Weekly Ass | Detroit Squatter Won’t Leave Woman’s Home

I’ve decided to start a new feature called “The Weekly Ass” because there are just too many people doing really stupid things out there not to take note of them. And, if I have to be burdened by them, then so do you…

How would you like to take your entire life savings, buy a home,  leave it for a year during repairs and then come back only to find the locks changed because someone else was living there?

Well, that’s exactly what happened to Heidi Peterson in Detroit, Mich.

Although the story is somewhat convoluted, it seems to boil down to this:

The squatter, Missionary-Tracy Elaine Blair, was once a tenant of the home. In 2011, the lease ended for Blair because the home was deemed “uninhabitable” until repairs were made.

While the repairs were being made, home owner Peterson lived elsewhere. After a year of upgrades, Peterson returned to the home to find that it had been taken over by former tenant Blair, complete with changed locks, different curtains and changed-out appliances.

Squatter Blair also put a lien on the house, telling the city it was abandoned.

Because of the lien, a whole court process has to take place. Additionally, by law, squatters cannot be forcibly removed, so the owner has to file a civil suit against the squatter.

Guess what this means?

Squatter Blair gets to live in the house–with the owner and her one year old daughter--while this entire court process takes place, which could take up to one year.

Oh, and by the way, this squatter Blair? She’s a write-in candidate for the presidential election if you would like to vote for her.

Congratulations Missionary-Tracy Elaine Blair, you get my Weekly Ass Award for taking advantage of others. Way to go!

Image Evgeni Dinev