Squatter Guides and Resources II

[ellipsis]

This will be continuously updated, please feel free to suggest links to be added to the sticky.
Squatter Resources

Squat the Planet (http://www.squattheplanet.com/)- Squatting and related matters forums
Squat.net (http://squat.net/)-Web portal

Australia
Australian Museum of Squatting (http://www.australianmuseumofsquatting.org/)

Holland
Table Bed Chair (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pqYMdweIJc&feature=player_embedded)- Short film about the system of dutch squatting before the recently enacted ban
Kraak Forum (http://www.kraak-forum.nl/)- Dutch Squatting Forum with English-language sub-forum
Cracking The Movement (http://thing.desk.nl/bilwet/Cracking/contents.html)- The best book about the history of amsterdam squatting (influenced by critical theory)
De stad was van ons/The city was our (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VOTV9tcNIk)- The best movie about the history of amsterdam squatting.

UK
UK Squatter Guide (http://libcom.org/organise/squatting-guide)
Advisory service for squatters (http://www.squatter.org.uk/)

US
Squatting 4 Dummies (http://slingshot.tao.ca/displaybi.php?0105016)
Adverse Possession Laws in US, by State (http://www.anonym.to/?http://shwagr.com/posts/a-squatters-50-state-guide-to-stealing-property-by-adverse-possession)

Squatter Groups/Crews

Homes Not Jails (http://www.homesnotjailssf.org/wb/)- US squatter collective based in San Francisco Bay Area
Organizing 4 Occupation (http://www.o4onyc.org/)- Squatter's rights and resource group based in New York City

Jeudi Noir/Black Thursday (http://www.jeudi-noir.org/)- France

Squat Space (http://squatspace.com/links/index.php)- Australian art and event space/collective
Sydney Housing Action Collective (http://shac.squat.net/index.html)- Sydney, Australia
De Valreep (http://valreep.wordpress.com/)- New Dutch Squat/Social Center

[Bitter Ashes]

Thanks TRS
Also added Advisory Service For Squatters (http://www.squatter.org.uk), hope that's ok

[ellipsis]

Thanks TRS
Also added Advisory Service For Squatters (http://www.squatter.org.uk), hope that's ok

Of course, i also added some of the links pyscho sent me, will add rest shortly.

[ellipsis]

Added the rest of pyscho's links and also NYC crew organizing for occupation.

[Total]

maybe I overlooked it, i didn't click all the links, but what about squat.net ..?

[Sasha]

maybe I overlooked it, i didn't click all the links, but what about squat.net ..?

Second link :p

[ellipsis]

Also people might be interested in a local radio essay about homes not jails. I just listened to it and its very well done and I think favorable politically.

http://kalwnews.org/audio/2011/09/15/squatting-cause_1249504.html

[X5N]

Squat the Planet has become Punk Nomad (http://punknomad.com/), by the way. Though the board still uses the old name.

[Sasha]

Hey squatters and friends,
Good news! The video archive at squat.net is back online. This means that a huge archive of squatting reports and movies is again available to download for free. We are also adding new films, both shorts and full-length items.
Check it at http://video.squat.net/

[Sasha]

the website of KSU (squatting assistance hour) Amsterdam-East seems to be the most kept up to date relating to the new situation: ksuoost.squat.net

dutch language website of a group that keeps track of and fights in court against the squatting-ban; http://www.stichting138a.nl/

[Ele'ill]

I'm checking out this United States website that's similar to padmapper but also shows a broader search for realty purposes and shows foreclosed properties and other stuff. It's called hotpads.com


It shows foreclosure status, contact info, additional details and notes on the property and it's all updated regularly, this is a fantastic resource

[Ele'ill]

So I'm sure some of you are cringing and rolling your eyes at my public discovery of what's probably very old and obvious tech stuff here but if you do a keyword google search for your city or state like "boston Bank owned property map" or "Seattle foreclosure map" you get a list of all these realty sites that have interactive maps that give lots of info on properties.


*What I am looking for now is a search function for 'inactive' properties

[PC LOAD LETTER]

So I'm sure some of you are cringing and rolling your eyes at my public discovery of what's probably very old and obvious tech stuff here but if you do a keyword google search for your city or state like "boston Bank owned property map" or "Seattle foreclosure map" you get a list of all these realty sites that have interactive maps that give lots of info on properties.


*What I am looking for now is a search function for 'inactive' properties
That's gonna be contingent on the regions/cities making the data on abandoned or purgatoried (like, bank owned then the bank failed so no legal owner/enforcement) properties available, or for those properties even being reported and the data available to those authorities in the first place. In Atlanta, there's apparently an epidemic of abandoned/purgatoried houses, but nobody reports them so most are only known to neighborhood inhabitants and the city can only make a really conservative guess on the total number.

[Ele'ill]

That's gonna be contingent on the regions/cities making the data on abandoned or purgatoried (like, bank owned then the bank failed so no legal owner/enforcement) properties available, or for those properties even being reported and the data available to those authorities in the first place. In Atlanta, there's apparently an epidemic of abandoned/purgatoried houses, but nobody reports them so most are only known to neighborhood inhabitants and the city can only make a really conservative guess on the total number.

so the most accurate way is to actually walk around neighborhoods and just look around :tired: it seems futile though because the city blight lists probably only cover properties that are of marginal interest and thus are probably active to some extent

[Sasha]

A pm i wrote to a user that might be usefull to other would be squatters;

it really depends on your chosen tactic. I dont really know what the situation is in the US, but from what i have seen passing by it seems that your best chances are either
- (what we cal) "silent squatting", just move in and dont inform anyone you are living there illegally.
con; probably sucks in the long run as you get really paranoid anyone will find out.
- pick a project that no one cares about, i.e. a derelict dump and you might get left alone for a while.
con; you cant really fix the place up because then the building gets interesting for others again and they have a incentive to kick you out.
- pick a project everybody cares about, a monument left to waste, a landmark with sentimental value, a place who's owner is hated by the neighborhood, if you fix it up and get lots of public support its difficult to kick you out and you might even have a shot at legalization if you play your PR and political game right. def the most activist option.
con; positive high profile means getting in the radar of the system, cant have no lefties getting popular support and inspiring the sheeple with autonomous action now can we?
related to that last option (which i would always take) is something that isn't really an option often yet here in the Netherlands but thats popular in Spain and seems worthwhile to pursue in the US; gather a bunch of people who got foreclosed/rent evicted on (the middle class homeless, the working poor) and squat either their own houses back or a halted big project or something. These people are a political minefield to evict again if they do it right but will need, for to be successful,more experienced activists who know how the game is played, that have contacts with legal advisers, that can do press and organizing work and that know how to set up and execute direct actions (first of all the squat itself, but also solidarity/publicity actions, pickets of the government and the owner etc etc.) in this kind of symbiosis where the "civies" need the "activists" and visa versa really cool shit can happen.

like said, for all tactics you need different kind of building so making a choice for a tactic can already narrow down you quest. but it will still come down to a lot of legwork, walking (or even better biking around) making lists, checking on different times of the day and night whether there is activity (a good tool is to put a little piece of matchstick or something between the door and the frame, if it fell out someone has been inside recently), look for mailboxes that are overflowing or even better nail or glued shut etc etc.
also don't underestimate using your network, strike up casual or less casual conversations up with friend, family etc about "empty buildings" and "how thats a waste" and "what empty building really ticks them off for being empty" etc etc.
websites of neighborhood committees are always a good one to keep an eye on.

[Ele'ill]

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/keep-squatters-out-foreclosures-8065.html


Most of this true. Well watered (low maintenance though) plants in pots out front on porch with no realty lock on front door (but in the back). "People looking stuff" out front of houses like cheap broom or buckets or clothes or towel on porch and it's all to make it appear as though it's lived in when it is and has been completely vacant for months.

[ellipsis]

LOL, this looks like it could have been written based on homes not jails literature!

Its called staging, and companies literally rent furnature and pictures and shit

[Ele'ill]

LOL, this looks like it could have been written based on homes not jails literature!

Its called staging, and companies literally rent furnature and pictures and shit


I think it's good info, most of the sites on the web don't even begin to come close to listing adequate stuff, they skip right to the romantic stuff about squatters rights and adverse possession

[ellipsis]

This just came through the wire http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/22/bezybyda.jpg

[HoboHomesteader]

If you missed my intro thread, im a squatter in oakland/ak land. there is a squatter mutual aid group that meets weekly in oakland at the hold out event collective, i keep meaning to check it out. EDIT: apparently that group is now defunct. see http://www.land-action.org/

[HoboHomesteader]

Hey squatters and friends,
Good news! The video archive at squat.net is back online. This means that a huge archive of squatting reports and movies is again available to download for free. We are also adding new films, both shorts and full-length items.
Check it at http://video.squat.net/

there this one about squats in Oakland around 2005

5OPKBserA2c

oops looks like its already hosted there

[Ele'ill]

http://anarchistnews.org/content/experts-lay-out-comprehensive-primer-squatting-nyc


From NY Curbed (http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2014/02/28/experts_lay_out_a_comprehensive_primer_to_squattin g_in_nyc.php) - by Curbed Staff
The latest sky-scraping new residential tower under construction and how may zillions of dollars people will pay to live there are frequent, favorite topics on this site. But consider the opposite of that: squatting. That topic, and how to do it right, was the subject of a talk last night at the East Village's Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space, or MoRUS. Appropriately enough, the museum itself is a reclaimed urban space. About two decades ago, the building was left to rot first by its owner and then by the city. There was no roof and there were no stairs. But squatters took over the space, fixed the stairs, rebuilt the roof, and brought the building up to fire code. Now, the museum, which opened in December of 2013, occupies the first floor and basement and a collective lives in the apartments above. From the street, it looks like an ordinary building, but it's actually called C-Squat. It serves as an example to wannabe squatters; now, onto the practical advice.
Last night's event, the "ABC's of Squatting in NYC," was led by Bill Di Paola, a professional plumber (a highly useful skill for a squatter) who is also the founder of the environmental action group Time's Up and co-founder of MoRUS. Joining him was Frank Morales, a political activist who has been squatting since 1979.
Morales read from his zine "Squatting in New York City," in which he defined squatters as follows:
A group of people of varying ages and backgrounds, hopefully possessing some construction skills or access to those who do, decide that they have had enough of the shelter system, enough of the humiliation, injustice and dehumanization of being homeless, or enough of the drain on their lives and wallets, and no longer able to afford the rip off rents that eat up most of the money they have, they decide to embark on a direct action approach to securing a home for themselves here in New York City.
According to Morales, there are three times more vacant spaces in the city than there are homeless people. Some squatters even live by permission in brand-new, yet-to-be-completed residential buildings to serve as security for the building's owner.
Both Morales and Di Paola agree that squatting is a complicated endeavor. You are often committing to rebuilding a building, and that is no exaggeration. But here are some of the basics, extremely boiled down.
—Identify your target building and determine its status. Squatting is a legally precarious activity. So, city-owned buildings are the best bet. Once you get the address of the structure, you can find out the owner by going to the city's ACRIS system, entering your building's address, and clicking on "Document Search by BBL." It will have all of the records, including who the current owner is. You'll need to determine if you should continue with your target building or move on.
—Squatting is not a free activity. You'll need money to do a lot of stuff. But you can hold fundraisers. Just don't give your target address.
—You have to be covert at first. Keep your group small at first. "Loose lips," Morales reminded the audience. Scope out the area, but don't hang out in front of the building. Hang out on a stoop across the street. Don't go in through the front door. You may even need to gain access by getting into a neighboring occupied building and jumping on to your target's roof.
—Once you're in, check out the structure—its floors, walls, and so on. Determine whether there is electricity or water flowing into the building. How secure is the building? If you're not an expert in these areas, find a trustworthy friend who is and be prepared to call on him or her. Di Paola said that when you're turning on the water, do it slowly and make sure you have spotters throughout the building looking for leaks. If you need wood, lumberyards will often give away material they can't sell. On the electricity front, it may be possible to tap into a light pole. But Morales said many years ago, he and a group of squatters did that and cheered at their newfound power, only to have the lights start blinking shortly thereafter. It turned out they had accidentally latched onto the Walk/Don't Walk stoplight signal.
—Determine a room for your base of operations and stick to it while you work on the rest of the building.
—Winterize yourself. While having empty windows may seem nice on a late spring day, imagine if, right now, you were in a building exposed to the elements. A basic of winterization is getting thick plastic sheeting and stapling it to the window frames.
—Once you've done that, make sure you have a way to relieve yourself. If there are no working toilets, buckets may be involved. But don't let them get too full.
—You need to establish a claim of legal residency. They way you do that is by getting mail delivered to you continuously for 30 days or more. This will get you due process in any attempt to evict you and you shouldn't be immediately rousted by the NYPD as a trespasser. But, should the police decide to try and get you out of the building without a warrant, be prepared to stand up for yourself.
—Also, have an eviction watch group. That's a group of neighborhood supporters to whom you just blast a call, and they'll show up to support you. "Strength in numbers," Morales said. Carefully grow that network. Morales said you can sell your activity in part by saying it's an "antidote to gentrification."
One of the squatters in attendance, a man named Thaddeus Umpster, advised that you not drink alcohol or do drugs in your squat. It's a "political action," and you wouldn't show up to a political rally high or drunk. Plus, he said you need a "sober mind" because the police could come knocking at any time and you want a clear head to deal with that encounter.
Clearly, these endeavors are more complicated and less romantic than they might've appeared—not designed for the uncommitted, to be sure. For more information, e-mail Morales at [email protected] If you want to get in touch with Di Paola, contacting MoRUS.
—Evan Bindelglass is a local freelance journalist, photographer, cinephile, and foodie. You can e-mail him, follow him on Twitter @evabin, or check out his personal blog.
http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2014/02/28/experts_lay_out_a_comprehensive... (http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2014/02/28/experts_lay_out_a_comprehensive_primer_to_squattin g_in_nyc.php)

[Sasha]

just a nice article from a english folk artist touring the dutch squat scene; http://cosmoguitar.net/2014/03/14/dutch-squats-and-anarchist-plots/

[HoboHomesteader]

San Francisco Homes not Jails recently posted their How to squat zine, "its vacant, take it!"

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0ByfggJklIqfFRWp3WnVweEJFV3c/edit

[Ele'ill]

*nevermind that is a good guide as it is although the whole process is overwhelming and confusing, mainly the getting your story set part and getting proof of tenancy type stuff

[Ele'ill]

http://anarchistnews.org/content/brighton-squatters-attack-cops-bottles-and-paintbombs-then-set-trap-which-leaves-one-cop

beware the man traps

[HoboHomesteader]

*nevermind that is a good guide as it is although the whole process is overwhelming and confusing, mainly the getting your story set part and getting proof of tenancy type stuff


ugg you're are telling me...

[Liberation Theory]

Squatting 4 Dummies is a dead link. :(

[Ele'ill]

*nevermind

[Thrasymachus]

Squat the Planet (http://www.squattheplanet.com/)- Squatting and related matters forums
...

I registered to that Squattheplanet forum based on it being included on this list. I want the mods to edit in and delete it from the list(since ellipsis can't update the list), as it has nothing to do with squatting per se, it is a community of mostly low-lives(with few exceptions) who consider themselves "travelers" or are interested in "traveling culture." Those who do squat don't do it out of political motivations, inklings, etc., but mostly because they are degenerate too much of substance abuse addicts for their family to let them live with them, to do any kind work, etc.

To get an idea of of what that forum is about here are some representative examples from what they falsely title their making a living (https://squattheplanet.com/forums/making-a-living/) sub-forum, which would better be titled the scamming a living:


Gas jugging lines/tips? (https://squattheplanet.com/threads/gas-jugging-lines-tips.20034/)

The truth probably isn't going to work: I have little money, but I'd rather it go to substances than gas.

[For those who are not native English speakers: This is a thread created to pretend like he is out of gas for his vehicle. So he will use a gas cannister to seem to be stranded, but he is not.] I took that scumbag to task, but if you follow the thread, his fellow scumbag travelers just massively downvoted my posts in retaliation, since decency and ethics are too pesky for their self-serving community that doesn't plan on staying in anyplace long.

Then there is this thread: Credit card fraud. (https://squattheplanet.com/threads/credit-card-fraud.16580/)
Where the only reason most the userbase objected was because it was "stupid" to discuss that public, because it carries severe penalties, etc. -- and not because it is morally wrong to steal from average folks. The admin of the forum even thought it was an "interesting topic" and a good free speech issue... But then again if the admin there actually took an ethical position he would lose most his userbase.

They even have a Food Stamps & Government Assistance (https://squattheplanet.com/forums/food-stamps-government-assistance/) sub-forum, so they can trade tips, mostly on how to scam government assistance programs to get their fix of alcohol and drugs.

I have personally tried to make constructive threads, for example:
Anyone ever work at a worker owned enterprise? (https://squattheplanet.com/threads/anyone-ever-work-at-a-worker-owned-enterprise.19946/)
Anyone ever live in a intentional community / commune? (https://squattheplanet.com/threads/anyone-ever-live-in-a-intentional-community-commune.20237/)
But they received no replies and probably never will, because the forum just lacks a constructive user-base. However any thread about scamming a living from the rest of society is eagerly devoured and receives many replies in just a few hours. I would seriously appreciate it if a mod would delete that forum from this stickied list, to prevent anyone else from wasting time dealing with the low-lives and addicts that populate that forum. Btw, the admin briefly renamed the forum to Punk Nomad and changed it again back to squattheplanet, sadly, which is gonna continue to mislead people as to what it is about.

[Ele'ill]

so what, sounds like folks can't pay rent and need to find another way to live