Flash Shelton, known as the ‘Squatter Hunter’, has revealed he is “building an Army” across the nation to help homeowners take back properties when they become squatted by “crack addicts, gang members” or other unwanted guests.
Shelton — who moves in with squatters and makes life hard for them in order to drive them out — told The Post he is in the process of hiring predominantly “ex-law enforcement” members to join and expand his Squatter Hunters team, so he has people who can help respond to work in as many states as possible.
“We are going anywhere and everywhere to take care of these squatters,” Shelton said, adding he has recieved “hundreds” of applicants to join his squad.
“(I) go in with a minimum of two guys.
“If I’ve got a crack house that has 20 drug addicts and gang members, or whatever, then I’m going to match them with whatever I need.”
According to Shelton, business is booming, with American homeowners inundating him with requests to get squatters out of their homes everywhere from Tennessee and California to Georgia and beyond.
The National Rental Home Council has previously identified the cities with the most reported incidents of squatting, with 1,200 properties taken over in Atlanta, 475 in Dallas and 125 in Orlando, according to Newsweek. However, the phenomena isn’t well reported on or studied, meaning there is a lack of data as to how many squatters there really are across the nation.
Shelton charges anywhere from $150 for a consultation, up to $20,000 for him and his team to move in with the squatters and get them out using his various unconventional methods.
“I’ve been traveling (for work) from coast to coast. I just got back from New York and Florida, and Arizona, Seattle and Illinois,” he said.
“Most of the people that I’ve talked to, they’ve spent $20,000 to $30,000 in attorney fees, and they still have a squatter.
“It’s kind of this thing where if you’re lucky and get your squatter out [through the courts], it’s in six months or eight months.
“I have some [homeowners] in New York that have spent over $100,000 over a year, and they still have a squatter, and they’re reaching out to me.”
Ultimately, Shelton plans to train up enough Squatter Hunters teams that can operate independently nationwide without his direct involvement.
“I’m trying to keep costs down for homeowners because the homeowners are paying [for my team to] travel,” he said.
“So if I can go to Florida and I already have a team of guys there that I can draw from and I can be like, ‘okay Joe, meet me at this address, you’re on today.’
“My goal is to train somebody to be a supervisor in each place so that I have one person acting as me.”
At present, Shelton coordinates and leads every operation booked with him by desperate homeowners.
Shelton starts each takeover with police consultation to ensure everyone’s safety.
“I ask [law enforcement] to tell the squatter it’s a civil matter. And at that point, when it’s safe and the squatter knows what his rights are and what my rights are, at that point, law enforcement can excuse themselves,” he said.
He then approaches the squatters and tries to negotiate, throwing every reason at them as to why they should leave immediately.
“I tell them: ‘I’m going to expose you and I’m going to make you squatter famous…Google me, look at my YouTube, look at my subscribers. I’m going to expose you, your family, your life, everything about you, your job, your social media.
“Everyone’s going to know that you’re squatting. And every landlord in the country is going to know your face, your name, and you’re going to be exposed and they’re not going to rent to you,” he said.
“People kind of want to get away as fast as possible, and they don’t want to be seen.”
If trying to convince the squatters they should voluntarily vacate the home fails, he then brings out the big guns.
It’s at this point that Shelton, holding a lease the homeowner has drawn up for him, and carrying equipment that includes a head lamp, pepper spray and a gun – moves in with the squatters.
“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.’
“They’re not only surprised, they don’t know how to react.”
One of his most effective tactics is to install Ring cameras in every room and tell the squatters they’re on a reality show in a bid to send them packing.
According to Shelton, he has never feared for his life while dealing with squatters, but said he has been subjected to endless verbal attacks and is aware of the dangers involved. That’s the reason he prefers to hire ex-law enforcement members to join his team.
Shelton said he was certified in de-escalation tactics in a former job whichcomes in handy in his current line of work.
“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.
If a squatter leaves the home briefly, Shelton said he acts quickly to secure the home.
“Before they even know what’s happening, I’ve already removed them,” he said.
Trespassing is illegal across the US but individual states have various laws on how to handle squatters, with most relying on civil courts to resolve disputes.
“These people don’t care who they affect and who they hurt,” Shelton said of squatters.
He added his methods are so effective, his success rate in psyching out squatters is almost 100 percent.