A band of squatters took over a small island off Florida’s eastern coast and built their own community, complete with a multi-level treehouse, a “welcome center” and a trampoline.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office posted a video last week of deputies and other law enforcement officials posting “No Trespassing” signs on the island that sits near the Dunlawton Bridge near Port Orange.
Authorities remarked how the wooden structures on the island are “significantly better made” than those on another nearby island that had also been overtaken by squatters.
“Pretty impressive honestly,” said an unnamed deputy in the sheriff’s office’s video. “The number of structures have grown exponentially over the past few years.”
The video showed a shack that could be rented for $10 a night, certain structures that had been painted or decorated and what appeared to be a platform bed that was suspended by ropes.
Deputies then came across the four-story treehouse that was assembled out of leftover timber on the island, which is state-owned.
No one was on the island when police came through. The trespassing notice gave the squatters 48 hours to evacuate the area.
• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.
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