Squatters’ struggle turns violent

Squatters at Rock Hall, St Philip, are jostling among themselves for position to erect structures. And the latest attempt by one of them turned into a brawl after she had paid a man $900 to clear a spot that she wanted and police were called.

This is not the first time that squatting has resulted in tension among the occupants. Last March, one occupier sold her selected spot in frustration after thieves made off with $10 000 worth of building materials she had bought. Others have built houses and are renting them for between $50 and $75 a week to people desperate for housing.

But last Friday, matters escalated between Renee Gooding (at left) and her three neighbours who tried to rob her of space that she was securing to build a home for her four children, ages ten, eight, three and one.

Gooding, 33, said on Tuesday, she paid to have the piece of land behind the home cleared but less than 24 hours later, her neighbours started to erect a structure on it. (DB)

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