Squatters Took over Her Airbnb Property. She Fought Back and Wants Others to Do the Same
Grace Young says the trespassers damaged her home and claimed tenancy under California law before detectives arrested two of them on burglary-related charges.
- Grace Young, an Airbnb host in El Cajon, California, faced a property takeover when squatters occupied her home and demanded $30,000 to leave, claiming legal residency since early April 2026.
- The crisis began after Young evicted an Airbnb guest who allegedly provided the home's security code to the squatters; when Young called the San Diego County Sheriff's Office, deputies declined to intervene, labeling it a "civil matter."
- Feeling helpless after losing rental income, Young hired the Squatter Squad, where founder Lando Thomas and partner Kimrey Kotchick gathered evidence and coordinated with law enforcement to challenge the intruders' legal tenancy claims.
- Twenty days after the takeover, detectives arrested squatters Kevin Barlow and Amanda Hopkins on burglary charges related to utility theft, following a warrant secured by Captain Navarro and his team.
- Squatter Squad founder Thomas reports receiving five daily calls from Southern California homeowners, warning that police label 95% of such cases as "civil matters." Young urges other owners to increase security and avoid relying solely on law enforcement.
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Squatters took over her Airbnb property. She fought back and wants others to do the same
An Airbnb host is warning property owners to fight back after squatters took over a home on her ranch and demanded $30,000 to leave, prompting her to hire a company that specializes in removing squatters.The whole situation just crushed me. I reached a point where I had no idea what to do and felt extremely helpless and beyond frustrated, said Grace Young in an interview on her property in the unincorporated El Cajon, located in Southern Califor…
The Flemish government has approved a series of new measures that enable a tougher approach to illegal and criminal Airbnbs. For instance, online rental platforms will be required to actively monitor whether the properties are correctly registered with the government, De Standaard reports on Wednesday.
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