Got very lucky with first squat in Philly.

heavierbombing

heavierbombing

New member
Long story short, I had to leave my old apartment and decided it was time to get my squat on. Using the arcgis vacant properties map, I was able to find a list of vacant properties local to me and picked one relatively close by at random. Just so happened to really be the best fucking possible option. Front door had a big L&I notice that was 2.5 years old on it ordering the owner (has been dead for a while now, likely since early 2010s) to repair the rear wall of the property. Back door to the place was unlocked, got in there and the electricity is still working. Been in it for 3 days now. Will update as it goes on.
 
What part of the city are you squatting? There were/are plenty of abandos in west Philly/Baltimore Ave.

I miss that city.
 
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Update: it’s been a little more than 2 weeks. Still having trouble with the water, but it’s feeling much more like home. Locks are changed and I have the keys. Lease agreement and other documents are printed up, still need to get some mail sent here though. Any tips on that would be nice. Am doing renovations as I get the chance. Going to need some backup for some of the structural work in the back of the house. Def not going to be easy but it’s gotta get done. Later
 
Yooo love this thread!! I had a fucking sick squat in Brooklyn last year!

On the note about electricity use, if u have an analog meter in the basement like a lot of older houses in cities they shouldn't know to check ur use if ur not living there on paper. That's how it was in my squat in Brooklyn. Sometimes, maybe even often times, they'll read the meters like by street n urs just gets averaged out w everyone else's n everyone is billed accordingly.

We also manually turned on the water in the basement and then ran a hose up the middle the stairwell n had a spigot at the top. Idk if that helps u at all.

My advice for mail is do it fucking ASAP and if u have a bank account, change ur address with them n ask for a mailed statement. Then bring said mail with u to get a new ID with that address. Now if cops show up u not only have a lease and mail but u also have a whole ass ID with that address n have way more chance of the cops just leaving n telling whoever ends up owning the house they gotta take it to court if they want u out.
 
heavierbombing said:
Update: it’s been a little more than 2 weeks. Still having trouble with the water, but it’s feeling much more like home. Locks are changed and I have the keys. Lease agreement and other documents are printed up, still need to get some mail sent here though. Any tips on that would be nice. Am doing renovations as I get the chance. Going to need some backup for some of the structural work in the back of the house. Def not going to be easy but it’s gotta get done. Later
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Wondering how it is/was going for you. I'm about to lose my living space and I'm going to rent a room until I can find or crack a squat in west. Haven't squatted since the early '00s.
 
I wonder if this method would still work today. I am now disabled and need to find a place long term. I serve in the local government but they don't employ me enough to keep me housed and I've already been homeless once. I can't find other work in the city to pay rent that is willing to accommodate my disabilities right now. So I am trying to figure it out.
 
lemkowidmak said:
I wonder if this method would still work today. I am now disabled and need to find a place long term. I serve in the local government but they don't employ me enough to keep me housed and I've already been homeless once. I can't find other work in the city to pay rent that is willing to accommodate my disabilities right now. So I am trying to figure it out.
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You can still definitely find squats in the city like this. Admittedly, I've only had experience in North Philadelphia in the so-called "bad areas." You can enter nearly any abandoned house pretty easily. They'll either already be open or you can break in once then set up some way to get in and out. The more obviously abandoned it looks (boarded windows, decrepit status, ect), the longer you probably be able to stay literally because no one gives a shit. Obviously, they'll be pretty fucked up on the inside, just clean it out to your comfort level -- be careful of toxic shit like mold or asbestos.

And voila! I started living in a 'bando in the North in November.
 
Yeah ive seen a log of boarded up spots on germantown and erie. I live down by girard. I'm down for anyplace. I'm just not sure what my abilities are or how to do it safely with my health. I've never been urbexing abandoned buildings before. I figure entering through the back would probably be safest.
 
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