Neighbors in one of Washington, DC’s affluent suburbs have spent the better part of a year watching what many describe as a literal nightmare unfold outside their front doors — and now millions of Americans are watching, too.
A video report from Fox Baltimore’s Spotlight on Maryland (1) documenting the saga has garnered more than two million views on Facebook alone, drawing thousands of comments from viewers about what they see as a broken system.
At the center of the controversy are Tamika Goode, a self-described “pro-se litigation coach,” and her partner, Corey Pollard. The couple allegedly moved into a bank-owned, 7,500-square-foot home on Burning Tree Lane in Bethesda, Maryland, last summer without the permission of anyone who actually owned it. The property, which is tied to Citigroup through a foreclosure, is valued at about $2.3 million.
The two were eventually convicted of trespassing and breaking and entering, among other charges, and sentenced to 90 days in jail. During the proceedings, Judge John C. Moffett told Good that she had “some crazy ideas to justify” squatting. Despite all of this, Goode managed to return to the property after posting a $5,000 cash appeal bond. Within hours of her release, security camera footage showed a woman matching Good’s description walking down the icy driveway of the Bethesda mansion, dressed like she had worn outside court.
Months earlier, Ian Chen, a 19-year-old college student who lives next door to his parents, witnessed a forced entry to the vacant property. He called Montgomery County police.
According to Chen, their response was low. The officers knocked on the door, got no answer, and left. When Chen pressed the issue, a spokesperson for the Montgomery County Police Department told reporters that, if the occupants had been in the home for more than 30 days, they had “acquired residency status,” meaning their removal would have to be done through the courts, not by law enforcement.
So Chen took matters into his own hands. In July 2025, he filed private criminal charges against Goode and Pollard for trespassing and fourth-degree theft. What followed was a nine-month delay, missed court dates, and legal maneuvering that left the neighborhood on edge.
“I was so scared,” Chen told Spotlight in Maryland. “We were all in our neighborhood. We have a lot of elderly people who are afraid to even sleep at night.”
The story took its most dramatic turn on February 11, when authorities finally moved to evacuate the property. After the Spotlight in Maryland reported that Goode had returned to the mansion after his brief prison stint, activity intensified.
Just before 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Goode and associates were seen moving items from the mansion when several Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies arrived. Goode was taken into custody and taken to a detention center just before midnight.
During the overnight hours, moving trucks came and went from the property. By Wednesday morning, about a dozen deputies, crews of workers, and a vacant-property security company had gathered at the home. Workers removed hundreds of personal items left behind, including sofas, a piano, a Pac-Man arcade machine, and a movie popcorn maker.
“If you’re saying you shouldn’t be here, we’re going to take everything out,” a sheriff’s deputy told the property’s bank representative.
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Goode’s case is dramatic, but it is far from unique. While squatting incidents are on the rise nationwide, the rise of viral social media content has brought the issue into the spotlight — and, some argue, provided a playbook for squatters.
A 2024 report by the Pacific Legal Foundation documents a significant increase in squatting incidents in several states (2). Data compiled by property management firm Showdigs, citing Pew Research and the Urban Institute, show a 22 percent increase in reported squatting cases in 2024, with average eviction timelines stretching from 3 to 6 months and property owners between $8,000 and $15,000 in legal fees and lost rent (3). In Georgia, according to an earlier report by Moneywise, squatting court cases rose from three in 2017 to 198 in 2023 — though that data only covered 25 of the state’s 159 counties.
The problem has prompted a wave of legal action. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB 621 on March 27, 2024, which allows property owners to file affidavits and request sheriffs to evict unauthorized occupants—provided the person is not a current or former tenant in legal dispute (4). Georgia passed a law that criminalized squatting and allowed squatters to be removed within days if they could not produce proof of legal residency. New York, Alabama, Kentucky, Illinois, and Texas have recently passed or advanced similar measures (5).
Maryland, in particular, does not. Delegate Teresa Wurman, a Montgomery County Democrat, told reporters that she wasn’t sure whether squatting should even be criminalized, a comment that upset Chen and her neighbors (6). The Bethesda case, however, may change the political calculus. Chen has vowed to push for reforms in Annapolis.
“Squatting is ending today, but the road to holding everyone accountable for their actions has just begun,” Chen said after the eviction. “It will end in the state capital of Annapolis, where I will ask the Legislature and Governor Moore to change the laws so that this never happens again in this community.”
According to a LendingTree analysis of Census Bureau data, nearly 5.6 million housing units were vacant as of 2023 in the 50 largest U.S. metro areas — though the vast majority are rental vacancies, seasonal homes, or properties under renovation. Foreclosures account for about 1% or less of vacant units in most major metropolitan areas (7). Still, foreclosures and vacant homes can become targets for the unauthorized occupations that have plagued this Bethesda neighborhood at night for nearly a year.
If you’re worried about losing your home, or know someone who is, the most important thing you can do is act quickly. Lenders have more flexibility to work with borrowers who come forward before missing a payment than if they wait until they’re months behind.
Endurance If you are facing a temporary hardship such as a job loss, medical emergency, or unexpected expense there may be an option. Your servicer may agree to reduce or suspend your payments for a certain period of time. You’ll have to pay back the missed amount later, but it can provide some breathing room as you stabilize. Under federal regulations, servicers are required to review you for loss mitigation options before proceeding with foreclosure.
Loan modification Can permanently restructure the terms of your mortgage — extending the term of the loan, lowering the interest rate, or rolling missed payments into the balance. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s flex modification program, for example, aims for a 20 percent reduction in principal and interest payments for qualified borrowers (8). If you have an FHA, VA, or USDA loan, more specialized options may be available.
Free housing consultation Available through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, which maintains a network of approved counseling agencies that can help you understand your options, communicate with your lender and develop a plan. You can reach one by calling Homeowners Hope Hope Hope Hope at (888) 995-HOPE or by visiting HUD’s website (9). Beware of any company that charges for foreclosure prevention help – that money is always better spent on your mortgage.
Know your rights. Except in very specific circumstances, servicers cannot begin foreclosure proceedings until you are more than 120 days past due on your loan. If you have submitted a full harm reduction application, your server must review it before proceeding. And in many states, you have the right to rehabilitate your debt – meaning you can stop foreclosure proceedings by paying off the overdue amount in one lump sum, even after proceedings have started.
If keeping your home isn’t realistic, selling before going through foreclosure is always better for your finances and your credit. If you owe more than the home is worth, a “short sale” — where the lender agrees to accept less than the full balance — may be an option. It’s not ideal, but it’s far less damaging than a full foreclosure, which can stay on your credit report for seven years and make it extremely difficult to qualify for future loans (10).
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We rely only on vetted sources and reliable third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
Fox Baltimore (1); Pacific Legal Foundation (2); showdigs (3); Florida State (4); Bill Track 50 (5); Fox Baltimore (6); lendingtree (7); Fannie Mae (8); HUD.gov (9); Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (10)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
