*A prolonged dispute over a vacant $2.3 million property in Bethesda reached its climax this week after law enforcement arrested one of the occupants and spent the night clearing out the home. The saga has fueled a broader reckoning in Maryland over how the state handles unauthorized occupation of private property.
Fox Baltimore reports that Tamieka Goode and Corey Pollard moved into the mansion last summer, arguing they had a right to stay. Goode had previously been arrested at a court proceeding in late January and was handed a 90-day sentence. She was back on the streets less than two weeks later, having put up $5,000 cash for bail, and promptly returned to the residence.
On Tuesday night, Montgomery County sheriff’s deputies arrived at the home after Goode and several associates were observed loading belongings from the property. She was taken to the county detention facility and processed shortly before midnight. According to attorneys, it’s unclear why she was arrested and what she was charged with.
The following day, deputies, hired laborers, and a company specializing in vacant-property security worked together to haul out hundreds of items, everything from furniture to a full-sized piano. A deputy on the scene pointed out that the rear entrance had been forced open, and a screen door had been cut.
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The situation has prompted bipartisan calls for legislative reform. “I don’t want to prejudge the outcome of those bills, but there has obviously been a lot of building interest to start regulating that topic,” said Democratic House Majority Leader David Moon.
Republican Delegate Mike Griffith stressed the issue crosses political lines. “Squatters don’t discriminate,” Griffith said. “They don’t care if it’s a Republican home or a Democrat home. They’re going to find a weakness in the system.”
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