Meyerland squatters moving out for 2nd time after ABC13 report
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- For the second time since April, a group of squatters in the Meyerland neighborhood is being forced out of a vacant home after ABC13 reported on their recent unauthorized move-in.
Neighbors in the 10200 block of Balmforth informed ABC13's Miya Shay that the unwanted squatters were being kicked out of an unoccupied home. The Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office later confirmed the exit.
Video on Friday evening showed a couple of people carrying belongings out of the front door and into awaiting vehicles in the driveway. Constable deputies were also on the scene.
On Thursday, Eyewitness News brought you neighbors' frustrations over the new residents next door.
"I saw some guys pull up and they opened the gate, and looked like they belong there," Alice Rubin said, who lives across the street from 10206 Balmforth, a house unoccupied just two weeks ago. "They took the 'For Sale' sign down, and I thought, 'Oh, maybe they're going to be moving in."
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Rubin since learned that they were not neighbors who moved in. They were squatters - people who break into homes and then live in them for free, often for months.
In April, ABC13 was first notified about a house at 5047 Glenmeadow, also in Meyerland. Riana Sherman and her family were about to buy the house at the time. When they found squatters, they pulled the contract.
Unfortunately for Al Montoya, who lived next door, had no choice.
"It was just constant in and out. It was just constant movement, at night especially, 12 in the morning, two in the morning, constant movement," Montoya recalled. "It was horrible. A lot of noise, people never seen before just moving in and out."
The owners of the Glenmeadow house began an eviction process, but it took months. The Precinct 5 Constable's Office confirmed they got an eviction notice for that home, but neighbors say the squatters moved out before the eviction was carried out.
However, they didn't move far. Multiple neighbors in Meyerland contacted ABC13, saying the same squatters moved to the Balmforth house, which had been unoccupied for years.
In court eviction records, the landlord identifies the squatters as Nathaniel Henderson and Velma (Bradley) Henderson.
According to court records, Nathaniel Henderson, who listed the Glenmeadow house in a different court document earlier this year, has an active shoplifting charge.
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Henderson presented a so-called "lease" to constables when they showed up at Balmforth last week. That lease lists a landlord at 7400 Harwin, Suite 102. ABC13 visited the commercial building on Thursday and found the office suite did not appear to exist.
Precinct 5 Constable's Office confirms they are looking into the matter.
While reporting on the scene of the Balmforth home, the squatters inside called the Houston Police Department on the ABC13 crew out front.
The officer who arrived determined that the people inside did not want our crews to report on the matter.
No report was filed, but a court date for the people living inside the home has been set for late June.
For news updates, follow Miya Shay on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
