Las Vegas squatter issue is a safety, property values problem

I read the Review-Journal’s Sunday news feature on squatters. I suggest that these banks, realtors and utility companies combine a few databases that are most likely already in use at their respective agencies.

It should be a simple action for a utility company to check a database for the actual owner of a house via the county assessor’s office, the realty companies that are supposed to be managing these vacant houses, the marshal’s service and the banks. After all, these entities already have that information or they would be derelict in their responsibilities. This information would also help Metro determine the status of properties.

The people in Southern Nevada have a right to feel safe in their neighborhoods, and the entities that are allegedly managing these empty properties are not doing an effective job, particularly if the utility companies don’t have better ways to figure out whether the home belongs to its owner or to a squatter. Their lack of concern for the neighborhoods surrounding these homes is just irresponsible and helps bring down property values. It’s become a dangerous situation both to property managers and neighborhoods.

This is not rocket science. This town is always about 10 years behind the times. I’m certain that the agencies mentioned above could at the very least put together a monthly Excel spreadsheet or incorporate the information into a community database program such as Oracle. The expense involved for compiling this information is far less than the overall damage being done to vacant properties and neighborhoods by squatters.