In the summer, forests in U.S. are hot spots for squatters

For most of the past three years, Mark Reno lived at no cost in the piney woods just north of Payson. Now, he is beginning a six-month stint in federal prison at taxpayer expense, convicted of setting up an unlawful residence in the Tonto National Forest. Among the thousands of squatters who become semipermanent denizens on public lands nationwide, Reno appears to be unusual only because he got caught so often that he was finally put behind bars. Under federal law, national forests are reserved for recreational use by the public. It is a Class B misdemeanor to set up a residence or to remain in any forest for more than two weeks during a 30-day period. The maximum punishment is a $5,000 fine and six months of incarceration. The squatter phenomenon is a problem on public lands nationwide, especially in Western states, where the federal government owns more than half of all property...ArizonaRepublic