21-year-old buys, renovates Southeast Portland house previously overrun with squatters
A house along Southeast Flavel Street in Portland that was once overrun by squatters and avoided by neighbors still stands out, but now for an entirely different reason.
The previous owner put it on the market this past summer after the squatters moved in while he was on vacation. When he returned to the house near Southeast 52nd, he told KGW over the phone that they beat him up. He decided to sell, but didn't know how to get rid of the unwelcome occupants.
When 21-year-old Cade Gardner saw KGWs story, he worked with a money lender to buy the house for $315,000 squatters and all.
We saw this as an opportunity to help a homeowner and possibly help squatters that are staying on the property, said Gardner.
There were about four people living inside when he bought it, Gardner said. Portland Police Bureau records show that officers were called to the house twice last year for suspicious behavior.
When you have someone thats not willing to leave you dont really know what youre walking into, Gardner said.
Gardner said that he ended up becoming friends with the squatters, and spent a month getting them into housing of their own without any help from the city or police.
https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/southeast-flavel-portland-squatters-home-renovate/283-6e3cedf2-d871-44ee-be2a-e41fc24211c2
It can be done!