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Calumet City mayor says new state bill gives police stronger tools to remove squatters
Summary
Mayor Thaddeus Jones announced Senate Bill 1563 has been signed and directed city attorneys and police to coordinate enforcement and housing inspections to address squatting and false occupancy claims in Calumet City.
Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones told the council on May 27 that Senate Bill 1563 has been signed and will give the city stronger legal tools to address squatting and false-identity occupancy claims.
Jones said the measure upgrades certain trespass provisions and will allow the city to work with prosecutors and police to pursue criminal trespass charges where people submit false information or occupy property without authorization. “This bill allows, the police department and, the attorneys, which I will direct to work with building the zoning to make sure that, we identify all of the properties in Cayman City that have potential and are potential squatters. Remove them,” Jones said during the council meeting.
The mayor said he would direct the police department and the city attorneys to coordinate with the city’s crime-free housing program to identify and remove squatters “in a lawful manner” and that copies of the new law and a draft ordinance would be provided to council members. He said the change is intended to give “teeth” to enforcement efforts and to support housing integrity in Calumet City.
Council members did not vote on a specific ordinance during the public portion of the meeting; Jones said staff and attorneys will draft any implementing ordinance and work with zoning and police. The mayor also listed a separate, council-led initiative to recruit private businesses to the city; those recruitment resolutions were placed on the night’s agenda but he emphasized they do not create immediate financial commitments.
The transcript shows no council vote adopting a local ordinance tied to the state bill that night. The mayor’s direction constitutes a staff assignment to coordinate enforcement and draft implementing measures; any future ordinance or formal policy change will require subsequent council action.
Ending: The mayor said he will circulate the text of Senate Bill 1563 and proposed ordinance language to council members; a timetable for staff recommendations was not specified during the meeting.
