might be squatters and Id hate to catch a trespassing beef.
i think it's awesome that kansas city anarchists have put together a tool for homeless people to get shelter in properties that would otherwise remain vacant. it's ridiculous how many empty homes are sitting around, when we have so many people loosing their jobs and homes.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE / EVERYONE TO COME BY OUR INFO-SHOP HERE IN KANSAS CITY (3109 TROOST) - To find a free copy of this zine, free coffee and internet, plus a growing-radical book library and plenty of other zine's and what not ;-)
I would especially like to invite Mark Smith (I think that's his name?) to talk with me at the info shop too. I'm sure it would be an endearing encounter, as he could advise us all on the ways on outlaw (you know, wearing leather-jackets, whitening goatees, listening to 'tequila sunrise', picking up cell-phone signals et cetera, talking about his stint in the pen with others who got caught, et cetera).
We'll be having a show on the 16th of July and on the 20th of July .. Stop by!
I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE / EVERYONE TO COME BY OUR INFO-SHOP HERE IN KANSAS CITY (3109 TROOST) - To find a free copy of this zine, free coffee and internet, plus a growing-radical book library and plenty of other zine's and what not ;-)
I would especially like to invite Mark Smith (I think that's his name?) to talk with me at the info shop too. I'm sure it would be an endearing encounter, as he could advise us all on the ways on outlaw (you know, wearing leather-jackets, whitening goatees, listening to 'tequila sunrise', picking up cell-phone signals et cetera, talking about his stint in the pen with others who got caught, et cetera).
We'll be having a show on the 16th of July and on the 20th of July .. Stop by!
I think I did a post on that Florida group early in the year, I know I read up on them. I think they were actually going after the deeds too. As for the Anarchists, especially the ones around here, I guess they have to rest somewhere after a revolutionary night of tagging Pioneer Woman statues while running around in skinny black jeans and dead Kennedys shirts.
Too lazy to work, too scared to steal, become an Anarchist.
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