An Oregon homeowner, known online as “Springchikun,” made a shocking discovery while tidying up her yard: a house squatter had been living beneath her 113-year-old home.
While inspecting a small, underground compartment, Springchikun found a makeshift bed, complete with a purple and pink blanket and several bags filled with personal belongings. The house squatter had apparently been using the crawlspace as a temporary shelter.
“I don’t think it’s been slept in super recently,” said Springchikun, who, rather than alerting authorities, left the home for a golf tournament.
This isn’t the first time a house squatter has been found living beneath a homeowner’s property. In Southern California, Ashly Guardino discovered that an ex-convict had been living under her floorboards. “There is a whole ass man living here for months… living underneath the house,” Guardino groaned in a TikTok video.
Kate Dood, from Australia, also had a similar experience. She realized that a homeless person had secretly set up shop in her garage. “We never saw the person in there at this time,” said Dood. “But you can see their slippers under this couch that was already there, plus a sleeping bag and a bucket.” She ultimately had the intruder removed with police intervention.
Unlike Dood, Springchikun was unwilling to call 911 on her trespasser. Instead, she left a handwritten note offering support. “Hello Friend!” began the missive. “I’ve bagged your things and locked up the hatch.”
After leaving the note, Springchikun finally met her house squatter, Gaby, who admitted to struggling with mental illness and homelessness. Springchikun offered Gaby help with food, shelter, and a mental health evaluation.
“I’m not without empathy,” said Springchikun. “I just can’t have humans living under my home.”