As part of a directive from Mayor Jim Fouts, Warren police evicted a family of seven living illegally in a city-owned home.
According to Fouts, the squatters were found a shelter in Monroe for everyone.
The home, located on Panama St., was owned by the city and run by the Community Development Block Grant Program that rehabs homes and sells to them to moderate low-income families.
“These squatters deprived a needy family from purchasing a home, and they were not paying property taxes or water bills,” Fouts said. “They were essentially getting city services free at the expense of the taxpayers and a needy family.”
According to the mayor, his office was contacted by neighborhood residents who saw the sqautters moving in.
"The evictions should be a message to all squatters who have been occupying vacant homes in Warren, that the city will not tolerate this and it will cost them either hefty fines and/or imprisonment," he added.
