Flash Shelton’s “Squatters” airs Tuesdays. Photo courtesy of A&E
NEW YORK, May 19 (UPI) — Flash Shelton has figured out a way to remove people from homes they have no legal or financial rights to — he and his team out-squat them.
In the new docu-series, Squatters, airing Tuesdays on A&E, Shelton demonstrates the tactics he uses to resolve tense situations and turn property back over to its lawful owners.
Once Shelton’s team is hired, they secure a short-term lease for themselves from the owners, then move in with the squatters, making them feel awkward or reasoning with them until they agree to leave.
“They all, generally, have this entitlement and when they talk to you, they truly believe that it is their right to the property,” Shelton told UPI in a recent Zoom interview.
“They figure that the system is flawed and they will flat out tell you, ‘Look, the laws are screwed up, I admit that, but, hey, until they fix them, I’m going to take advantage of it and why not me?'” he explained.
“They all are looking at staying as long as they can and then they’ll vacate at the last minute. Many of them will vacate right before a judge’s order to avoid the eviction on their record, so then they can go off and do this again.”
Shelton began his career as a squatter removal expert in 2019 when people took over his mother’s vacant home in Northern California without obtaining permission or compensating her.
He studied the laws, which he found more often than not favor squatters over homeowners, but differ in detail from state to state.
Shelton also discovered that squatting is regarded as a civil rather than criminal matter, meaning homeowners can’t just call the police for help. They often have to endure lengthy and costly legal battles to get the squatters out.
Shelton eventually reclaimed his mother’s house and has used the skills he honed in that situation to subsequently complete more than 100 other interventions nationwide.
Before striking a deal with A&E for the show, Shelton shared videos of these oustings on YouTube and they went viral.
“I’ve been training for this my entire life with the other jobs I’ve had. Training bouncers and removing people out of bars and I’m, basically, doing the same thing now, getting the trouble out of homes. I never thought for a second when I was certified over 30 years ago in de-escalation, that I’d be doing something like this,” Shelton said.
“But I also feel honored that I have the opportunity to be able to do this,” he added.
The show uses actual footage, not re-enactments, of Shelton and his team, confronting the squatters, knowing they won’t contact law enforcement because they don’t have a legal leg to stand on.
“This is not TV for me. This is real life and it’s all live action,” Shelton said.
“They need to sign a release in order [for us] to show their face. That’s why you’ll see in some [episodes] that their faces are blurred and others you’ll see their face because, in some cases, they feel like maybe they should sign an agreement.”
Shelton and his team use drones and cameras to figure out exactly who is in the home — including pets or children — in an effort to prevent any injuries.
Before they ever even knock on a door, they know what the squatters’ routines are, if they own firearms or have histories of violence.
“Being worried and being scared helps preparation,” he said.
“So, I have to think about that, every single case, every single person I’m dealing with, regardless of age and gender. Everyone can be dangerous,” Shelton added.
“We do a lot of research to find out who we’re dealing with. We’re pulling license numbers. We’re doing surveillance. We’re looking at as much as we can,” he said. “I certainly won’t take any chance on the safety of my team. If there is a situation that I can’t navigate with my de-escalation, then it’s law-enforcement’s job to keep it safe.”
About the Author
