In a revealing interview with Fox News Digital, Flash Shelton, a former California handyman turned “Squatter Hunter,” shared his unique approach to reclaiming properties overtaken by squatters. After his father’s death in 2019, Shelton was thrust into a battle to remove squatters from his mother’s Northern California home. Faced with a lack of police intervention due to the squatters’ apparent establishment in the home, Shelton took matters into his own hands.
“I learned everything about squatters over the course of a few days … I figured out that if I could establish the rights [to the home] before them and I could switch places with them and become their squatter, then that would work,” Shelton explained. His strategy involved legally switching roles, effectively outmaneuvering the squatters at their own game. “It was just switching places with them, becoming their squatter, locking them out, putting up cameras and telling them that I would prosecute if they broke back in — [that] was enough,” he said.
Shelton’s innovative tactics not only freed his mother’s property but also catapulted him into viral fame, leading to the establishment of his business, Squatter Hunters. He now offers his services nationwide, helping other homeowners deal with similar predicaments through video consultations and on-site interventions.
“My DNA has always been to fight bullies, and it’s what I’ve always done my whole life,” Shelton proudly stated. This personal ethos drives his commitment to helping others reclaim their properties from unlawful occupants. His family, though concerned for his safety, supports his mission. “They understand that this is just who I am… They understand that I prepare. They understand that my work ethic [ensures] that I’m safe and that they are safe … They support me and, and I’ll tell you what, I couldn’t do this without the support of my friends and family,” he shared.
Shelton’s approach is methodical and focused, as he emphasized, “I don’t take it personal. I go in with a goal in mind, and I’m going to get that property back.” His experiences have ranged from straightforward evictions to complex situations involving deceitful squatters. In one notable case, a woman posing as a caregiver for an elderly woman in Culver City, California, refused to leave the property despite being confined to a single room without amenities. “That was the craziest situation. Because she didn’t care. She didn’t care that I had barricaded her, that she only had access to her bedroom,” Shelton recounted. “She had no bathroom. She had no electricity. She had no water. But she didn’t care because in her deranged, narcissistic mind, she was going to own that house when the 88-year-old woman passed away.”
Shelton advocates for a more stringent approach to squatter laws, particularly in states where squatters’ rights can sometimes enable unlawful possession. “The states that are friendly to squatters — those squatters are just assuming tenant rights. So what we need to do is separate it out. And if somebody enters a house illegally, regardless of how long they’ve been there, that should be a crime,” he argued. “I think that the worst squatting story comes down to when you have somebody who has nothing to lose.”
For homeowners concerned about potential squatters, Shelton recommends proactive measures. “The best thing you can do is get yourself cameras that you could view from your phone anywhere in the world. The other thing would be a locking mailbox, making sure that squatters don’t have access to send mail to your house,” he advised. Above all, Shelton emphasizes the importance of safety and legal compliance: “The most important thing is that this is property. Don’t risk your life trying to fight for property.”
Shelton’s journey from a handyman to a national anti-squatter advocate underscores a commitment to upholding property rights and supporting homeowners across America in their battles against property usurpation.
