Squatter moves into $600,000 vacant home in west Cobb

Residents in a west Cobb neighborhood had an unfamiliar neighbor for almost two weeks when a man illegally moved into a $600,000 home that was vacated after the owner died.

It’s a practice commonly known as “squatting,” or taking possession of a property by someone who has no legal right to occupy the premises.

During his 10-day stay in the Broadlands subdivision of Powder Springs, neighbors watched as George Kalb brought a U-Haul of belongings to the home, changed the locks, had guests visit and even raked leaves in the yard. Police said they couldn’t immediately remove Kalb from the premises because he presented an allegedly fake lease to them after neighbors complained.

Kalb allegedly gained entry to the home by prying open the back door, according to a police report.

“We’re very distressed,” said Francine Dupree, who lives on the street. “It’s terrible enough that people do that, but then the owner has no rights whatsoever? That’s just bizarre to me.”

On Friday, 10 days after he moved in, Kalb was arrested and charged with first-degree burglary and theft by conversion, based on evidence that he broke into the home.

Squatting reports have risen nationally and in metro Atlanta , with trespassers taking control of vacant homes and sometimes having violent encounters with realtors, landlords and home owners.

Last week, Gov. Brian Kemp signed into law House Bill 1017, which changes how law enforcement can handle cases against people who take over properties and claim ownership or tenancy.

The law won’t go into effect until July 1, but several aspects of it would have applied to the Powder Springs case.

Police will be able to cite intruders, giving them three business days to show a lease, rental agreement, or proof of rental payments. From there, a magistrate judge will set a hearing within seven days to determine the legitimacy of the documents.

The new law makes squatting a misdemeanor and intruders could face a $1,000 fine and up to one year in jail, or both. The false documents charge would be a more serious felony.

The clear signs of Kalb breaking into the home in Powder Springs gave police enough evidence to charge him in that case.

The homeowner, Michael Peterson, suddenly passed away last summer at age 59 with no will. Now the house is under foreclosure and has been advertised to be auctioned off in a few weeks, said Brittany Peterson, his daughter-in-law.

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Kalb moved in after the ad for the house was posted online, she said.

“It’s a really sad situation for my whole family,” Peterson said, adding that she thinks the new law will make an “incredible difference.”

“Whereas before, you could come in and live somewhere for free and get a slap on the wrist ... They’re going to have a lot harder time and a lot bigger consequences just due to the new law,” she said.

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

The police report said Kalb presented officers with documents that “appeared to be very generic forms for a rental agreement that was not signed,” and with a different person listed as the homeowner. Peterson had been the only owner since the home was built in 1997. Police also noticed pry marks on the back door frame.

“Evidence gathered during the investigation indicated that forced entry was made into the residence, signaling an intrusion beyond mere occupation,” Cobb County Police spokesman Aaron Wilson said. “The keys Kalb possessed were not standard issue but were instead linked to a doorknob he installed himself, suggesting unauthorized access.”

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

Jillian Scelsi, a neighbor who grew up across the street from the home and played there as a child, called the situation “unsettling.”

“That was my second home at some point, and so when we see people coming in, and they’re not supposed to be there, it was weird,” Scelsi said. “It was not right.”

Scelsi said many in the neighborhood have driven by to check on the house, and the whole incident has brought the neighborhood closer.

Peterson added “No Trespassing” signs to the property and said she hopes the situation helps inform others of what to do if they encounter a squatter in their neighborhoods. She also hopes the new law will deter people from squatting.

“Hopefully making it a story means that it won’t happen to someone else,” she said. “The bigger thing is being educated about this law and knowing how to use it.”

Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com

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