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Volume 22 • Issue 2
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January 23, 2026
Director of Public Safety for Kiawah Island addresses alleged squatting incident BY THERESA STRATFORD For The Island Connection
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he first Town Council meeting of the new year on January 6 brought with it a report from Town Council Member Lance Spencer, making people aware of an alleged incident of squatting last summer on Kiawah Island. He said, “This came up at a KICA meeting a month or two ago. I think it has become generally known that one of the residences on Kiawah Island’s house was occupied by squatters over the summer for several weeks.” He mentioned it only to make people aware and to ask that neighbors look out for each other’s homes while they are away. “Look out for your neighbors. It’s a good idea to have security cameras, and maybe have someone watch your house if you will be gone for an extended period of time. I just want to make people aware, and I want people to look out for each other. If something doesn’t seem right, report it,” Spencer said. The Director of Public Safety for Kiawah Island, Craig Harris, provided some information about the alleged squatting incident. “First and foremost, the Town does not have a squatting problem. There was an isolated situation last summer that may have been mistaken for squatting. “In South Carolina, what is commonly referred to as ‘squatting’ is often treated as criminal trespass, meaning an individual knowingly enters or remains on a property without permission or legal authority. However, certain situations can evolve into civil matters, particularly when Adverse Possession or False Claims of tenancy are alleged. In some cases, a prolonged response may require court involvement and/or a formal eviction process (15-67-210 S.C. Code of Law). “If a resident suspects someone is unlawfully occupying their home or a neighbor’s home, the appropriate action is to immediately dial 911 and allow law enforcement to handle it. Community members should not take matters into their own hands, as these situations can become unsafe. “Precautionary steps are strongly encouraged, including checking both the interior and exterior of the residence, securing doors and windows, posting visible ‘No Trespassing’ signage, maintaining the property’s landscape, forwarding mail while on vacation, installing lighting or surveillance and monitoring utilities for unauthorized use. Neighbors are also encouraged to use a trusted buddy system to help monitor homes when owners are away. “Common indicators of possible unlawful occupancy may include lights on in a vacant home, accumulation of trash, unexplained water usage, unauthorized vehicles parked consistently, claims of a lease without documentation, changing locks without permission or hostility or avoidance when questioned. “We appreciate the opportunity to clarify this issue and emphasize Craig Harris, Director of that prompt reporting and proactive Public Safety on Kiawah property management are the most Courtesy of the Town of effective safeguards.” Kiawah Island.
Bad news for bobcats at Kiawah’s Town Council meeting BY THERESA STRATFORD For The Island Connection
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iawah Island Town Council Member Madeleine Kaye had some sad news to share in her report during the January 6 Kiawah Island Town Council meeting. Necropsy results were shared from a recent female bobcat that Kaye said was likely hit by a car. The autopsy showed that there were six anticoagulant rodenticides in the liver of the bobcat. “As you know, these are the SGAsthat prevent coagulation and lead the animal to a weakened state,” she said. “They’re less able to thrive. The animal had so many things wrong with her that if I detailed them, it would make you cry.” She went on to say that the bobcat weighed in at reportedly less than half of her tagged weight from the prior year and had maggots, sepsis and broken bones. “It is really quite tragic,” she said. Kaye added that the latest survey results show that community awareness about SGAs and the danger to bobcats is up, but that the results are down. “We’re risking the loss of this population.” Kiawah Island Town Biologist Jim Jordan will be taking on initiatives to tackle the problem with the major pest control providers on the island over the next month or so. Kaye also said that they will work on the Bobcat Guardian program again. The Bobcat Guardian program was enacted by the Town in 2020 to combat the decreasing population. This voluntary program is a community-wide pledge to participate in a commitment to banning the use of SGAs on individual properties. The Town asks that residents pledge to tell their pest control provider: “I do not authorize the use of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (Brodifacoum, Bromadiolone, Difenacoum and Difethialone) on my property, and I want you to use alternative methods.” Or, they can pledge, “I personally commit not to use the above products on my property.” After the successful implementation of the Bobcat Guardian program in 2020, bobcat numbers stabilized and started to increase. However, Jordan and his team have been studying the rates of SGAs in raccoons and opossums. The rates dropped in 2023, but (Continued on page 2)