Q: Can city ordinance mandate the requirement of rental/leasing agreements to as establish water service at a residence?
Is it possible that city ordinance can violate civil liberties of squatters adverse possession rights by requesting rental or leasing agreements to establish water service on the property? My mother passed 8 yrs ago. My sister and I have payed back taxes for 5 years and established gas, electric, and cable services at the property without the need of a lease or rental agreement. The Adelanto water refuse to establish service with those documents. We do not want to lose $10k by opening probate.
I’m 100% certain that this ordinance is violating my squatters rights and I’m interested in getting this ordinance removed. I believe that this is also an intrusion upon my seclusion and I have a reasonable expectation of privacy. They do not need to anything but my SS#, California ID, credit card or banking information to establish service. I also believe that they are operating outside of the scope of their authority.
A: You definitely need to consult with a lawyer experienced in civil rights law. You can go to the San Bernardino County Bar Association's website ( http://www.sbcba.org/) and click on their Lawyer's Referral Service link to help you find an appropriate attorney who can help you. Do not delay or you may lose your right to sue. A competent civil rights lawyer will know how to get paid, because there is a fee statute (law) which requires a government defendant to pay the attorney's fees for a violation of a person's civil rights.
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