Squatter Given $88,000 of Taxpayer Money

In Bellevue, Washington, taxpayers are inadvertently funding a controversial form of tenant support, leading to thousands in rent paid for "serial squatters," a local politician has said.

In an interview with Fox News, Reagan Dunn, the vice-chair of the Metropolitan King County Council, criticized a taxpayer-funded program that awarded $88,000 to keep a family in a $2 million home rent-free.

The program, funded by King County taxpayers, was initially intended for COVID-19 hardship cases, and it is now under scrutiny for misuse.

The issue of squatting has grown into a national concern, challenging the balance between tenant rights and property ownership. Newsweek previously reported an increasing number of incidents where squatters, or individuals occupying properties without consent, have put homeowners and landlords in difficult positions, prompting calls for legislative reform and action across several states.

Dunn said, "$80,000 to a serial squatter is not what these programs are intended for." The council member's comments follow a case involving a "serial squatter," Sang Kim—who, reports say, has not paid rent for multiple years.

According to the Fox News segment, Kim, along with his wife and son, moved into the Bellevue home in August 2022, claiming an income of $400,000. He paid one month's rent before ceasing payments, though he continued to acquire assets, the outlet said.

Despite homeowner Jaskaran Singh, an Indian immigrant and recent U.S. citizen, winning three eviction cases, the Housing Justice Project has compensated Kim for unpaid rent totaling $88,000, enabling him to reside in the multimillion-dollar home rent-free.

The Housing Justice Project, a nonprofit arm of the King County Bar Association, received $16 million from King County taxpayers in 2024, Fox News said. Initially focused on aiding COVID-19 hardship cases, the funds were intended to prevent evictions—not, Dunn said, to support repeat offenders like Kim, who had previously squatted in another nearby residence for two years.

"What you're seeing is perversion of the system and a de-emphasis on private property rights," Dunn added.

Newsweek has contacted the Housing Justice Project for comment by email.

The case has sparked a public outcry, with community members rallying in support of Singh outside the residence where Kim is squatting. Dunn has called for an audit of the Housing Justice Project, questioning the allocation of taxpayer dollars and the integrity of tenant-support mechanisms.

In Washington, the case underlines the frustration of many property owners. Similar stories have emerged from Georgia, New York and other parts of the country, which suggests a growing trend that experts say remains relatively rare but highly publicized.

Squatting cases have risen as federal and local authorities grapple with skyrocketing rent prices and expanding tenant rights. The COVID-19 pandemic brought about moratoriums on evictions, intended as a temporary measure to protect those facing financial hardships.

However, landlords argue the moratoriums have been exploited by some individuals to unlawfully occupy properties without consequence.

The tension between protecting tenant rights and preventing squatting has sparked a political debate. For example, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has voiced support for homeowners using lethal force against squatters under the state's "castle doctrine," although legal experts caution against taking such drastic measures.

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Moreover, the legal framework surrounding squatters' rights varies widely across the U.S., with states such as California, Florida and New York offering avenues for squatters to claim ownership of properties under certain conditions, including continuous occupation and the payment of property taxes.

Those laws seek to address the issue of abandoned or neglected properties but have also raised concerns about their potential misuse.