Got a squatter in your house that you can’t seem to get rid of?
One California handyman says he can help move them out in a “Flash.”
After his father’s death, Flash Shelton, who founded the United Handyman Association, came to his mother’s rescue after squatters took over her house. He made headlines after he got them out “in less than a day.”
(Video: Fox News Digital)
Now he’s offering that service to others in need.
“If somebody needs help,” he said, “I will go.”
His method is a bold one: He gets the homeowners who are unable to rid themselves of the unwanted guests, either because they refuse to go or due to legal constraints, to draw up a lease.
“I can basically become a tenant and live with them until they choose to leave on their own,” he said. “Go in and sit on the couch and open the fridge and basically be like, ‘I don’t know what you’re doing, but this is my home now.'”
“The adrenaline kicks in, and I just go in, and I just feel comfortable, and I just make it happen,” Shelton stated. “They’re not only surprised, they don’t know how to react.”
He then begins installing Ring cameras.
“As soon as I start putting up Ring cameras in every room of the house and tell them they are now on a reality show, people kind of want to get away as fast as possible, and they don’t want to be seen,” Shelton said.
As soon as they walk out the door for any reason, he secures the house.
“Before they even know what’s happening,” he said, “I’ve already removed them.”
Clearly, Shelton puts off a serious “Alpha Male” vibe, and though he has successfully helped other California property owners and taught still more of his methods over Zoom, he doesn’t recommend others follow in his unfazed footsteps.
“I prepare so much ahead of time and because I know all about who I’m going to deal with, I know how many people are there,” he said. “There are risks involved, and I don’t recommend that people do this on their own, but I will help you and give you tools and try to help you do it in a peaceful way.”
“There’s a job to do,” he added, “and it’s all with safety in mind.”
But to be clear, anyone who has ever walked into a home filled with, say, methamphetamine addicts will tell you just how dangerous a situation such as this can be and how rapidly a tweaker encounter can escalate.
The handyman was certified in de-escalation tactics in a former job, he said, and the tools he learned have helped him to handle the squatters.
“Being certified in de-escalation helps me remain calm and in control of the situation without making it more physical or exaggerated or raising tempers,” he said.
Shelton went viral when, six months ago, he posted a video to YouTube describing how he got the squatters out of his mother’s home.
It has since been viewed more than 4 million times.
(Video: YouTube)
“Squatters are ruining lives, and they’re taking homes and homes that people have worked their whole lives for,” he said. “My mom didn’t deserve to have to go through that.”
In the months since helping his mom, Shelton has started a petition to make squatting illegal at the federal level.
As of this writing, it had gathered more than 6,800 signatures.
To assist him with the costs associated with spreading the word about his petition, Shelton also launched a GoFundMe. As of Saturday, it has raised $2,329 of its $25,000 goal.
“Trespassing is illegal in every state but states have various laws on how to handle squatters, with most relying on civil courts to resolve disputes,” Fox News reports.
Because law enforcement’s hands are often tied, Shelton believes he has their backing.
“I think that I have the backing of law enforcement because they wish they could do it,” he said.
Attorneys, realtors, and homeowners have also voiced their approval of his efforts.
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Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.
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