Editing Squatting (section)

=== North America ===
{{Squatting in the United States}}
In Canada, there are two systems to register the ownership of land. Under the land title system, squatter rights, formally known as adverse possession, were abolished. However, under the registry system, these rights have been preserved. If a person occupies land for the required period of time as set out in provincial limitation acts and during that time no legal action is taken to evict them, then the ownership of the land transfers from the legal owner to the squatter.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.duhaime.org/LegalResources/RealEstateTenancy/LawArticle-69/Adverse-Possession.aspx |title=Adverse Possession – The Law Behind Land Squatters |access-date=2012-01-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120106042332/http://www.duhaime.org/LegalResources/RealEstateTenancy/LawArticle-69/Adverse-Possession.aspx |archive-date=2012-01-06 |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Road allowance communities]] were settlements established by [[Métis]] people in the late 1800s through most of the 20th century on [[road allowances]] at the margins of settler society. Métis people were dispossessed from their land in the late 19th century, so they frequently squatted in these unclaimed and marginal spaces.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019 |title=Forced to live on roadsides: the dark history of Métis road allowances |work=CBC |url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/unreserved/from-scrip-to-road-allowances-canada-s-complicated-history-with-the-m%C3%A9tis-1.5100375/forced-to-live-on-roadsides-the-dark-history-of-m%C3%A9tis-road-allowances-1.5100660 |access-date=2023-08-18 |archive-date=2023-08-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230818133755/https://www.cbc.ca/radio/unreserved/from-scrip-to-road-allowances-canada-s-complicated-history-with-the-m%C3%A9tis-1.5100375/forced-to-live-on-roadsides-the-dark-history-of-m%C3%A9tis-road-allowances-1.5100660 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Métis Road Allowance Communities |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/metis-road-allowance-communities |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca |language=en |archive-date=2023-08-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230817105259/https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/metis-road-allowance-communities |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=From scrip to road allowances: Canada's complicated history with the Métis |work=CBC |url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/unreserved/from-scrip-to-road-allowances-canada-s-complicated-history-with-the-m%C3%A9tis-1.5100375 |access-date=2023-08-18 |archive-date=2023-08-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230818164424/https://www.cbc.ca/radio/unreserved/from-scrip-to-road-allowances-canada-s-complicated-history-with-the-m%C3%A9tis-1.5100375 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Frances Street Squats]] in Vancouver were a row of six buildings squatted for nine months in 1990. They were evicted in a large operation and a film was subsequently made, called ''The Beat of Frances Street''. In recent years, there have been a number of public squats which have brought together the two main contemporary reasons for squatting – homelessness and activism. Examples are the Préfontaine squat in [[Overdale]], a district of [[Montréal]] (2001),<ref>Hanes, A. 'Squatters still going strong: Overdale activists vow never to leave new homes at city-owned Centre Prefontaine' in ''The Montréal Gazette'' August 23, 2001</ref> the [[Woodward's Building|Woodward's Squat]] in [[Vancouver]] (2002), the Infirmary Squat in [[Halifax, Nova Scotia|Halifax]] (2002), the Pope Squat in [[Toronto]] (2002), the Seven Year Squat in [[Ottawa]] (2002), the Water Street Squat in [[Peterborough, Ontario|Peterborough]] (2003), and the [[North Star hotel]] in Vancouver (2006). These were squats organised by anti-poverty groups which tended to be short-lived.<ref name="Squatting and the City">{{cite web |url=http://canadiandimension.com/articles/2004/11/01/113/ |title=Labour Battles in B.C. and Quebec – Canadian Dimension |access-date=2013-01-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007010954/http://canadiandimension.com/articles/2004/11/01/113/ |archive-date=2008-10-07 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Woodward's building was a derelict department store which had stood empty for nine years. After being evicted from the building, two hundred squatters set up a tent city on the pavement outside.<ref>[http://action.web.ca/home/housing/alerts.shtml?x=25702&AA_EX_Session=065e9e52810dacc1d4834fbc9b47e576 Vancouver's Woodwards squatters must go by Monday] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060524234805/https://action.web.ca/home/housing/alerts.shtml?x=25702 |date=2006-05-24 }}</ref> The action is credited with putting in motion the eventual redevelopment of the building.<ref>Ward, D. 'Anti-Olympic protesters get their game on' ''The Vancouver Sun'' January 29, 2010</ref> The Peterborough Coalition Against Poverty (PCAP) publicly squatted 1130 Water Street, a building which stood empty after a fire. The group offered to repair the place and return it to its use as low-income housing. City officials agreed to the repairs and then City Council voted to demolish the building. The cost of demolition was $8,900 and the cost of repairs had been projected to be $6,900.<ref name="Squatting and the City" /> The North Star hotel was temporarily squatted as a protest against emptiness by the Vancouver Anti-Poverty Committee.<ref name="PVS">{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/police-evict-vancouver-squatters-1.587131 |title=Police evict Vancouver squatters|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201107160421/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/police-evict-vancouver-squatters-1.587131 |archive-date=2020-11-07|work=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=24 October 2006}}</ref> In 2011, the "Occupy Toronto squat team" squatted a basement at 238 Queen Street West and offered to take on a lease for 99 cents per year. They were evicted after eight hours.<ref>Sweetman, M. [http://rabble.ca/news/2011/12/occupying-housing-pope-squat-occupy-toronto 'Occupying housing from the Pope Squat to Occupy Toronto'] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130313043122/http://rabble.ca/news/2011/12/occupying-housing-pope-squat-occupy-toronto |date=2013-03-13}} December 19, 2011</ref>

[[Squatting in the United States]] occurred historically in large numbers during both the [[California Gold Rush]] and World War II.<ref name="Clay">{{cite web |last=Clay |first=Karen |title=Anarchy, Property Rights, and Violence: The Case of Post Gold Rush California |date=2005 |publisher=National Bureau of Economic Research |url=https://conference.nber.org/confer/2005/si2005/dae/clay.pdf |access-date=2022-12-02 |archive-date=2021-07-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721075526/http://conference.nber.org/confer/2005/si2005/dae/clay.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Nakagawa>Nakagawa, Martha. [http://encyclopedia.densho.org/Little%20Tokyo%20/%20Bronzeville,%20Los%20Angeles,%20California/ "Little Tokyo / Bronzeville, Los Angeles"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729021337/http://encyclopedia.densho.org/Little%20Tokyo%20/%20Bronzeville,%20Los%20Angeles,%20California/ |date=2020-07-29}} ''Densho Encyclopedia''. Retrieved July 29, 2020.</ref> [[Hoovervilles]] were homeless camps built across the country during the [[Great Depression]] in the 1930s. They were named after [[Herbert Hoover]], who was president of the country at the time.<ref name="HaH">{{cite web |title=Hoovervilles and Homelessness |url=http://depts.washington.edu/depress/hooverville.shtml |website=University of Washington |access-date=10 November 2020 |archive-date=5 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105232013/http://depts.washington.edu/depress/hooverville.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> During the [[Great Recession]] (2007–2009) more shanty towns appeared<ref>{{Citation |url=http://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_092608WAB_nickelsville_eviction_LJ.b3b65546.html |title=City moves to evict homeless campers |publisher=KING 5 TV |access-date=2008-09-26 |first=Roberta |last=Romero |date=2008-09-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080927120518/https://www.king5.com/topstories/stories/NW_092608WAB_nickelsville_eviction_LJ.b3b65546.html |archive-date=2008-09-27 }}</ref> with others squatting in foreclosed homes.<ref name=Anti>{{Citation |last=Netter |first=Sarah |title=Anti-Government Sovereign Citizens Taking Foreclosed Homes Using Phony Deeds, Authorities Say |newspaper=ABC NEWS |date=2010-08-23 |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/georgia-battling-sovereign-citizens-squatting-foreclosed-homes/story?id=11445382 |access-date=2011-05-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110906035502/https://abcnews.go.com/US/georgia-battling-sovereign-citizens-squatting-foreclosed-homes/story?id=11445382 |archive-date=2011-09-06 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=oregon>{{Citation |last=Bernstein |first=Maxine |title=A homeowner startled to find squatter living in the Portland house he bought out of foreclosure |newspaper=The Oregonian |date=2011-04-22 |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/04/portland_man_startled_to_find.html |access-date=2011-05-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527231529/http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/04/portland_man_startled_to_find.html |archive-date=2011-05-27 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=fore>{{Citation |last=Roberts |first=Chris |title=After Foreclosure, Woman Breaks Back into, Squats |newspaper=NBC |date=2011-05-20 |url=http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/After-Foreclosure-Woman-Breaks-Back-into-Squats-In-Empty-Bank-Owned-Home-122332484.html |access-date=2011-05-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402235853/http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/After-Foreclosure-Woman-Breaks-Back-into-Squats-In-Empty-Bank-Owned-Home-122332484.html |archive-date=2012-04-02 |url-status=live }}</ref> During the [[History of the hippie movement|hippie movement]], squatters in [[New Mexico]] established the commune of [[Tawapa]] near the [[Sandia Mountains]]. However, they were kicked out in the 1990s because they did not have the legal rights to the land.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Julyan |first=Robert |title=The place names of New Mexico |date=1998 |publisher=Univ. of New Mexico Press |isbn=978-0-8263-1689-9 |edition=2nd ed, rev |location=Albuquerque}}</ref>

Community organizations have abetted squatters in taking over vacant buildings not only as a place to live but also a part of larger campaign to shine a light on inequity in housing and advocate change in housing and land issues.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6iYiDQAAQBAJ&q=yippies+1980&pg=PA57|title=Ours to Lose: When Squatters Became Homeowners in New York City|first=Amy |last=Starecheski|publisher=[[University of Chicago Press]]|date=2016|isbn=978-0-226-40000-6|access-date=2018-01-18|archive-date=2020-08-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200818183802/https://books.google.com/books?id=6iYiDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&dq=yippies+1980|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2002, the New York City administration agreed to work with eleven squatted buildings on the [[Lower East Side]] in a deal brokered by the [[Urban Homesteading Assistance Board]] with the condition the apartments would eventually be turned over to the tenants as low-income [[housing cooperative]]s.<ref name=Voice>{{Citation |last=Ferguson |first=Sarah |title=Better Homes and Squatters: New York's Outlaw Homesteaders Earn the Right to Stay |newspaper=The Village Voice |date=August 27, 2002 |url=http://www.villagevoice.com/2002-08-27/news/better-homes-and-squatters/1 |access-date=July 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629130107/http://www.villagevoice.com/2002-08-27/news/better-homes-and-squatters/1/ |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref>