Squatter problem balloons in Detroit:State law makes it hard to evict illegal residents, city claims

The Detroit News reports:

The foreclosure crisis has led to a surge of complaints about squatting in Detroit, and city officials acknowledge they're not sure what they can do about the problem.

In a city with more than 100,000 vacant properties, city officials and residents say they're increasingly seeing people take over empty houses and call them their own. Once they're in, it's tough to get rid of them: Michigan law places the burden of proof on rightful owners, and the eviction process can take months.

Gretchen Barrow knows the problem all too well. She fought for months to remove two families in her neighborhood on the west side and fears the situation will only worsen.

Coming to a big city near you?