US infamous ‘Squatter Mansion’ hits market for $6.3m

A vacant, graffiti-covered mansion in the Hollywood Hills, once overrun with squatters, has a new facelift and is back on the market.For years, the six-bedroom, 12-bath mansion at 1754 Sunset Plaza sat empty after its owner, John Powers Middleton, appeared to abandon the property, creating a major eyesore and hazard for neighbours, Realtor reports.In 2022, police arrested an armed man and his dog who had been living on the property. A year later, they returned and arrested three other squatters, though reports say that up to 20 people were living in the house at the time, covering the walls with anti-rich graffiti.Mr Middleton, a Hollywood producer and son of Philadelphia Phillies owner John Middleton, purchased the mansion in 2012, and owned a second property on Mullholland that similarly fell to seed. He sent a mea culpa to his neighbours via Fox News in 2024.“I would like to apologise to the people of Los Angeles and especially to my neighbours. What’s happened to the two properties I own is unacceptable, and no matter what caused it, I own the houses,” he said at the time.For years, the six-bedroom, 12-bath mansion at 1754 Sunset Plaza has sat empty. Picture: RealtorOn October ...