Meet the Sword-Wielding Man Hired to Kick Squatters Out of Empty Oakland Homes
31st December 2025
Say a homeowner or bank or landlord discovers somebody occupying their property without authorization. They could call the police, though officers might not come. Police tend to shy away from tenancy disputes, leaving them to the civil courts. The property owner could go ahead and file an eviction lawsuit, but that can drag on for months.
Or they can call Jacobs.
For a fee, Jacobs will surveil the place and force out the people inside of it using a complex concoction of homespun arms and militarized tactics.
Jacobs’ team will often complete a job in a matter of days by boarding up the joint and moving in temporarily themselves, to make sure the squatters don’t return. But if they do, Jacobs is prepared for battle.
ASAP Squatter Removal is not alone. There’s a cottage industry in California that helps property owners force out squatters. There’s Squatter Squad, based in Southern California, and a handful of other companies, most established over the past couple of years.
In a properly-ordered society, the police would be doing this job. But—hey!—it’s California, so….