The Washoe County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) is advising homeowners to keep a close eye on their vacant homes after seeing an increase in calls for service involving squatters, mostly in homes listed for sale or rent.
Sierra Nevada Realtors (SNR) says when the weather reaches really hot or freezing temperatures, that's when they tend to see more squatters.
"Most of the time they're either trying to get out of the weather, or use some water, or there are vagrants and unfortunately substance abuse users who are looking for a place to hide," said SNR President Leandra Carr.
Carr says a couple of her realtors have had some recent experiences with squatters. One of them says a service worker fixing an air conditioning unit left a window open allowing an easy break-in for someone looking for shelter.
"The property manager did go by the next morning just to go check on the property and happened to find the problem. Sparks police came out right away and took care of it for us," says Carr.
WCSO says if you believe you have a squatter, do not confront them and immediately call 911.
After the squatter has been removed change all your locks, file an insurance claim to report any damage or losses, and clean and restore your property back to its safe living conditions.
You should also take steps to prevent squatters by making it look like the house is not vacant.
"If you can install cameras, they're pretty inexpensive now with the different things you can get. Motion sensor light will help," she said.
Carr says you should also keep your windows and drapes closed, keep your property clean from junk and debris outside, and make sure your mail doesn't pile up.
As for squatters, the sheriff's office says Washoe County offers many resources you can turn to such as Hope Springs and Our Place rather than resorting to trespassing on someone's property.
"I know there's the Cares Campus, there are some different resources for people who need to get out of the weather who need even temporary shelter," said Carr. "It's not as openly discussed in the summer when it's hot as it is during the winter when it's freezing cold, but there are resources for those who need to get out of the weather."
We have a list of resources people can learn more about by clicking here.
To review the full list of how to prevent and handle squatters you can click here.
