People accused of being homeless squatters say they are rent-paying roommates

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – There are two sides to every story, and the people accused of being homeless squatters in Broadmoor deny the accusation.

A Jackson man claimed he was renting a house that had been taken over by homeless people, forcing him to move. Those who remained said they had been invited to live there.

(READ: Tenant claims homeless squatters have taken over his Jackson home)

‘They don’t leave once they get here. They just stay steady. They won’t work,” Rickey Myers said Friday as he packed a moving truck.

“Everything he said was completely misleading and essentially lies,” replied Derrick Welborn, who is still at the house Myers rented.

He denies Rickey Myers’ claim that homeless acquaintances have taken over the house he was renting, making life unbearable for him. According to Welborn, he moved into the Windermere Terrace home with Myers almost four years ago.

“No, we are not squatters. Like I said, we all pay bills here,” Welborn said. “I mean, I have two roommates here with a $1,400.00 utility bill in their names that he won’t help us with.”

Myers said people argued with him, wouldn’t pay the rent, damaged his property and wouldn’t leave. The owner of the property said the people had lived there for a while, and he believed they were related to Myers.

The landlord said Myers’ name is on the lease, but an outside organization pays the rent.

Five people live in the house and say they are roommates who pay Myers $125.00 per person per week in rent. A man and woman who live here did not want to be identified.

They say no one attacked Myers and his claims are outrageous.

“I ended up here because he asked if I wanted to live with him. He didn’t want to live alone in this big house,” said the unidentified 41-year-old. “That’s how I ended up here. I was the very first person here. Everyone is here because of him, not me.”

“I came here and asked him if I could stay here, and he said yes. He said you had to pay rent,” the 38-year-old woman said. “We were completely shocked, completely shocked, speechless, and it really upset us all that he would even say something like that about us.”

I have contacted Myers regarding their refutation of his claims. He said he didn’t get any rent and is happy to be away from them.

“He is not a victim. He has never been a victim. That was a good show he put on though,” the man said.

Welborn said he and the others plan to stay and are in discussions with the landlord about staying on the Broadmoor property and paying rent.

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