MESA, AZ — Residents of a Mesa neighborhood say their longtime community was turned upside down after squatters took over a vacant house on Matlock Street, raising concerns about alleged drug activity and safety.
“It needs to be torn down. It’s that bad,” one frustrated neighbor remarked, echoing widespread sentiment within the neighborhood.
Crystal Price, a local resident, described how noisy visitors came and went at all hours. Drug paraphernalia reportedly started turning up, and neighbors complained about unbearable odors coming from the property.
“You can tell there’s been drug use,” Price said.
Dan Shumway, a father of four living next door to the problem house, agreed.
“We could smell bad things. I don’t know what meth smells like, but I know it doesn’t smell like a normal cooking fire,” Shumway explained.
Police had limited options initially, so Price and others organized a petition and brought their concerns directly to the Mesa City Council in early June.
Neighbors kept watch over their surroundings, and on July 2, Mesa police arrived with a SWAT team and a search warrant. Officers arrested 54-year-old Jason May, who reportedly admitted to possessing several grams of methamphetamine inside the residence. Police then boarded up the doors and windows to prevent additional squatters from entering.
“I would say to anyone who has this going — you have more power than you realize. I didn’t think anything could happen after the small efforts we’ve made,” Price said.
May faces three felony charges related to the incident. Neighbors hope the house will be rehabilitated for new tenants or torn down entirely.
Price encourages others facing similar challenges to be persistent and to keep seeking support from law enforcement. She also stresses the importance of staying connected with neighbors, noting that “there’s strength and security in numbers.”
This story was reported on-air by ABC15’s Sean McDowell and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
